Chill under poolside palm trees or lose yourself in novels on super comfy armchairs. Funchal with its colourful markets is within easy reach

A cosy, very comfortable stone cottage with fine views across the valley, just a couple of miles from the southern tip of Ullswater

Painting courses on request, gardens full of roses, a parasol’d terrace, a seductive pool… we love this welcoming, traditional hotel

Come for a big gathering of friends or family and take the whole house plus an extra cottage in the pretty gardens – swim in the pool, relax

Three immaculate rooms in a 17th-century building; step out onto winding streets lined with trattorias, boutiques, fountains and monuments

An 18th-century beamed inn with tasty food, pretty bedrooms and a large garden just a ten-minute drive from Chichester

Welcome to a dreamy fortified castle, once owned by French royalty, the perfect place to stay for history lovers and comfort seekers

Quirky lights and vintage 60s pieces add character to an immaculate home bathed in light and serenity - launch pad for stylish temptations

Feather pillows, welcome goodies, an extensive batterie de cuisine... the hosts are super generous, the views are to die for

White-painted beams, wonky white walls and your own parking spot fairly nearby. You're near the harbour and subtropical gardens

Contemporary studio in a classic Cotswold village. Peaceful bolthole for creatives and walkers - with shops, cafés and pubs a stroll away

Swap the mêlée for privacy and wonderful views. Delicious meals, an outdoor hot tub and Portes du Soleil skiing on your doorstep

A lovingly converted eco barn overlooking a wildflower valley in arty Pembs. For honeymoons and mini moons... a slice of heaven!

A dog-friendly cottage in a tranquil village, formerly the bakery, now restored to perfection with oodles of space and much comfort

Enjoy so much space in this 18th-century paper mill with uncluttered interiors and surrounded by forests, rivers and lush countryside - yet only a stone's throw away from the local bastide towns

High in the Tuscan hills, at the end of an avenue of cypresses, surrounded by parkland and acres of olives... a 13th-century dream

Cosy 17th-century cottage in a village inland from Wells-next-the-Sea and with easy access to north Norfolk's main attractions