Great for gatherings of family and friends: fine views, a good big kitchen, games room and pool; nearby caves and castles to explore

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

Slow living at its best from this delightful spot - a site of Local Historic Interest - with stunning sea views, restful gardens and pool

Grand and old and filled with history, the estate and such a pretty house are a tonic, as are the well-tended grounds and parkland

Come for a sense of complete peace surrounded by country and coast with wonderful interiors to boot – a bolthole for two (plus two)

A cosy and pretty old cottage for rest or romance, with garden and pool in a small hamlet surrounded by walnut orchards and mixed woodland

A warm family and starlit suppers in a grand estate by Soller, near wildflower walks and beaches. Citrus mingles with exotic fragrances

A beautifully renovated lighthouse with stunning views from the lantern room. Pretty bedrooms, great walking and fabulous breakfasts

Experience outstanding hospitality at this aristocratic palazzo with a Michelin-rated restaurant downstairs and seven unique bedrooms above

Chatty Madame is a superb cook, and her pretty house and garden in a quiet Yvelines village are equally delicious. Zip to Paris by train

Ensconce yourselves in the Black Périgord and stay in the East Wing of a 16th-century castle with private garden and surrounding parkland

Small and elegant family-run hotel with airy bedrooms, plenty of private spaces and a bus to take you to the centre of bustling Avignon

A very pretty old coach house in a south London garden – perfect for a couple or a family. Friendly owners live across the courtyard

A grand dining hall and super kitchen, perfect for big gatherings. Spot spoonbills on the salt marsh, sea swim or walk to delis and pubs

Inspiring art-filled Menorcan townhouse in Mahón’s old quarter; explore the city, cycle or hike the island’s gorges and feast on seafood

The smallest of three secluded cottages that share a gravel courtyard and a beautiful garden with cathedral views

Beautiful Noto is 4 miles from the Ionian Sea, and this creative renovation, with lush garden, stands above the throng. Heaven in Sicily

A traditional cottage in Polruan on the Fowey estuary with harbour and cove views and a tea shop and two pubs in the village