Family-run B&B in traditional trulli with hands-on hosts. Swim in the pool, explore the countryside, the coast is half an hour’s drive away

A small top terrace can be booked for romantic evenings and you can lunch or dinner at the delightful floating restaurant

A row of old brick stables now craftily converted into a light-filled and very peaceful place to stay with a garden room and gorgeous views

Tucked down an alley off the main road through Midhurst, this well-designed, generous-spirited little house exudes character and quirk

Come to this cosy barn down a winding lane for a back-to-nature escape: hike the Black Mountains, splash in the stream, gaze at the views

A glorious spot in the Wolds for a big family get-together in style, with your very own indoor heated pool, sauna, games and hot tub

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

Swings, a terrace and pool in 2 acres ringed by fields and tranquility, and lakes and vineyards beyond. Family bliss in Quercy

A small, rural cottage high in the wooded hills with long views, your own private pool, utter peace and quiet and a superb restaurant nearby

A tranquil cabin for two in rural countryside near arty Totnes: there are walks from the door and all of Devon is yours to explore

Stunning, spacious 3-storey converted mill with stylish bedrooms. Cook just-caught brown trout from the river, eat at a hand built oak table

Four gîtes in the château’s vast barn, one in the tower. Magnificent mountain and valley views, and Sandrine’s regionally inspired meals

Just below the Tuscan town of Massa Marittima, an agriturismo loved by sporty types and families, with wonderful food on site

A smartly refurbished village pub with its own micro-brewery and a huge emphasis on cooking great food from a network of local suppliers

Family-friendly hotel on Ullswater with a pool and a variety of bedrooms, some super-cool - swim in the lake, walk in the hills, eat well

A contemporary country-house hotel with a lovely spa and peaceful gardens - Sandringham and the north Norfolk coast are close

A 15th-century courtyard hides a petite contemporary apartment – a fabulous base from which to explore the city and all its treasures

A charming transformation of a once boarded-up pub in a pretty village setting, beside the river Wye in the heart of the Peak District