Suspended in a sea of trees, this sleek, serene hideout is all about the forest, stars, stillness, and space - a Sawday's Community Champion

A lovely house set in 20 hectares with a park, two ponds, paths winding through and a pretty river. Delicious locally-sourced meals too

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

Sit back and relax at this luxuriously elegant grand manor in the heart of the Dordogne with a concierge service to take care of everything

An artist's house imbued with an understated elegance. Stay for dinner; be charmed by the garden where fruit trees throng, hens loiter

A fabulous country boozer, revamped in style with a buzzy atmosphere, great food and welcoming bedrooms - good walking countryside too

Close to Hexham's centre, a quietly charismatic Victorian home with fresh flowers, homemade bread, sunny courtyard and a friendly little dog

A lovely big house with huge riverside gardens and an easy-going charm – a 15-minute walk from bookish Hay-on-Wye

Charming cottage in a vast garden with a swimming pool and boule; walk to the nearest village, drive to Côte d'Azur in less than an hour

Rustic farmhouse with two and a half acres of landscaped gardens, a swimming pool and views over the Pyrenees – the sunrises are amazing

Elegant country château with a family feel, for big groups with or without children, and those who seek inspiration

Colourful coastal apartments and studios where you can be nicely independent, and enjoy a communal café and health club with Art Deco pool

Take your time here. Lucy will take you round her wonderful garden, introduce you to her donkeys, and share her laid-back approach

A cheery farmhouse conversion for groups outside a village in a non-touristy part of Italy, close to scenic trails and medieval villages

A relaxed country feel in this fine family villa. It has space and comfort for six with gardens, private pool, and tennis court

Plenty of restful, comfortable space indoors and out in the Mediterranean garden with its courtyard pool – restaurants to walk to

Refined B&B in a pretty forest setting just north of the French Basque country, with a lovely garden, a swimming pool and delicious food

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