Boutique hotel next to Funchal’s 15th-century cathedral, with a champagne and lobster bar, rooftop cocktail bar and an excellent restaurant

A foodie and friendly reinvigorated old pub, with floor to ceiling estuary views. Bring the dog and hit the coastal path

Cosy and comfortable eco cottages near to sleepy Sidmouth, where grown-ups can relax and children can play safely in the gardens

Cosy Lakeland stone barn in acres of peaceful countryside for walkers, wildlife lovers and those wishing for a retreat

Come for stunning views down to the bay of La Herradura and this traditional, family-focused 1990s house on three floors

A handsome château filled with intrigue and interest on the edge of a Bastide town in Landes. Your charming host looks after you with aplomb

Wander down a pebble path to this large, light holiday home near La Rochelle. Eco-friendly, accessible to all, and perfectly peaceful

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

A lovely 1650 Welsh longhouse, beamed and flagstoned with a verdant garden in a totally unspoilt spot in the Snowdonia National Park

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

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

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

A niftily converted barn with high vaulted ceiling sitting on a hill with wonderful views over a newly-created lake and the Stour Valley

Come for a quintessentially English country cottage tucked down a village path with wisteria in the garden and a short walk to a foodie pub

An impressive manor house set in gentle rolling countryside ten miles from Oxford with a delightful garden, warm hosts and organic breakfast

An important spot for this grand 19th-century château on the banks of the Loire, steeped in history and with kind, erudite owners

Starry skies, wild beauty and total peace are yours in these sustainable, solar-powered eco-lodges

Former blacksmith’s workshop in a chocolate-box corner of the New Forest, where clematis climbs the trellis and all you hear are the birds