Gite retreats in château grounds - welcoming and wonderful for young families. Build castles in the sandpit, make friends around the pool

Restored stone barn on a farm in the Lake District National Park, with views of fields and woods and an excellent pub nearby

A nicely priced inn on Shaftesbury's high street with a warm contemporary style and some excellent food – fine local walking waits

A vibrant open-plan space with a wild garden, river for swimming, splashing or fishing and the chance to spot kingfishers and red squirrels

An absolute peach of an apartment on the first floor of this iconic building with stunning views over the harbour and St Michael's Mount

Steeped in history and romance, with a great big sleigh bed and open fires, is this 14th-century defence tower above the river Tweed

A flamboyant place! You're in the heart of this charming market town, just a hop from the river and a stroll from pretty squares and bistros

You are treated like nobility in this gorgeous Manoir, enveloped by the towering cliffs and Aurélia and Julien's generous hospitality

Minutes from old Ajaccio (a scenic cycle ride) is a charming small hotel with a stunning bay setting, and majestic mountains behind

A scented garden, delicious local delicacies and those coastal landscapes. This place is a sensory feast

A charming house in a lush green setting, secluded and quiet and with stunning views of the Tramuntana mountains and Fornalutx village

Dinner fresh from the garden with your creative hosts is an absolute delight. Roam unspoilt countryside, visit châteaux and vineyards galore

Crackling fires in winter, croquet in the summer. Life ticks by peacefully - rooms are engagingly old-fashioned, the garden is much-loved

Bedrooms are gorgeous, the wild ocean is close, and the people of Galicia are friendly and caring. You’ll pick up the same vibe here

Tea in the summerhouse, breakfast by the fire, fresh flowers all around this warm family home. Step out to historic Shrewsbury high street

An elegant, super central bolthole for two (or three): stroll everywhere, hop on a vaporetto, sit in piazzas drinking cappuccino, live like a local

A cosy, very comfortable stone cottage with fine views across the valley, just a couple of miles from the southern tip of Ullswater

Historic village inn with wonderful cooking and a Provençal-style courtyard garden; drive to the Jurassic Coast in half an hour