Peaceful Highland hideaway on a wooded lochside: spy dolphins and otters, stargaze, and soak up the deep silence

Beautiful B&B in idyllic setting, with natural salt water pool and plenty of relaxed communal spaces

An artist's house imbued with an understated elegance. Stay for dinner; be charmed by the garden where fruit trees throng, hens loiter

In a sleepy village near Oxford, a characterful 17th-century inn with contemporary flair, seasonal menus and a terrace for summer music

Perthshire country house with contemporary touches. Deer, red squirrels, tawny owls... and the river Tay glints way below through the trees

The views are sensational, the bedrooms full of charm and higgledy-piggledy beams. Sip Perigord Noir on the terrace and amble to the market

A lovely little bolthole to return to after days out exploring pretty Cotswold villages and walking in an AONB straight from the door

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

A snug Snowdonia bolthole arranged around a vast boulder, once home to Victorian artists inspired by the setting. For romantic hikers

A fine old stone mill, the river rushing by, kingfishers, kayaking, swimming: it’s a dream place with Provence and the Cévennes at the door

Philippe and Stéphanie give you delicious food and comfortable, colourful bedrooms in their ancient château with gardens and pool

Once a hunting lodge, this unique and authentic 18th-century architectural folly sits up a quiet tree-lined drive on the edge of the estate

A sweet bolthole for two and a babe-in-arms or pooch in friendly, foodie Ramsbottom with walks straight into woods and moors

Fringing Tuscany countryside and fun Montone, an authentic Umbrian mansion with Slow Food, lavender fields, apartments and pool. Pure Italy

Characterful mansion in west Wales set in 10 acres of greenery with a lake; glorious beaches and good restaurants are a short drive away

Big, beautiful Moorish-style villa for parties of up to 10, near mountains, coast and Granada. The rooftop views are jaw-dropping…

An exquisite Provençal home for a large party, hidden behind grand gates in a small village surrounded by the pine-scented Alpilles

A cosy cottage on a farm down a long winding track, wonderfully rural with footpaths across fields or along the canal