Superb rural views, excellent hiking and generous bedrooms. Cristina and Alec take good care of guests - the food is delicious

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

Drink a toast to your good fortune as you gaze across to Elba from a vast free-standing bath. You breakfast on the view-filled terrace

A trulli hamlet immersed in nature, on the wilder side of Puglia with visits to white-washed hilltop towns and cooking with Nonna Maria

Beautifully restored medieval hall house – perfect for big family gatherings, with separate cottage, replica steam train and secluded garden

A beautiful old mill straddling the river Wensum, now a peaceful inn with tasty local and seasonal food, a lovely garden and comfy rooms

Just one hour from London, this remarkable house sits on a unique family-owned Nature Reserve on the Isle of Sheppey

A boutique hotel on the edge of Arcachon Bay. A natural pool, zen gardens, contemporary Eastern-style interiors, and good food await

A lovely 1650 Welsh longhouse, beamed and flagstoned with a verdant garden in a totally unspoilt spot in the Snowdonia National Park

Comfortable redbrick cottage with views on the Heydon Hall estate. It’s delightfully rural, yet close to Reepham for pubs and shops

Swing off the main road through the village, up into the hills along a narrow track and through a gate, observed by curious sheep

20 minutes’ walk from Gordes and a hop from Aix, find grownup peace and minimalism for lovers of modern style and timeless Provence

A lovely gîte, once a hunting lodge, with two private terraces overlooking the manicured gardens of an 1830s manor house

An eco B&B (minus hair shirt) in the stunning Meon Valley surrounded by woodland and wildlife - a Sawday's Community Champion

Find gilded mirrors, rich brocades, Fragonard toiletries and an unexpected roof terrace at this 6-bedroom guest house near St Mark’s Square

Fine linens, cool pool and a barbecue for this soothing barn renovation in a dreamy corner of Tuscany. Friendly owners can cook on request

A taste of old Italy in this off-the-beaten-track rustic house on three levels, exquisitely restored and with elegant designer furnishings