No-nonsense farm conversions with open, airy rooms and good big showers sharing a pool, a playground and fabulous views. Great walks, too

Three comfortable, modern apartments with private terraces, a lovely garden to wander, a pool, a vineyard and views of rolling hills

A craft brewery in Italy? What a wonderful surprise! Three explorer-themed rooms, a brewpub, pizzeria, pool, cookery classes and events

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

Big beautiful apartments in a serene setting in southern Tuscany, with pool. And courses for everyone - organised by one delightful family

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

A smartly refurbished 500-year-old coaching inn with very comfortable bedrooms, good food and the Peak District at your feet

Atmospheric manor with heaps of history, sumptuous bedrooms, a cornucopia of quirky finds, an open-hearted host – it’s a treat to stay here

An elegant medieval manor in the Loire with spiral stone staircases, mullioned windows, jaunty turrets and a fairytale suite just for you

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

An elegant house with ancient roots and a shimmering pool – explore the Charente countryside, drive to lovely Angoulême

Come for big skies, grand walking and hilly cycling. Style and comfort abound in this cottage set on the hillside with views to North Uist

Bright and spacious barn for two and a baby on the South Downs Way, close to Brighton and the coast

Lovely owners have created this quirky space on their farm; side-by-side al fresco baths make it romantic for two

If houses could smile, this 1850 townhouse would be beaming - grand for groups, with four terraces, two living rooms and a plunge pool

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

A beautiful renovation: light, bright and seemingly suspended over a lush valley with cool, contemporary interiors and stunning views

A gorgeous old gardener's house in grand Belle Epoque style, filled with every comfort and sitting in the grounds of a magnificent château