Brilliant birdwatching, heavenly countryside, a generous welcome and lovely furnishings... A place to linger as long as you can

A cosy, very comfortable stone cottage with fine views across the valley, just a couple of miles from the southern tip of Ullswater

Come for the gloriously peaceful countryside and this 1700s house and garden, scrupulously renovated and with plenty of space

Three airy gîtes set in 300 acres of vineyard and gardens. A welcoming base for exploring the marvellous Minervois – 15km from Carcassonne

A pretty stone single-storey house, now renovated beautifully into a comfortable hideaway with wonderful views to woodland and river

Kate makes you feel at home the moment you enter her great big beloved house - full of books, guitars and a piano, antiques and huge spaces

Comfortable, big family home with sparkling sea views over the Adriatic: discover the coast, explore Ancona and Loreto, enjoy the garden

In a hamlet in the Loire countryside is a friendly estate with a family-sized gite, a shared saltwater pool and heaps of old-world charm

A grand piano to play and a delicious bed to sink into, at this cool, arty bolthole near Frome. For those who love spaciousness and peace

A wonderfully comfortable light-filled house with long views, a sandy beach to walk to, fabulous walking and wildlife and a superb kitchen

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

Rest, restore, and explore... from this smart, successful Cotswolds’ gastropub with ancient beams, roaring fires and truly pretty bedrooms

This is Somerset at its most quintessential: a thatched roofed, honey-coloured Hamstone cottage with a pretty courtyard garden; sleeps four

You’ll love Tintinhull Gardens, Montacute House, Ham Hill, the Prince of Wales pub... and this sweet, fresh, cosy, rustic cottage for two

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

Comfort, warmth and thoughtful breakfasts at this informal, friendly B&B, sitting in a lush spot between the mountains and the sea

You're overlooking the main square in medieval Umbertide from this cosy, second-floor apartment, so you'll feel very much like a local

An old farm worker's cottage, niftily done up and nicely remote, with walking and fishing on the doorstep, four miles from Hadrian's Wall