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

Hilltop château on the edge of a small village half an hour from Saint-Émilion, with a lovely garden, a swimming pool and two lakes

One of England's oldest coaching inns, full of history and wonky floors, on a Surrey market town's high street

A honey-stone 1800s house, sitting pretty in acres of fields and woodlands, with a pool, lovely gardens and a separate cottage next door

The river's gentle flow sets the tone for a relaxing stay in this peaceful Loire estate: quiet rooms, sweet village, dinner with Madame

From the delicious scented garden with its limestone pool to the cool rooms with perfect linen, this is a place for a special occasion

With stunning coastal views and family farm surroundings, these cottages are bright and roomy; plus wood-burning stoves and indoor pool

Rooms with rooftop and mountain views, luxurious in their simplicity, heavenly breakfasts out on the terrace, and a cultured, caring owner

Beautiful light-filled eco-homes in Loch Lomond National Park – Scotland’s treasures are easily reached from here

Deep in Burgundy's wine country, an elegant maison de maître sits in acres of gloriously private parkland

A perfectly renovated farmhouse in the grounds of a delightful château deep in the Normandy countryside, with a lovely walled garden

Cross an ancient stone bridge to a 1790s estate cottage, completely on its own down a little-used green lane and with the river rushing by

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

A deceptively roomy 300-year-old stone cottage, with front-facing windows overlooking the harbour - just a short walk up to town

A light-filled, modern house with wonderful sea views through vast picture windows stretching all the way to St Kilda on clear days

Cosy apartment for two in a cluster of farm buildings near Hawkshead, surrounded by countryside and with a good pub a stroll away

This 300-year-old Cotswold pub, the hub of picture-book Sapperton from which there are glorious walks, is a superb place to eat and stay

Come for wide open countryside criss-crossed by a myriad of footpaths and this very comfortable, stylish and roomy retreat