Rooms are good value, breakfast is taken overlooking the garden and there's superb veggie food next door - a Sawday's Community Champion

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

An elegant solution to a hotel - no rooms, but 13 charming villas in the heart of the maquis, nearly all with a private pool

Pippa tells you where to find wild flowers, babbling brooks and butterflies... and hike, bike and swim. Magic for families

A serene apartment for 2 in the old fisherman's quarter in Olhão, close to amazing beaches. A special place for nature lovers and foodies

Within the city walls and right next to the Minster, this super-smart hotel gives you gorgeous bedrooms and delicious food

Stay a while... lulled by lapping sea and fragrant hanging gardens - cool, light, balconied, classic, intimate, unpretentious

Once a pub, now a friendly home, with all you need for a market town break. Park the car (or leave at home) – everything is on the doorstep

A cheery farmhouse conversion for groups outside a village in a non-touristy part of Italy, close to scenic trails and medieval villages

Three simple, traditional apartments in an ancient convent building with a beautiful botanical garden in the heart of the historic centre

This secluded New Forest inn is a magnet for families in summer: a good pint and the log fire make it a superb winter hideaway too

A beautifully converted building, part of an old mill, now a gorgeous place to stay with the stream running through and shared parkland

A wonderfully comfortable light-filled house with long views, a sandy beach to walk to, fabulous walking and wildlife and a superb kitchen

Everything you’d want of a lovely country inn – pretty rooms, tasty food, local ales in a beamed bar and fabulous walking

Breakfasts with sausages from home-reared rare breed pigs, a big log fire and relaxed friendly hosts. Acres of garden and woodland paths

A townhouse with a walled garden by the church in a peaceful village where friendly Scottish owners feed and look after you well

A country idyll in the hills. Only 15 mins from Faro, but all is peaceful: dip in the pool, sip a cocktail in the shade, book in for dinner

A newly built house facing the sea and surrounded by acres of land – perfect for swimmers, sailors, nature lovers and peace seekers