Enjoy a bucolic setting (hike, ride, cycle) near medieval Vannes, a short hop from the sea – and lively conversation with friendly hosts

Family-run B&B in an authentic and informal home. Stay for delicious dinners, walk along the river, explore Umbria’s heritage

Modern, timber-clad building attached to a Georgian stable block, for smooth lines, high ceilings and lots of light in glorious countryside

Château apartments with a heated pool, parkland and a menagerie - Gold Beach and the British Normandy Memorial are on the doorstep

Stay a while... lulled by lapping sea and fragrant hanging gardens - cool, light, balconied, classic, intimate, unpretentious

A 17th-Century Irish castle on the water’s edge. Watch the yachts from your bedroom, join local wine nights, discover the rich history

Quirky lights and vintage 60s pieces add character to an immaculate home bathed in light and serenity - launch pad for stylish temptations

Charming, laid-back B&B in the foothills of the Algarve. All you hear are the birds, yet the beaches are a ten-minute drive

A vine-clad stone house hideaway for lovers, walkers, artists and hermits with a sweet veranda overlooking woodland down to the river

A traditional cottage in Polruan on the Fowey estuary with harbour and cove views and a tea shop and two pubs in the village

An old chapel, smartly and sustainably converted, with a hot tub to soothe tired limbs after country walks through fells and dales

Retreat to this sweet, peaceful cottage with suntrap courtyard garden enveloped in rolling hills just a short hop from the Jurassic Coast

A beautifully restored townhouse in the heart of Amboise, steps from Leonardo da Vinci's last home and the great Château Royal

Quirky art hotel in the heart of trendy Brighton – there's a great bar, stylish rooms and wonderful breakfasts

Straight out of a fairy tale, a rustic cottage by a babbling brook: a magical escape for couples, the craggy coast in easy reach

Rooms in the house overlook the vineyard, the lodges are surrounded by it - check out the vines, then drink their wine with a good dinner