A hammock by the pool, dinner under the stars, Andalucian nature (wild boar, birds, olives) all around. Chatty English hosts charm all

A smart launch pad for visiting all things Champagne-related and Reims with its enchanting cathedral. All is cosy, luxurious...

A private villa beautifully flanked by gardens bursting with fruit. Here you'll find real Spanish character, style and a sun-trap terrace

Luxurious living combines with bleating sheep and bells from the church next door - 4 fabulous retreats on the Cotentin Peninsula

A sturdy, spacious house with stunning views over the garden and ocean, originally built in the 1800s as one of a row of Coastguard cottages

Ease into a slower way of life from this beautiful Tuscan farmhouse surrounded by vineyards in the valley below medieval Montepulciano

Great taste – in decor and food – and a delicious heated pool. Views swoop over field and valley; trails, villages, wineries tempt

Imperious old coaching inn lost in deep country with a river to fish, five-mile views, delicious rooms and some very tasty food

Special back-to-nature, stargazing loft for couples and families, on a nature-filled estate in Piedmont

Two grand stone houses in tranquil parkland with a heated pool, potager and plenty of space for groups. Chickens and charm included

A sprint from London: a Cotswolds pub modernised with sympathy and care. Happy staff, organic ales and food, gorgeous rooms

Get to know Lisbon with ease from this generous and comfortable townhouse hotel bang in the middle of the city centre

A gorgeous big old house on a farm in a very quiet part of Wiltshire - the undiscovered North Wessex Downs, filled with wildlife and an AONB

Smart country inn in Constable country with lovely rooms and food - grab a picnic, hire a boat and drift along the river Stour

A lovely restored house on a farm beside a cluster of ancient buildings surrounded by lush forest and grasslands – a deeply rural spot

A stunning setting in acres of citrus groves for this lovely old farm with 16th-century roots, a big pool, hammocks and a restaurant

With a sauna in the woods and a Nordic bath by the lake, these carefully renovated farm buildings are a lovely slow-living retreat

A restful space with a pretty garden in a quiet Derbyshire village - the pub a short stroll away and Chatsworth near