A cracking English inn with open fires, great food, gorgeous rooms, happy staff, lovely gardens and well-kept English ales

A lovely 1910 village house, deep in sleepy countryside, with delightful owners, delicious home cooking and a pretty garden for lazy days

No-nonsense farm conversions with open, airy rooms and good big showers sharing a pool, a playground and fabulous views. Great walks, too

A romantic creekside cottage down a web of narrow lanes in a tumbling green valley – mess about on the water to your heart’s content

You will fall in love with this very special Tuscan agriturismo between the mountains and sea: peace and simplicity prevail

An ancient inn, spruce and restorative, in a picture-perfect village with open fires, tasty food and stylish, comfortable bedrooms

Elegant Italian style in a sensitively-restored villa with sweeping views over rolling hills and forests

2 super family apartments in the unspoilt Serre Chevalier valley, with a private chef if you’d like one, and delightful Pippa to welcome you

A small yet elegant place for couples or small groups to enjoy the open countryside, rest, join a cooking course or book a massage

Popular with families, this Glen of Rannoch mountain-view cottage with a homely atmosphere is a cheerful place to stay year-round

Sumptuous rooms with Renaissance-inspired art, infinity pool and gardens, just a short drive to Mantua’s historic city centre

Tucked down an alley off the main road through Midhurst, this well-designed, generous-spirited little house exudes character and quirk

In wine country, a beautifully revived 16th-century manor and hospitable B&B. Visit Angers’ cathedral, cruise along the Loire to Saumur

A charming 17th-century village inn, a destination place for foodies and real beer lovers, with very comfortable and stylish bedrooms

Warm family hospitality, magnificent surroundings, bedroom breakfasts, candlelit dinners and elegant windows overlooking the park

This famous old country house might not come cheap, but where else can you splash out in such decadent style for life’s big celebrations?

Dreamy, languid beauty at this spacious, airy, arty house with garden and pool in typical Pugliese countryside

Pomegranates, persimmon and figs, the waft of rosemary on the air... we love this old 'mas' 25km from Gordes, in sweet sunny Provence