A hilltop setting for this ancient fortress with an illustrious past. You stay in apartments or farmhouses inside or outside the walls

A stunning setting for this B&B - the village a thousand feet below you and views to both snow-capped Alps and Provence lavender fields

This stylish little art-filled inn has comfortable rooms, is surrounded by good walking countryside and serves delicious food - rest here

Garden and mountain views from this pretty villa for two - Lake Como shimmers below. Pick up morning pastries in picturesque Mezzegra

Superbly comfortable house with beamed rooms, lovely views, club-like morning room, antiques, terrace, pool, fitness centre and lily pond

Soak up Provençal peace in a charming estate in the Alpilles, with stylish ground-floor B&B rooms, olives, vines and a friendly family dog

Surrounded by wildlife and water, this ultra-modern house has huge windows, white walls and designer furnishings. Blissfully remote

Absolutely no neighbours and stunning views from this delicious little cottage, which peeks over the trees in a magical SSSI valley

Simple, stylish interiors at this restored cottage on a rural estate overlooking the river Tay, with farmland, forest and trails to discover

Modern comforts, traditional cosiness and a warm welcome. There are walks from the door, country houses to visit and a pub in the village

Brilliant hosts and a traditional country pub feel with warming fires, delicious food and fabulous bedrooms at this standout village inn

Three spacious manor apartments with views for big gatherings of family or friends. Walk to the beach or the pub, play tennis and croquet

For families and friends, foodies, surfers and lovers of southern Spain’s historic, vibrant Costa de la Luz

An oast house B&B surrounded by countryside and with a blooming garden; walk to the village pub, drive to nearby stately castles

Swim with frogs in the freshwater pool, breakfast in the sunshine, play boules by moonlight. Châteaux don't get much more rural

An 18th-century fisherman's cottage with garden at the end of a cobbled row, for happy seaside holidays with superb beaches nearby

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

Sweep along the gravel drive through lawns and specimen trees to this elegant manor house with 17th-century roots