An elegant hotel with wellness area, gym, gourmet restaurant, bar, bistro and 15 contemporary bedrooms decorated with Sicilian flair

Close to Hexham's centre, a quietly charismatic Victorian home with fresh flowers, homemade bread, sunny courtyard and a friendly little dog

A hop from the coast and charming Alnwick, a gorgeous and supremely comfortable country escape for friends and families. Dogs welcome too

What do you do with a down-at-heel roadside inn? You get Mhor to come and turn it into a quirky base with their funky style and lovely food

Gem-like in a deep park among meadows, a family-friendly château with 2 stylish cottages. Join the lovely owners for dinner, dip in the pool

Burrowed into the olive groves of the lush Valle d’Itria, a restored masseria with five trulli, an indoor and outdoor pool, hot tub and lovely views

At the foot of the Cambrian Mountains, an ancient whitewashed cottage with cosy, light-flooded interiors – a perfect rural bolthole for two

On the outskirts of Marazion, this timber clad house perched above the sea is a super pad for romantic couples

Come to a gorgeous bolthole, just for two, in a sleepy riverside village with the delights of the Corrèze at your feet

A taste of old Italy in this off-the-beaten-track rustic house on three levels, exquisitely restored and with elegant designer furnishings

One of five cottages on the Wern Estate, all comfort and charm, with a garden for kids, rockpools at Black Rock Sands and a mountain railway

Late 18th-century stone-built farmhouse in undulating countryside with wonderful walks from the door, golf nearby and much comfort within

Generous, fun house, perfect for family gatherings. Head down the hill for sandy beaches or let kids and dogs run wild on the Purbeck coast

A large tranquil apartment with garden and pool surrounded by Tuscan countryside, just over half an hour's drive from Siena

A 18th-century house with pool in a small town with friendly owners and a tropical garden of banana, fig and, of course, frangipani

A converted old granary next to a traditional Welsh longhouse in a deeply rural setting for unfussy nature lovers

Provençale-meets-English country house to great effect – cycle Mont Ventoux, walk to the monastery, visit Roman towns and vineyards

Gloriously cool in summer, cosy in winter, a 365-day-a-year retreat. Just a 10-minute promenade along the beach into the fun heart of town