Perched on a hillside between mountains and sea is this charming house in a modern Spanish style, engulfed by a beautiful garden with views

Great staff, beautiful design, a fine old building and sublime food make this 600-year-old inn a perfect escape all year round

A glorious country house with everything you need for a fun family holiday: games, pool, big bedrooms, two living rooms & a gorgeous garden

A light, bright, art-filled space with private garden on a quiet residential street just a short walk from shops, markets and good food

A peaceful setting among plane trees and oleander for this traditional mas with separate apartments and a gypsy caravan, pool and gardens

Three gîtes in the Dordogne with panoramic countryside views and a swimming pool – book individually or together for a group holiday

High ceilings and exposed stone walls give a light, bright and rustic feel to this restored barn with fabulous views over a lush valley

A beautiful little collection of trulli near the Valle d’Itria – restored with flair and with gardens, woods and pool

A treat in any season, a place to stir your soul, yield to nature and learn how to play again – with a pretty fine roost to come home to

Sheep's Head Way is reputedly one of the best walks in Ireland. Come back to roaring fires, a Rayburn, art and style – terrific restorations

Pluck grapes, splash in the child-shallow pool and explore the ‘Yorkshire of Italy’ with rolling green hills and conical trulli

Gather loved ones and come for a family holiday with oodles of space, a gorgeous pool and a tropical garden with views of mountains and sea

Come for a traffic-free medieval hamlet in sleepy Maremma with easy-going hosts, a beautiful garden and views over the valley

Come for a pretty 1860s house in a very fine spot, lovely gardens with views, traditional bedrooms, good food and super-friendly staff

Your own cottage on a wine estate in a very beautiful part of the South Downs, famed for world-class sparkling wines and good food

Few inns can rival the scale or history of this one. Dogs doze by the inglenook, food is sourced from local suppliers, bedrooms are gorgeous

For escapists, wannabe writers and lovers of rural bliss: two boho hideaways for two (four at a squeeze) in this lush corner of Galicia

Character and quirk in this fine old cooperage overlooking the vegetable garden with its own terrace and a shared pool. Walk, cycle, explore