Peaceful Highland hideaway on a wooded lochside: spy dolphins and otters, stargaze, and soak up the deep silence

A gentle, calm, immaculate place for an all-season family stay, near wine tastings, castles, caves and canoeing. Everyone loves the Dordogne

Three eco-friendly, fully accessible timber-clad lodges and three cabins on a private, beautiful lake - a Sawday's Community Champion

A lovely 19th-century stone mas with south-facing terrace, garden and pool for relaxed family holidays, just off the D99 in a small hamlet

Spacious gîte in a former hunting lodge, set on one of the oldest estates in Pézenas, for a relaxing getaway with family and friends

Cosily colourful bedrooms and large luxurious bathrooms; relax among the lovely antiques after a day's exploring. Great host, too

Charming suites filled with antiques sit above Rachel and George’s award-winning tearoom. Ely is a pretty little city well worth a visit

A romantic creekside cottage down a web of narrow lanes in a tumbling green valley – mess about on the water to your heart’s content

Come to the dramatic Côtes-d'Armor and three charming gîtes perched on the cliffs, just a short stroll down to the beach

An ancient inn, spruce and restorative, in a picture-perfect village with open fires, tasty food and stylish, comfortable bedrooms

Up a narrow road, find this authentic Valencian finca in the mountains with beamed ceilings, big gardens, salt pool and spectacular views

Wild and peaceful small hotel bordering National Park of Guadarrama. Listen to birdsong, hike in the sierra, spend the day in Segovia

A beguiling retreat for a couple or a family of four – feel cosy and secluded in a thatched cottage close to the coast

Weaving medieval magic, this dreamy hideaway is an ideal base for nature-loving gourmands to explore the region

Sumptuous bedrooms and a cheering big fireplace above these old stables on the Egton Estate, great for walks and wildlife, a hop from Whitby

A comfy cottage for two in the quiet, leafy outskirts of Aix with easy access to the city and a kind, attentive owner nearby

A lovely, spacious 1830s house in the heart of arty Westport with nearly an acre of garden, an apple orchard and the river running past

Come for the gloriously peaceful countryside and this 1700s house and garden, scrupulously renovated and with plenty of space