Come here in the summer (it’s closed Nov-April except by arrangement) for candlelit dining, chintzy bedrooms, long views over the park...

Airy villa for four overlooking Lake Como. Stunning views, private sunny terrace - a peaceful communal garden to wander too

High in Ávila's unspoilt nature is this stylish, eco-brilliant family hotel: mountains, massages, pool, organic dinners... a special escape

Wide views over the trees to the glittering loch and the hills beyond will mesmerise; interiors are calm, uncluttered and generous

A destination for epicurians who also want exquisite surroundings and comfortable bedrooms. A charming garden too with a very French feel

Swim with frogs in the freshwater pool, breakfast in the sunshine, play boules by moonlight. Châteaux don't get much more rural

A charming nook for two in pretty Barrington village with a foodie pub mere steps away and Somerset at your feet

Three clean and bright barn conversions surrounded by a wildflower meadow, winding canals and burbling rivers near Henley in Arden

Ascot is a trot down the road and there's a really cosy, cottagey feel to this quaint 18th-century inn with great food and comfy bedrooms

A Victorian house on a 5000 acre estate, snazzily renovated and tucked down a track with a private lake, in the quieter part of Cumbria

A truly authentic place to stay on a Sicilian working farm with roaming hens, wheat fields, wild flowers and a distant view of the sea

Breakfast on homemade ricotta, bask on a cool white lounger, swim in the cove below. We love this young, friendly, rustic B&B

Where sea and woodland meet, an inspiring and beautiful haven with estuary views; a gourmet’s delight and Honfleur down the road

Tour the cellars or wander the history-rich château and grounds. A truly pretty place

A 17th-century Grade II listed inn, bustling with a mix of visitors and locals, friendly staff, very comfortable rooms and scrumptious food

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

Spacious gîte in a former hunting lodge, set on one of the oldest estates in Pézenas, for a relaxing getaway with family and friends

A family-run 1700s thatched Inn in a rural hamlet with super food, a grand team to look after you and picnic benches in a pretty garden