A light and airy barn conversion, very comfortable and rural, sitting on a hill with views to the south overlooking the Stour valley

Walkers, bikers, families and nature fans will love staying with ever-helpful Joan and Montse in this secluded but not too remote valley

A charming base in historic Beaulieu - expect delicious food, traditional country-house interiors, and walks that start from the front door

An attractive collection of mellow stone buildings with wonderful views over Monte Amiata and the Val d'Orcia for restful stays

All the luxuries that make a B&B very special - wonderful food, smart rooms and a garden replete with pool, orchard, tennis and lake

This stately-looking former manor house set back from the road in acres of gardens serves very good food and has rustic-chic bedrooms

A true gem - sleep in a small hillside castle, share delicious communal meals, walk or cycle to the beautiful waterfalls nearby

An eco renovation of an 1800s gamekeepers cottage, now a charming place for couples or families to immerse themselves in nature

A serene restaurant-hotel on Chesil beach, with a perfect view of the big blue sea. How restorative can a hotel be?

Lovely old house with award-winning restaurant and indoor swimming pool. Sleeps up to 18 so just the ticket for a big family gathering

A converted old granary next to a traditional Welsh longhouse in a deeply rural setting for unfussy nature lovers

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

Beautifully connected, engagingly old-fashioned London pad, with a garden. Head out for Vauxhall Park, the Tate, Westminster...

A grand, 16th-century Breton château complete with dovecote, turret and chapel surrounded by 50 acres of parkland, woods and small lake

A lovely old cottage in the cliffside village of St Lawrence. Watch boats sail by from the terrace, soak in an antique bath with sea views…

A cool little inn lost in beautiful hills, child- and dog-friendly, with happy staff and award-winning food

Restored stone barn on a farm in the Lake District National Park, with views of fields and woods and an excellent pub nearby

A lovely old 19th-century inn by the sea with hand-pumped ales, fresh local and seasonal food and spoiling bedrooms, some with sea views