Get away from it all in 'old' France, where melons taste like melons & hikes start from the door. This rural bolthole is a serious treat

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 Cotswolds hideaway in a cottage on a farm, with space to roam for children, and glorious valley views

A 17th-century Grade II listed inn, bustling with a mix of visitors and locals, friendly staff, very comfortable rooms and scrumptious food

Created around a Georgian house, with lake, woodland and fields, this hotel and members' club offers great food, fresh air and much comfort

A medieval monastery, stunningly revived, in untouristy, car-free Pisciotta. Sip greco on the terrace; scramble through olives to the sea

An elegant 1890 home for 8 in vibrant Bembridge for birdwatching, beaches and wildlife, with hot tub and extra beds for overflow guests

Escape to the edge of the Atlantic. Find airy rooms and good food served from terraces overlooking the ocean - all with a green conscience

A cool little inn lost in beautiful hills, child- and dog-friendly, with happy staff and award-winning food

A honey-hued family home clad with vines and roses with a swimming pool and heaps of space – perfect for families

In the heel of Italy’s boot, a spacious converted village mill, surrounded by citrus groves. Culture abounds & you’re close to the coast

Converted stables in the grounds of a manor house in a peaceful village just outside Banbury with lovely walking in the Cherwell Valley

Log fires smoulder, rooms are comfortable, the food is delicious and there's bags of character at this old village pub – once a cider house

A perfectly romantic and gorgeously restored bothy in a garden on a hillside by the sea, with grand views over the mountains of Skye

A bright and prettily beamed barn with very comfortable interiors, private outdoor seating and a shared courtyard for barbecues and games

Beautifully refurbished inn with good food, calming rooms and the South Downs all around. Chichester, Petworth and Goodwood are close

A charming B&B in south Sardinia, near Cagliari: circled by palms and cypresses, overlooking sweet-smelling lemon & orange groves. Bliss