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

Free-spirited travellers rejoice! A super house on a volcanic Sicilian island – hike, sail, dive & immerse yourself in local life

Rustic, relaxing, comfortable and fun with pool and play area, river beaches, great hosts, peaceful countryside, an hour from Porto

Gracious Florentine hospitality, elegance and comfort, gazebo breakfasts, a flower-filled garden with pool and views of olive groves

Steps from the sea in get-away-from-it-all scenery – half an hour’s walk from St Ives’ arty heart. Sleeps 4 with pull-out beds for 2 more

A large handsome 1800s manor, now a peaceful haven for free-range families and creative types on the edge of vibrant Richelieu in the Loire

Come to be thoroughly cosseted and nurtured in this ancient Presbytery surrounded by rolling countryside with views of the Dordogne river

An intimate cottage in deepest Cheshire, perfect for exploring Roman Chester, walking or relaxing in the garden

Choose between airy bedrooms up an elegant stair, or magnificent rooms at garden-level with private terraces. Find sweetness and warmth

A lovely old stone cottage in a group round a pretty courtyard, with your own private patio and seating area, on the Pink Granite Coast

Gracious hosts pamper guests in their family mansion, with a wellness spa, fire-warmed lounge and four-course meals from a talented chef

Welcome to the delights of a 15th-century Breton manor house, a meandering river inhabited by otters, and hosts who adore what they do

A trulli hamlet immersed in nature, on the wilder side of Puglia with visits to white-washed hilltop towns and cooking with Nonna Maria

A historic Cornish farmhouse, sitting pretty in its own land at the side of a valley, with comfortable bedrooms and an independent feel

Two family-friendly gites (big groups can take both) with beautiful gardens, sparkling pool, activities for children and peace for parents

A charming 17th-century cottage in a quaint village with views and the owners' pub, farm shop, Wellness Barn and brewery just a short walk

A romantic little bolthole with a hot tub on the Penicuik Estate with well-thought-out interiors and dreamy views over pastures and woodland

Wild beauty and hundreds of birds on the shore of a freshwater lake. Frank and Daniella look after you in a homely, fuss free way