Charming, vivacious hosts make you feel welcome at this splendid 16th-century home. Cooking classes, wine pairing and excellent regional food

Stay a while... lulled by lapping sea and fragrant hanging gardens - cool, light, balconied, classic, intimate, unpretentious

For retreats, groups of friends, and big families: come to recharge the senses at this special and ancient house enveloped by wild gardens

Come for sublime Highland scenery, birds and wildlife, long walks and complete peace and tranquillity

Modest and authentic, a top-floor apartment in an eco-friendly Provençal farmhouse, with dogs and hens. River swims are a stroll away...

A grand yet very homely place with tasty home cooking and 200 acres to explore. Play golf, sail, cycle – wonderfully informal

A truly authentic place to stay on a Sicilian working farm with roaming hens, wheat fields, wild flowers and a distant view of the sea

Explore from this picturesque village; hike, cycle or ride through beautiful nature. Lay your head in creative, comfortable rooms

A dramatic house with stylish interiors – designed to bring the outdoors in so you feel wrapped in nature. Great for families or friends

Come for good architecture, thoughtful design and much space for relaxing: swimming, massages, hammam and sauna, beautiful bedrooms

Elegant country château with a family feel, for big groups with or without children, and those who seek inspiration

A 15th-century hotel and spa with beamed lounges and two restaurants, standing proudly on the high street

A lovely 1650 Welsh longhouse, beamed and flagstoned with a verdant garden in a totally unspoilt spot in the Snowdonia National Park

A very pretty old coach house in a south London garden – perfect for a couple or a family. Friendly owners live across the courtyard

A handsome little château perched on the edge of a verdant valley, with wonderful views, lots of space and a rambling garden

A relaxed country feel in this fine family villa. It has space and comfort for six with gardens, private pool, and tennis court

This fine old Dordogne house is run by well-travelled owners, has superb views and is a luscious mix of old charm and contemporary design

A charming nook for two in pretty Barrington village with a foodie pub mere steps away and Somerset at your feet