Come for summer breakfasts of pastries fresh from the local bakery, afternoons reading by the pool and long, lazy lunches

Gather your favourites for a getaway in deepest France. Bike the countryside, dip in the heated pool and sprawl out in this inviting space

Dreamy, languid beauty at this spacious, airy, arty house with garden and pool in typical Pugliese countryside

A glorious château near Tours – authentic, huge fun, steeped in family history and surrounded by gorgeous gardens with a serene pool

Delightful, rustic retreat for families, romantic couples and singles. Food, views and owners are lovely

A charming comfy cottage with wood burner, delicious hilly views, walks radiating from the door. We didn’t want to leave!

The sort of inn we all love – open fires, original beams, ancient flags, tasty food, with lovely bedrooms thrown in for good measure

The farm is up its own track with wake-up Cheviot views over pine forests and fields of sheep. Luxurious bedrooms, large airy living space

High in Ávila's unspoilt nature is this stylish, eco-brilliant family hotel: mountains, massages, pool, organic dinners... a special escape

A very special renovation of a 12th-century convent, now an elegant, tranquil place to stay with beautiful, bird-filled gardens

A rustic-chic bolthole with bird's eye views to gaze at from your bedroom and the beautiful garden, tucked in a quaint hamlet in Maremma

A charming base in historic Beaulieu - expect delicious food, traditional country-house interiors, and walks that start from the front door

A hammock by the pool, dinner under the stars, Andalucian nature (wild boar, birds, olives) all around. Chatty English hosts charm all

Shed your urban cares here with a gorgeous living space, woods and meadows to wander and stunning views of The Black Mountains

You’re wrapped in parkland here and close to the coast, gardens and war memorials. A treat of a stop-over for foodies

A beautifully restored building in a vast, open space dotted with olive trees and fragrant citrus - unwind in the calming atmosphere

Once a shooting lodge, this stand-alone big building was part of a medieval estate and you can still see the grassy mount and dungeon tower

Created around a Georgian house, with lake, woodland and fields, this hotel and members' club offers great food, fresh air and much comfort