A very tranquil spot with views of rolling countryside, the East Mendip Way on the doorstep and good pubs within walking distance

Dorset unfurls all around you: walk the coast path, hunt for fossils, gaze at Durdle Door, explore Weymouth from this sea-facing pub

A large, light-filled house sitting very much on its own in the middle of the peaceful Eden Valley with masses of space inside and out

A small hotel with gorgeous interiors, friendly staff, spacious rooms, a proper library, pretty garden and a relaxed, homely feel

Fragrant gardens full of fruit trees, a lovingly renovated house just a few minutes’ walk from the village, and excellent breakfasts

A grand yet very homely place with tasty home cooking and 200 acres to explore. Play golf, sail, cycle – wonderfully informal

Restored farmhouse with a swimming pool on a 700-acre wine estate in the Valdera surrounded by hills, farmland and authentic villages

An elegant home with an easy atmosphere – Andrea is a great host. Comfortable bedrooms with window seats overlook the pretty walled gardens

A luxurious springboard for the wineries, villages and treasures of south Tuscany in the magical Orcia valley - if you can bear to leave it!

Wild beauty and hundreds of birds on the shore of a freshwater lake. Frank and Daniella look after you in a homely, fuss free way

A fabulous Belle Epoque château with much wow factor set in vast grounds with lawns and lakes, circled by a dense forest

Take breakfast on the terrace, splash in the fabulous pool. A secluded, friendly, immaculate villa close to golf and surfing beaches

On a quiet road leading to the sea, this sleepy village pub has been sensitively restored. Enjoy good food, sleep in comfy bedrooms

A beautiful cream stone building in the grounds of a grand château, with a large and view-filled outdoor terrace for peaceful dawdling

Feel French in this very beautiful 300-year-old house with a large garden and pool in a hilltop medieval village of winding, cobbled streets

An artistic escape with a stunning kitchen in sleepy, gastronomic Lot – stroll to the village market and feast on local produce

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

A sleek, minimalist Scandi pad for two, one of five properties created out of ancient buildings on a 3,000 acre working hill sheep farm