By a bubbling brook in the Mendips, close to Bath and Bristol, a wonderfully revived and welcoming inn with smart rooms and scrumptious food

Just the ticket if you want to escape from the hurly-burly and wind down with fresh air, good food, walks in nature and sublime views

Remote wartime research station turned stylish retreat with knockout views, wild walks and a front-row seat to the weather

Spoiling bedrooms, fabulous food and a lovely position lost in the hills make this Lakeland inn hard to resist - bring your walking boots

Family-friendly B&B above the medieval hill village of Bargemon, with soothing minimalist interiors, a large garden and a swimming pool

Top-notch apartments in the heart of old Jérez for couples and families on the bodega trail. A daily market in town and fab beaches near by

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

Explore woodlands, farmland and gardens, plunge into the heated pool, dine at Flora Restaurant at Trelowarren. This is civilized luxury

Burrowed into the olive groves of the lush Valle d’Itria, a restored masseria with five trulli, an indoor and outdoor pool, hot tub and lovely views

A countryside escape for 2 near Chepstow with traditional interiors and cheery wood-burner. Not suitable for children but dogs very welcome

A stylish retreat in the heart of St Ives offering a glimpse of the sea – with an extra double sofabed room for friends or children

Swing off the main road through the village, up into the hills along a narrow track and through a gate, observed by curious sheep

Proper village pub with much-praised food and cosy rooms; country walks lead from the door and Oxford is half an hour away

A fabulous Belle Epoque château with much wow factor set in vast grounds with lawns and lakes, circled by a dense forest

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

Sun-soaked stillness, saltwater dips and garden scents of fig and rosemary - slow days unfold between olive trees and a sky full of stars

If you need a great place in which to relax and don’t want to pay too much for it, try these excellent suites, which spoil you all the way

Once a shooting lodge, this stand-alone big building was part of a medieval estate and you can still see the grassy mount and dungeon tower