This famous old country house might not come cheap, but where else can you splash out in such decadent style for life’s big celebrations?

Georgian country house with rustic charm and a home-from-home feel. In the heart of Wiltshire just outside historic town Bradford-on-Avon

Up the drive flanked by grazing horses, to a warm welcome from the housekeeper and a great fire in the hall. Perfect for family gatherings

A hideaway for two on an old farm, gifted to The National Trust for Jersey, with a pretty walled garden and circled by verdant countryside

A very special design-led garden apartment on the ground floor of an elegant 1835 house on one of the prettiest crescents in the city

Come for a spot of high-end cossetting with big, beautiful bedrooms, good food and far-reaching views in the Northumberland National Park

An 18th-century listed cottage in a pretty terrace with a private courtyard garden and pond, just a short walk from the high street

Traditional family-run hotel with sitting rooms galore, award-winning food and Snowdon views. High teas and games room for children too

Fall asleep to the sound of the sea in your dreamy thatched cottage, one of 6, right on the beach for those head-clearing walks...

A grand, 16th-century Breton château complete with dovecote, turret and chapel surrounded by 50 acres of parkland, woods and small lake

A calm, leafy bolthole in one of Paris' most elegant districts. Step out to stylish boutiques, good bakeries – and the Eiffel Tower

An artistic escape with a stunning kitchen in sleepy, gastronomic Lot – stroll to the village market and feast on local produce

The view is pure Canaletto, the vibe is modern and laid back. Just minutes from all Venice’s best bits, but with far fewer tourists

A fuss-free, informal place to stay with family - your own entrance straight from the garden and tasty breakfasts set up in a summer house

A shady terrace runs the full length of this old barn, overlooking magnificent trees and fields of sheep. Riberac is a 10-minute drive

Come down to the Meon Valley and be (very gently) nudged towards a better way of living - a Sawday's Community Champion

Come for Goodwood and good fun - simple, relaxed old farmhouse style with quirky touches, a lovely garden and long views