Climb the candle-lit marble staircase to dream between lavender-scented sheets in splendid rooms, some with balcony or terrace

Log fires smoulder, rooms are comfortable, the food is delicious and there's bags of character at this old village pub – once a cider house

A traditional stone bergerie high on a hill and surrounded by woods with east-facing views over the valley for stunning sunrises

In a mellowstone village with a jolly pub, a super raftered barn with generous touches. Friendly owners next door know the Cotswolds well...

The living is easy here: laze in the subtropical garden, float in the saltwater pool, let the kids play and meet other guests over dinner

Come for a village feel, rural peace and boundless Portuguese countryside at this charming whitewashed home with a super terrace with views

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

Sumptuous rooms with Renaissance-inspired art, infinity pool and gardens, just a short drive to Mantua’s historic city centre

Come for big skies, grand walking and hilly cycling. Style and comfort abound in this cottage set on the hillside with views to North Uist

Apartments with a designer touch in a peaceful, evocative setting; private gardens, intimate terraces, infinity pool, stunning lake views and a gourmet restaurant

A traditional coaching inn dating from the 18th century with good food served in private and public dining rooms on the Wellington Estate

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

A medieval monastery, stunningly revived, in untouristy, car-free Pisciotta. Sip greco on the terrace; scramble through olives to the sea

A 15th-century Venetian palazzo, lovingly restored with stylish rooms overlooking the Grand Canal and a designer's insight into the city

All the luxuries that make a B&B very special - wonderful food, smart rooms and a garden replete with pool, orchard, tennis and lake

A hop to Montpellier, but deep in the countryside: a romantic pad, with Moroccan rugs, ochre-limed walls and bikes to ride into the country

A fine country manor house on the edge of a village, peacefully surrounded by gardens and trees, and close to the D-Day landing beaches

A lovely Victorian cottage on a quiet village road, traditional and comfortable inside and with a fully enclosed garden at the back