The sort of inn we all love – open fires, original beams, ancient flags, tasty food, with lovely bedrooms thrown in for good measure

Style, comfort and tranquillity combine in a lovely B&B near Bergerac. Sleep in elegant four-poster beds, breakfast on the sunny terrace…

You’ll eat well here, among locals who love the food. The village is quiet, the rooms serenely modern. A great base for a holiday en famille

High in the heavenly hills is this very smartly converted farm building, with underfloor heating, much glass, wood and exposed brickwork

A big, homely farmhouse on the Umbria/Tuscany border for family holidays filled with sunshine, outdoor frolics and good food

A very grand façade for this handsome Charente village house with a beautiful, peaceful garden, creamy stone walls and olive trees

In a Valencian resort, a captivating and hospitable place - deal for groups of family or friends too, with independence plus B&B service

Spend restful days in a verdant garden, slip into the cooling pool, sip wine on your private balcony, stroll into arty Benissa

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

Come for the rural charm of this cottage. Green as far as the eye can see, near a village surrounded by rivers. Wellies essential

A delightful old Quinta within a Quinta. Find banana trees, vines and lots of greenery within a 20-minute walk of the centre of town

A small, trendy hotel, very much of its time, with oodles of style, stunning bedrooms and fantastic staff

A vibrant open-plan space with a wild garden, river for swimming, splashing or fishing and the chance to spot kingfishers and red squirrels

Food grown, foraged and prepared with care, a carefully curated wine list, roaring fires and very comfortable bedrooms to sink into

Slow down! Swim, soak in the jacuzzi, taste Campanian cuisine and wine, explore the national park, pop to Agropoli's beaches... be pampered

An enchanting hideaway with sensational views in a flowery English semi-wild country garden, near Sissinghurst and Great Dixter

Find good taste, peacefulness and warm hospitality, steps away from the car-free Via Toledo, in the heart of the city

A wisteria-laden pergola shades the sunny side of the farmhouse - in gentle olive country near the Sibillini Park, not far from the Adriatic