A small, quirky country house hotel with lovely staff, pretty rooms and heavenly food served in a pillared dining room

Near the sandy beaches of the Cabo de Gata, close to the village of Níjar, is a much-loved family estate with eco pool and exotic gardens

A sustainably-designed small, family-run eco hotel within a nature park by the sea in stunning Basque country. Great food too

A traditional Welsh cottage perfect for a nature loving pair – stunning coastal walks, hidden coves, birdwatching and a crackling fire

A hugely spoiling place to stay with gardens, plunge pool, hot tub and sauna - part of the village pub, farm shop, brewery and Wellness Barn

In the Welsh Marches, down winding lanes, a delightful refurbished hop pickers' house - romantic bolthole for 2. Friendly owners, too

A sweet bolthole around a courtyard on a smallholding, extremely comfortable, bright and spacious inside and with a communal garden

A fine designer house and pool above the coastal hurly-burly and one of the loveliest coves in Spain, backing onto a nature park. Happy hols

In peaceful walled gardens, this former convent is a quiet retreat just a stone’s throw from the Riviera coast and the best of Tuscany

An ancient inn, spruce and restorative, in a picture-perfect village with open fires, tasty food and stylish, comfortable bedrooms

Dating back to 1892 and once the home of the town's mayor, this fine house sits in the centre of a pretty Andalusian town with much to offer

In the city of Trapani, at the foot of Mount Erice, a nobleman's villa with a warm heart and exotic gardens. A hop from the Egadi Islands

A modern, architect-designed renovation of a 19th-century building, sitting in harmony with nature yet only a short drive from Bordeaux

Fresh, simple country charm - pretty rooms with enchanting river views, freshly baked bread for breakfast... Beautiful, fragrant gardens

A cosy bolt hole near medieval Cartmel with woods, meadows and wildlife – great for walkers in this quiet part of the South Lakes

Spacious gîte in a former hunting lodge, set on one of the oldest estates in Pézenas, for a relaxing getaway with family and friends

At the gates of a country estate, two quirky hexagonal lodge houses with private outdoor seating and acres of grounds for walks and picnics

For escapists, wannabe writers and lovers of rural bliss: two boho hideaways for two (four at a squeeze) in this lush corner of Galicia