A stately retreat, an oasis of calm and beauty. Picnic on the lawns, enjoy a glass of home-produced prosecco beneath a centuries-old tree

Designed with style and comfort, peaceful, sophisticated and serene with countryside views. And you have your own lovely pool

A most enchanting and welcoming Provençal mas sitting in acres of private parkland with woods, meadows and a small lake for magical stays

A deliciously cool loft hideaway set among tall sycamores in the grounds of the main house, with a New York Tribeca feel and much comfort

A charming comfy cottage with wood burner, delicious hilly views, walks radiating from the door. We didn’t want to leave!

A fabulous old house filled with history, treasure and stories – now a colourful, larger-than-life hotel in the arty district of Belfast

Come to walk, cycle, fish and hunker down in style in front of the wood-burner - sleep in deep comfort in a lovingly converted barn

A comfy cottage for two in the quiet, leafy outskirts of Aix with easy access to the city and a kind, attentive owner nearby

Spacious rooms and a cosy apartment a stone’s throw from Avignon’s historic sights. Retire to the heated pool after a busy day sightseeing

Cosy country cottage for four on an organic farm in the Welsh borders. Wake to the sounds of birds and sheep, walk off supper on rural romps

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

A light, bright, Georgian coaching inn with super-efficient staff, lovely terrace, sumptuous rooms and excellent, seasonal food

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

You’re in the heart of untamed countryside here, beside the river Oise, welcomed by friendly hosts who cook and care for you

In an outstanding area for lovers of food and wine, here are 3 beautiful boltholes in the Alto Douro, the oldest wine region in the world

Traditional house in a rural part of the Algarve with a spectacular garden, a pool and a tennis court, and restaurants a short stroll

Inspiring art-filled Menorcan townhouse in Mahón’s old quarter; explore the city, cycle or hike the island’s gorges and feast on seafood

Superb, all-organic agriturismo built of straw bales and offering wonderful home-grown natural food, a delightful family, great walking