A converted 19th-century church in the Northumberland National Park with beautiful stained-glass windows and a restored tower

The cottage looks down over Lough Swilly, idyllic for boats and safe swims... and the neighbours are friendly, just sheep and cows

A little gem tucked on a rural Northumbrian estate with other cottages. The rugged coast and lovely Alnwick make for super day trips

Rare as a bird, a proper old fashioned French inn on the side of the road in a sleepy village, a restoration project for the new owners

Two peaceful olive grove farmhouses, a shared pool with incredible views, hours of hiking along beautiful trails, Pisa and Lucca nearby

A welcoming inn with rooms on the edge of a small village. Stay in a converted barn in the pretty garden, eat delicious country fare

Loved by estate-workers, visitors, well-heeled locals, and walkers, this spruced-up pub is a friendly launchpad for Chatsworth

Glorious airy living space in this superbly restored barn, a terrace with long views and a pool across the garden - bikes to borrow too

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

A smartly renovated village pub with rooms welcoming locals, visitors, families and dogs on a Staffordshire country estate

The Test valley is a place of pilgrimage for fly fishermen, but this lovely country inn welcomes all with great food and lovely bedrooms

Cosy country cottage for four on an organic farm in the Welsh borders. Wake to the sounds of birds and sheep, walk off supper on rural romps

A calm, leafy bolthole in one of Paris' most elegant districts. Step out to stylish boutiques, good bakeries – and the Eiffel Tower

An eco B&B (minus hair shirt) in the stunning Meon Valley surrounded by woodland and wildlife - a Sawday's Community Champion

Spacious bedrooms, friendly hosts and a classic English country house in a peaceful hamlet with walks from the doorstep

By a bubbling brook in the Mendips, close to Bath and Bristol, a wonderfully revived and welcoming inn with smart rooms and scrumptious food

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

Serene, panoramic views from picture windows at this off-grid romantic bolthole in the hills with a cosy wood-burner and local treats