A sprint from London: a Cotswolds pub modernised with sympathy and care. Happy staff, organic ales and food, gorgeous rooms

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

An ever-changing interior for this stunning pod, commissioned by a different artist each year. Creative, fun - a Sawday's Community Champion

Your very own love nest: frolic in the outdoor rolltop, hunker by the wood-burner, bask in the gardens... near Lakes and Dales

What do you do with a down-at-heel roadside inn? You get Mhor to come and turn it into a quirky base with their funky style and lovely food

An elegant hotel that feels like a well-kept secret, with charming staff, understated rooms and great restaurants a short walk away

A roomy, open-plan space for romantics, with complete privacy but with pub, bakery and views of the market garden from your own terrace

A gracious 17th-century manor house and a pretty Grange hidden down a tree-lined drive and with stunning views over woodlands

A stylish, thoughtful and impressive place for a family holiday, in a dreamy Charentais landscape with the odd sheep to keep you company

A large cottage by the walled garden on a peaceful estate with oodles of space for big gatherings and views over a lake and mature trees

Beautiful Noto is 4 miles from the Ionian Sea, and this creative renovation, with lush garden, stands above the throng. Heaven in Sicily

Rural bliss at the end of the lane: a cottage for 2 with wine and local biscuits in the hamper and farmers’ markets within a 5-mile drive

Ease through a beautiful wrought iron gate to a courtyard and an elegant 1700s creamy stone holiday house, part of the château estate

Discover warmth, tranquillity and wonderful breakfasts behind the handsome old door of this luxurious small hotel in Lucca

A smart riverside inn with airy interiors that brim with character – old beams, open fires, well-kept ales and comfy bedrooms

Simple and rustic, this early 1700s farmhouse has warmth and charm, surrounded by countryside in the Perche

Great gulps of ozone will engulf you at this architect-designed 1960s beach house - light, bright and sparkling, just like the ocean