A cosy and pretty old cottage for rest or romance, with garden and pool in a small hamlet surrounded by walnut orchards and mixed woodland

A smartly refurbished 500-year-old coaching inn with very comfortable bedrooms, good food and the Peak District at your feet

A big, rambling inn – welcoming and unpretentious with deep sofas, eclectic artwork, tasty food and exceedingly comfortable bedrooms

A large handsome 1800s manor, now a peaceful haven for free-range families and creative types on the edge of vibrant Richelieu in the Loire

A traditional coaching inn dating from the 18th century with good food served in private and public dining rooms on the Wellington Estate

Come for the utter silence and the rare beauty of this far north-westerly landscape, teeming with wildlife. An antidote to city life

A small and stylish townhouse retreat in leafy Folkestone with excellent bedrooms and a terrace for breakfast in summer

A pretty upside-down cottage, formerly a dovecote, lovingly restored with sustainability the focus

A magical medieval castello, gloriously gothic with tower, moat and ghost, fit for a Shakespearian play.

Vistas of olive groves, village life and the sea; gaze and daydream from this beautiful spot. A Michelin recommended restaurant to boot

An ancient thatched cottage near Dartmoor with a warming log fire in winter and flowers inside and out in the summer

Two homely gîtes sleeping 4 and 2 in rural farm country. Walk to the bakery; drive 15 minutes to Saint-Malo and riverside restaurants

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

A converted 19th-century church in the Northumberland National Park with beautiful stained-glass windows and a restored tower

3 lovely cottages in the heart of Cognac vines for cosy nights by the fire and summer barbecues by the pool

Set off on blissful walks, trek home to crumpets and tea. There’s no better place to escape the 21st century than rural Devon

Gloriously green rural self-catering apartments with pool and lovely, friendly owners

This shuttered, stone maison in Gascony on the Santiago de Compostela pilgrims' route is a joy for families to spend time together