Get away from it all in the heart of Northumberland National Park, with walks leaving from your door and incredible dark skies at night

Once a pub, now a friendly home, with all you need for a market town break. Park the car (or leave at home) – everything is on the doorstep

A country house, elegant and unstuffy, at the heart of a working Lazio olive farm. Lunch by the pool or unwind at the hot spring spa

A super old place for those who love history and Thomas Hardy. Come for enjoyable gastropub food and comfortable, traditional bedrooms

Take your time here. Lucy will take you round her wonderful garden, introduce you to her donkeys, and share her laid-back approach

A family-run, environmentally friendly bistro with rooms near Grasmere: climb to the nearest viewing spot. Dogs welcome too

An 18th-century limestone barn, now a quiet hideaway for a group of friends or family in a very rural spot surrounded by fields and woods

The Dordogne flows through the gastronomic heart of France, where stunning villages cling to rock faces and historic riches are in store

Great staff, beautiful design, a fine old building and sublime food make this 600-year-old inn a perfect escape all year round

Immaculate Cotswold beauty with great food, welcoming staff, handsome rooms and a sun-trap terrace, plus countryside walks from the door

Two peaceful spaces in a beautiful garden with a morning concert from the birds and a terrace for magical outdoor meals

A delightful coastal house with lush courtyard gardens, masses of space, home office and terraces galore

A welcoming country-house hotel that’s popular with locals and visitors alike - good food, stylish rooms and an airy restaurant wait

After trekking Offa's Dyke, return to a cosy wood-burner stocked with logs and a sumptuous bed - you'll love this country retreat for two

Wooded, lakeside retreat for 1 or 2 – big windows, huge terrace, wood-burner, wide screen. The Jurassic coast a cross-country walk away

A converted old granary next to a traditional Welsh longhouse in a deeply rural setting for unfussy nature lovers

Rooms in an old palazzo in the historic centre of town, with a swimming pool, restaurant and café, and lovely beaches a short drive away

A relaxed old countryside manor house with a huge garden to roam. It’s 2km to sandy beaches and Judith is close by if you need anything