For retreats, groups of friends, and big families: come to recharge the senses at this special and ancient house enveloped by wild gardens

Come to be looked after very well in this meticulously renovated old farmhouse with elegant bedrooms, tasty breakfasts and a kind host

Two peaceful spaces in a beautiful garden with a morning concert from the birds and a terrace for magical outdoor meals

A foodie and friendly reinvigorated old pub, with floor to ceiling estuary views. Bring the dog and hit the coastal path

Come for deep beds, real fires, Scottish breakfasts, a generous welcome, great walking, cycle tracks and grand lochside views

A delightful mix of old and new in a conservation village with a four-acre garden that attracts all the local birds. Guests love it here

A small and stylish townhouse retreat in leafy Folkestone with excellent bedrooms and a terrace for breakfast in summer

Friendly Maki and Clive's higgledy-piggledy home is a charming, special place. Rooms are cosy, Clive's cookery courses are fun and delicious

High ceilings and exposed stone walls give a light, bright and rustic feel to this restored barn with fabulous views over a lush valley

Escape to your own snug bolthole above a beautiful hall. Creative village community, tasty breakfast delivered, come and go as you please

Your very own château in the Dordogne for big family get-togethers and special celebrations

Creative owners have made a gorgeous, arty space for couples or a small group of friends; good beaches and Salcombe are close

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

Deeply peaceful countryside retreat with exceptional food and wine laid on by Sam and Heather, your friendly hosts

Two cottages for couples: one more traditional, the other fresh and modern, both comfortable and romantic and there's a good pub next door

Immaculate apartments with private patios and well-equipped kitchens share oleander-bright gardens and a chlorine-free pool

A sylvan hideaway tucked into the hills of the Southern Alps, full of Provençal charm inside and out – Saint-Cézaire and the coast are close

A charming hotel in a quiet neighbourhood in medieval Bologna, just the ticket for a city escape filled with food, history and culture