A fabulous party spot with an outdoor covered eating area, a wood with fairy lights, fire pit, dark skies - and much comfort indoors

Stay in a celebrated French author’s holiday home, beautifully restored and tucked among pines next to one of Brittany's loveliest bays

A thatched farmhouse only just over the channel near Rouen that’s well hidden in lush gardens, but worth finding for the gourmet food alone

A great base from which to explore beautiful Pembrokeshire - walk by the coast, take to the hills, check out ancient St Davids

Simple but stylishly furnished village house, terrific hill-top views, low-impact design, organic cooking and a hot tub; utterly peaceful

Learn about local lore, taste the wines, bliss out in the garden and enjoy the company of Éric and Cathy, warm, humorous and talented hosts

Characterful and family-friendly apartments on this lovely wine-country estate: great hosts, glorious grounds and pool, home-grown food

Up in the hills, with Hay Bluff towering beside, this old stone house is sheltered in the valley with the brook rushing past to a waterfall

Experience outstanding hospitality at this aristocratic palazzo with a Michelin-rated restaurant downstairs and seven unique bedrooms above

A quirky hotel with enthusiastic owners in an authentic Andalucian town, just ten minutes up winding roads from Marbella

Cosy cabin hideaway packed with vintage charm. Enjoy lovely orchard views and a rustic wood-fired bath under the apple trees

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

Independent B&B with your own converted spaces sitting in a lovely garden with pool. Breakfast is served in the main house or on the terrace

Inside, a grand cathedral ceiling, outside, wisteria-covered terrace and pretty pool. Atlantic sands, Cognac and La Rochelle are in reach

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

Unadulterated elegance awaits at this gorgeous, ancient Tuscan house with large marble swimming pool, stunning gardens and dreamy views

You’re in the heart of untamed countryside here, beside the river Oise, welcomed by friendly hosts who cook and care for you

For families who love a Great British beach holiday, this beach-side cottage on Hayling Island near Portsmouth is just the ticket