Light-filled retreat full of character and vintage finds, with handmade touches and farm-fresh produce on your doorstep

No-nonsense farm conversions with open, airy rooms and good big showers sharing a pool, a playground and fabulous views. Great walks, too

A renovated, comfy Victorian cottage behind a small village pub, a hub for the local community and with good food, ales and wine

A remote, rustic place for a digital detox - wildly romantic and perfect in summer with the doors open. Children can play in safety

An enchanting escape immersed in nature yet only 40 minutes by train into the Eternal City for art and history-filled days

Four stylish Andalusian retreats surrounded by olive groves and almond trees, and a restaurant for wonderful, seasonal food

Restored stone barn on a farm in the Lake District National Park, with views of fields and woods and an excellent pub nearby

An old-world inn full of colour, with open fires, cosy rooms, local food and the magnificent Northumberland National Park all around

Lodge and gardens – superbly designed, immaculate, fresh, eco friendly – rest in unspoilt Picardy. Anglo-French hosts take turns to cook

Hilltop farmhouse converted into a light and spacious, contemporary country house where vintage and modern happily mix. Stunning views, too

The largest of three secluded cottages that share a gravel courtyard and a beautiful garden with cathedral views

Tucked down a private driveway, this restored 19th-century farm building offers superb breakfasts, well-dressed beds and a beautiful garden

In a chocolate-box village just an hour on the train, and a short hop in a taxi, from London is this foodie inn with pretty bedrooms

There’s a Tuscan feel to this lovely, family-friendly place – walk to the sound of cicadas, stargaze, visit vineyards, markets and castles

High on a hill in the Tyne Valley, undisturbed except by birds singing and the wind whistling; views swoop down to a magical landscape

A lovely gîte, once a hunting lodge, with two private terraces overlooking the manicured gardens of an 1830s manor house

There's a pared-back unforced elegance to this stone barn sitting quietly in its own grounds beside a cobbled courtyard awash with roses

A grand piano to play and a delicious bed to sink into, at this cool, arty bolthole near Frome. For those who love spaciousness and peace