After a bountiful breakfast of Loch Fyne kippers and homemade scones, head for Oban, gateway to the isles. Return to a dram by the fire

A spoiling hotel for a properly grown up escape on the Chatsworth Estate. Bring your loved one and do as much or as little as you fancy

Head down the Strood causeway and step back in time for a slice of Mersea Island's old-world charm: beaches, fresh oysters & a charming inn

Come to be looked after very well in this meticulously renovated old farmhouse with elegant bedrooms, tasty breakfasts and a kind host

Come for peace, comfort and beauty in a sunny corner of Provence at the foot of Mont Ventoux. Cafes, market, restaurants a 15-minute stroll!

Foodies and sociable souls will enjoy this lively B&B in a pretty honey-coloured stone cottage with a garden and a very friendly owner

Four bright and warm cottages with gardens, for families and friends, plus activities for children and endless walks for you and your dog

Come for an authentic French village experience in this old stone house next to the church with glorious countryside for walks and cycles

Free-spirited travellers rejoice! A super house on a volcanic Sicilian island – hike, sail, dive & immerse yourself in local life

Food grown, foraged and prepared with care, a carefully curated wine list, roaring fires and very comfortable bedrooms to sink into

Live like a local at these rustic apartments with a shared courtyard; walk to restaurants and shops, take the ferry to the beach

Genuine hosts, fabulous food, a swimming pool and a private speedboat for exploring the coast; a sandy beach is a ten-minute walk away

Historic buildings by a turreted manor house, beautifully renovated to welcome large parties with grounds to roam and dreamy river views

Historic, eco-friendly elegance, views over Etna and Naxos Bay, jasmine-scented gardens... and a charming family feel. Stroll into Taormina

Former pear-press cellar, now a swish bolthole with magical mountain views. In the village centre, 15-minutes’ drive to the Paradiski slopes

Painting courses on request, gardens full of roses, a parasol’d terrace, a seductive pool… we love this welcoming, traditional hotel

A 18th-century house with pool in a small town with friendly owners and a tropical garden of banana, fig and, of course, frangipani

This lovely, beamy, uncluttered Tuscan farmhouse with separate apartment is an elegant lodging on a vast fruitful estate with pool, and lovely owners