A beautiful cream stone building in the grounds of a grand château, with a large and view-filled outdoor terrace for peaceful dawdling

A grand yet very homely place with tasty home cooking and 200 acres to explore. Play golf, sail, cycle – wonderfully informal

A sprint from London: a Cotswolds pub modernised with sympathy and care. Happy staff, organic ales and food, gorgeous rooms

Two villas on opposite shores of a big lily-covered lake, fed with natural spring water from the Ticino river and surrounded by gardens

A delight to stay in this 1880s croft house on the quieter west coast - fabulous vegetarian and vegan food, thoughtful rooms, lovely owners

The Dordogne flows through the gastronomic heart of France, where stunning villages cling to rock faces and historic riches are in store

An extraordinary, inspiring place: eat 100% vegan food, drink organic wine, sleep in natural materials, swim in the salt-water pool

Close to Saint-Jean-d'Angély, an elegant and spacious manor house with unfussy, comfortable interiors, bucolic views, big garden and pool

A nicely priced inn on Shaftesbury's high street with a warm contemporary style and some excellent food – fine local walking waits

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

Lavender shortbread and baked peaches for breakfast at this most artistic of homes. The courtyard with magnolia and orange trees is lovely

A truly special barn conversion, flooded with light and with its own decked outdoor space surrounded by bucolic countryside

In the foothills of the Pyrenees, a rambling, romantic garden to lose yourself in, a large swimming pool, wildlife and vineyards all around

A perfectly restored medieval borgo on twin Chianti hilltops, with lavender fields, honey bees and clear views to the Apennines

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

A very tranquil spot with views of rolling countryside, the East Mendip Way on the doorstep and good pubs within walking distance

Fabulous bakes and hot waffles at breakfast, green fields all around and Normandy steeped in history. Great for foodies and historians

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