A glorious château near Tours – authentic, huge fun, steeped in family history and surrounded by gorgeous gardens with a serene pool

Come for a village feel, rural peace and boundless Portuguese countryside at this charming whitewashed home with a super terrace with views

Stylish sustainability in star-hung Alicante with solar power, gorgeous rooms and a pool. Authentic breakfasts and dinners await

An art-filled home poised above Hastings Old Town in a wonderfully private, peaceful spot and with a lush, tropical garden

Between Penzance and Helston and close to surf beaches, a perfect place for two. For peace-seekers and lovers of mid-century design

An ancient coaching inn opposite the church in the prettiest village – just the ticket for weary travellers who deserve nurturing

A cottage in a conservation village with logs in the burner, sloe gin on the table, and a good dining pub you can walk to

A stylish timber frame eco build, clad with recycled steel and with an upstairs living space to make the most of the glorious sunsets

Delightful B&B on a working farm, generous hosts welcome you with tea and homemade cake. Bring a piece of furniture and give it a facelift!

Magical for nature lovers, with wraparound views to the coastline of Skye. Inside: warmth, luxury and not a whisper from the wildest gale

This old stone building, a former olive warehouse, is beautifully restored and sits on its own – a simple bolthole for rest and recuperation

A handsome old country manor house in the heart of the Loire castles surrounded by parkland, forests, lakes, small hamlets, vineyards and châteaux

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

A light and airy barn conversion, very comfortable and rural, sitting on a hill with views to the south overlooking the Stour valley

A peaceful, beautiful place to wake up in and to return to after glorious walks, with no near neighbours apart from curious sheep

Stay on a secluded private estate by the sea - once the home of the brilliant French writer, Colette

Chic barn conversion with a swimming pool and country walks from the door; nearby Ventnor has a beach and great places to eat and drink

Soak up Provençal peace in a charming estate in the Alpilles, with stylish ground-floor B&B rooms, olives, vines and a friendly family dog