Like staying in a family home, only with Henri III furniture and rolling green views. Energetic hosts cook, farm, hunt, chat over champagne

A 15th-century Venetian palazzo, lovingly restored with stylish rooms overlooking the Grand Canal and a designer's insight into the city

Chatty Madame is a superb cook, and her pretty house and garden in a quiet Yvelines village are equally delicious. Zip to Paris by train

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

A light-filled village cottage for 2 near Bosherston Lily Ponds. Come to ramble the coastal path, enjoy sandy beaches and visit local pubs

Welcome to authentic Andalucía… a friendly foodie B&B in a farming community surrounded by olive groves, midway between Córdoba & Granada

Escape to the edge of the Atlantic. Find airy rooms and good food served from terraces overlooking the ocean - all with a green conscience

A botanical beauty deep in the Loire Valley, this elegant house has history and heart in abundance

Swim with frogs in the freshwater pool, breakfast in the sunshine, play boules by moonlight. Châteaux don't get much more rural

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 very peaceful, family-run hotel on the shores of Lake Garda with rose and jasmine-scented gardens for summer dinners by candlelight

A very tastefully restored old stone stable on a gloriously rural estate with woodland gardens, lake and a deer park

Wow. The sort of place you long for on dreary days - inspired architecture, heavenly views, delicious home-cooked food, a lake for swimming

Live like a local. Art lovers, book lovers and walkers will be happy here above an art gallery in the centre of town

Victorian country house for 8-15 with gardens overlooking the Howgill Fells for happy reunions with family and friends

Come on down to this working farm for delicious organic food, an on-site sourdough bakery and crisp bedrooms in a pretty farmhouse

Your own apartment in a listed manor house with lovely light rooms and stunning grounds with views over farmland to the coast and Lundy

The view is pure Canaletto, the vibe is modern and laid back. Just minutes from all Venice’s best bits, but with far fewer tourists