A magical chateau set in the forested hills of Burgundy with lovely rooms, peaceful walks, home cooking and a merry welcome

Head down the Strood causeway and step back in time for a slice of Mersea Island's old-world charm: beaches, fresh oysters & a charming inn

Superbly comfortable house with beamed rooms, lovely views, club-like morning room, antiques, terrace, pool, fitness centre and lily pond

Families will adore coming here, to reconnect through wonderful outdoor activities in glorious countryside and to feel cossetted indoors

A light, spacious villa in the colonial style designed for easy indoor/outdoor living, with garden, pool and the beach just a short stroll

You get the best of all worlds here. Delicious beds, Provençal soaps, vineyard views, fresh croissants a stroll away…

Come for lots of space and a lawn for sunny days at this 19th-century farm cottage deep in the Perthshire hills near the Meikleour Arms

Come for big skies, grand walking and hilly cycling. Style and comfort abound in this cottage set on the hillside with views to North Uist

An idyllic hotel-restaurant in a postcard-pretty medieval village. Warm interiors, a varied menu of local produce, masses to see and do...

A peaceful grown-up place circled by meadows and woodland with helpful owners next door – a superb spot to explore the south-west

A lovely modern Provençal house, light and welcoming, in a valley of vineyards and forest, tucked peacefully away from the coast

Slow down, discover the quieter side of the island - volcanic rocks, clear seas from hidden beaches and César Manrique's Jardín de Cactus

Views stretch to the Brecon Beacons from this home on a green and sustainable estate. Once home to King Charles, now it's yours to savour

A wonderful green getaway with wrap-around views of Norfolk nature; walk Weavers’ Way, birdwatch at Blakeney, enjoy the coast at Cromer

Steps from the sea in get-away-from-it-all scenery – half an hour’s walk from St Ives’ arty heart. Sleeps 4 with pull-out beds for 2 more

A small, family-run boutique hotel sitting right at the foot of Etna with wonderful views, garden, pool and ambrosial Sicilian breakfasts

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