Beautiful Noto is 4 miles from the Ionian Sea, and this creative renovation, with lush garden, stands above the throng. Heaven in Sicily

You'll find comfortable rooms, great food and a lovely bar at this friendly inn – Heartbeat country, Castle Howard and Whitby all wait

Relaxed, bohemian vibe out in the wilds yet close to civilization. An organic garden and woodland yurt add to the convivial, communal idyll

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

A small yet elegant place for couples or small groups to enjoy the open countryside, rest, join a cooking course or book a massage

An 18th-century beamed inn with tasty food, pretty bedrooms and a large garden just a ten-minute drive from Chichester

Climb Snowdon - or take the train. Swim, cycle, visit Nat Trust houses. A deliciously quirky retreat for 2 (and babe-in-arms) near Anglesey

A truly special barn conversion, flooded with light and with its own decked outdoor space surrounded by bucolic countryside

A converted old granary next to a traditional Welsh longhouse in a deeply rural setting for unfussy nature lovers

A very pretty old converted cart shed at the end of a track on an organic farm, surrounded by wildlife, birds and animals in the fields

A period manor and pretty rooms in old stables: a quiet base for Pas-de-Calais and Picardie. Madame loves the house, animals, story-telling

Off the beaten track and into the hills – this remote, unknown bird-filled region is faultless for outdoorsy people

Stay in the grounds of a 19th-century château turned family home, where 500-year-old oak trees shade a glorious garden

Vast house on an ancient Roman site with big terraced garden and pool. Grand yet homely, with air-con, spa and only 8 km to the city

Light and sunny annexe with your own entrance in the centre of vibrant Buckfastleigh with lovely gardens, for couples plus a child or two

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

Classic coaching inn in a bustling village offers restful rooms, real ales and the Cotswolds on your doorstep

Beautifully designed timber cabins in the Black Mountains, right next to a lovely old inn serving good, honest food from their own farm