Converted stables in the grounds of a manor house in a peaceful village just outside Banbury with lovely walking in the Cherwell Valley

Tucked down an alley off the main road through Midhurst, this well-designed, generous-spirited little house exudes character and quirk

Small hotel in a hiker's paradise a short walk from Cómpeta with pool, spacious rooms, private terraces, breathtaking views and generous breakfasts

A spoiling hotel for a properly grown up escape on the Chatsworth Estate. Bring your loved one and do as much or as little as you fancy

Warm interiors, pretty bedrooms and excellent breakfasts – good value in a very handy central spot

Proper village pub with much-praised food and cosy rooms; country walks lead from the door and Oxford is half an hour away

A calm, leafy bolthole in one of Paris' most elegant districts. Step out to stylish boutiques, good bakeries – and the Eiffel Tower

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

Immaculate apartments with private patios and well-equipped kitchens share oleander-bright gardens and a chlorine-free pool

Immaculate Cotswold beauty with great food, welcoming staff, handsome rooms and a sun-trap terrace, plus countryside walks from the door

Come with friends for a cookery course, or with the kids, and enjoy the creative feel of the place - and the food! Venice 40 mins by train

Come to slow down and be well fed at this beautiful 14th-century manor with 60 acres of grounds and views across the Cotswolds

Elegant house deep in the countryside with wild garden, dreamy pool, and bags of vintage charm. A promise of peace and perfect solitude

A very peaceful, family-run hotel on the shores of Lake Garda with rose and jasmine-scented gardens for summer dinners by candlelight

Elegant Italian style in a sensitively-restored villa with sweeping views over rolling hills and forests

Refined palazzo with a rooftop terrace near the historic centre of Ostuni. The Valle d’Itria region and the coast is on your doorstep

In wine country, a beautifully revived 16th-century manor and hospitable B&B. Visit Angers’ cathedral, cruise along the Loire to Saumur