Bountiful breakfasts, the warmest of owners and Breton adventures. Enjoy romantic ruins, quaint villages and delicious seafood suppers

The Test valley is a place of pilgrimage for fly fishermen, but this lovely country inn welcomes all with great food and lovely bedrooms

Character and quirk in old and new design and furnishing – private terraces, a shared pool, great walking, cycling and wine-tasting

High-up, simple apartments, pools with fabulous views; kids play-things and donkeys, the glittering coast, Rapallo and Portofino down below

Between Penzance and Helston and close to sandy beaches is a sweet space for four. Good for young families and all garden lovers

Five tranquil apartments surrounded by Tuscan countryside just over half an hour's drive from Siena - hire them all for a group holiday

Rare as a bird, a proper old fashioned French inn on the side of the road in a sleepy village, a restoration project for the new owners

On the side of a hill in the little-known Marche, a happy young farmhouse with an elegant saltwater pool, and wonderful meals from Kelda

In a small village on the borders, a Jacobean farmhouse luxuriously restored with lovely touches; the Brecon Beacons are close by

A lovely gîte, once a hunting lodge, with two private terraces overlooking the manicured gardens of an 1830s manor house

Gloriously cool in summer, cosy in winter, a 365-day-a-year retreat. Just a 10-minute promenade along the beach into the fun heart of town

Beautiful views over Bantry Bay from this thoughtfully restored house with stylish rooms, gardens and woodland – a wonderful escape

A romantic and very comfortable retreat in a smartly converted dairy with a pretty garden, close to the South Downs

A sophisticated and friendly Basque beauty overlooking the Bay of Biscay, in Txakoli vineyard country – prepare to be thoroughly spoilt

Close to Saint-Jean-d'Angély, an elegant and spacious manor house with unfussy, comfortable interiors, bucolic views, big garden and pool

A hop to Montpellier, but deep in the countryside: a romantic pad, with Moroccan rugs, ochre-limed walls and bikes to ride into the country

Feel right at home in a thatched farmhouse on South Pool Creek, with cottage garden views, great breakfasts and a good local pub

Music evenings, pop-up theatre nights and great food at the Sash brasserie. You’re just a stroll from shops and bars