A stone built 18th-century tower in a pretty valley dotted with fruit trees for quiet and relaxed days recuperating from life in the city

A beautiful villa with a medieval tower surrounded by formal gardens, gentle slopes of perfectly maintained vineyards and wooded hilltops

Tranquil stone house with a rustic feel, a large garden with a swimming pool and views of the French Riviera and out to sea

Enjoy so much space in this 18th-century paper mill with uncluttered interiors and surrounded by forests, rivers and lush countryside - yet only a stone's throw away from the local bastide towns

Idyllic cottage hidden in deepest, foodiest Somerset - bask on your own patio among roses and sweet peas. Bring bikes - loads to explore

This secluded New Forest inn is a magnet for families in summer: a good pint and the log fire make it a superb winter hideaway too

Cuisine reigns supreme at this historic B&B. Play world-class golf, trek the Giant’s Causeway, plunder National Trust treasures

A privilege to be able to stay within the famous gardens of magnificent Château de Courances. The painter's village of Barbizon is nearby

Leave crowds behind for this charming stone farmhouse in the olive groves of rural Umbria – bring friends and have it all to yourselves

A luxurious springboard for the wineries, villages and treasures of south Tuscany in the magical Orcia valley - if you can bear to leave it!

Leave the car, everything is walkable & buses are practically free. Visit restaurants, vineyards & markets from your lofty village bolthole

Gracious hosts pamper guests in their family mansion, with a wellness spa, fire-warmed lounge and four-course meals from a talented chef

A sturdy, spacious house with stunning views over the garden and ocean, originally built in the 1800s as one of a row of Coastguard cottages

A beautifully renovated traditional manor house with extensive gardens and orchard, a pool with a deck in a meadow and a terrace for dining

A handsome Georgian townhouse pub in Newbury, with a name steeped in local lore and Donnington Castle just up the road

Great taste – in decor and food – and a delicious heated pool. Views swoop over field and valley; trails, villages, wineries tempt

An old-world inn full of colour, with open fires, cosy rooms, local food and the magnificent Northumberland National Park all around

A lodge house in magnificent gardens, which are all yours when visitors leave. A sweet retreat for anyone, but gardeners will adore it