A scrupulously renovated dog-friendly gate lodge with garden and outdoor dining area, a five-minute drive from Mount Congreve Gardens

Gather family or friends and take both villa and cottage. The terraces and gardens have long views, the pool is roomy and the peace palpable

An 18th-century coaching inn wrapped in countryside now a relaxed pub with rooms serving excellent food and drink with 16 inviting bedrooms

In a hamlet in the Loire countryside is a friendly estate with a family-sized gite, a shared saltwater pool and heaps of old-world charm

Deep in Burgundy's wine country, an elegant maison de maître sits in acres of gloriously private parkland

Perfect for families - a glorious farmhouse surrounded by lavender fields. Rooms are huge and children can roam free in the vast gardens

An elegant 1892 building, once the village school, now a very comfortable, colourful B&B with warm owners and delicious breakfasts

An elegant house with ancient roots and a shimmering pool – explore the Charente countryside, drive to lovely Angoulême

Deliciously comfortable, hospitable, boutique B&B - in a secluded village within easy reach of Reims and the vineyards of Champagne

Up at the top of Scotland’s west coast, a small, stylish and welcoming hotel with lovely owners and some nicely priced rooms

In the heart of a starlight reserve in a protected natural park, three authentic cottages with walks from the door for immersion in nature

A Georgian manor house in the old quarter of Penzance, close to the water, with good food and a chilled vibe

Charming manor house B&B, packed with character, interest and history, sitting in extensive gardens and with elegant bedrooms

Generous simplicity and organic farm cooking in this rustic Tuscan farm with library, yoga, family apartments and natural lily-dotted pond

A stone built 18th-century tower in a pretty valley dotted with fruit trees for quiet and relaxed days recuperating from life in the city

An elegant townhouse, built in 1830 and once the sous-préfecture for Rochefort, with spacious, light-filled rooms and a garden with pool

An immaculately restored old inn with generous bedrooms, great food, ale and wine. Locals love it as much as those who make it a destination