Lose yourselves in this picturesque castle, magical with its luxurious rooms and timeless atmosphere. Count and Countess are brilliant hosts

Ascot is a trot down the road and there's a really cosy, cottagey feel to this quaint 18th-century inn with great food and comfy bedrooms

Leave crowds behind for this charming stone farmhouse in the olive groves of rural Umbria – bring friends and have it all to yourselves

Medieval manor house and busy farm. A welcoming atmosphere, big bedrooms, breakfast in the baronial great hall by the cosy log fire

Dreamy, languid beauty at this spacious, airy, arty house with garden and pool in typical Pugliese countryside

There’s a calm feel to this three-storey cottage, close to the centre of Bridport and the beach. Great for families, walkers and dogs

An 18th-century townhouse on a quiet Arles street with a traditional feel and kind hosts - you'll be the only guests at this Provençal home

Families will adore coming here, to reconnect through wonderful outdoor activities in glorious countryside and to feel cossetted indoors

A townhouse with a walled garden by the church in a peaceful village where friendly Scottish owners feed and look after you well

Escape to your own snug bolthole above a beautiful hall. Creative village community, tasty breakfast delivered, come and go as you please

Historic buildings by a turreted manor house, beautifully renovated to welcome large parties with grounds to roam and dreamy river views

Books, meadow flowers, a rocking chair by a cosy fire at this treasure-trove cottage of beautiful things - down tiny lanes in west Cork

Gaze over sublime vistas, refresh in the plunge pool, cook up a barbecue treat. A Provençal studio, simply furnished and deeply relaxing

Refurbished pub in a village high in the hills of the North York Moors, with stylish rooms and unpretentious food using quality ingredients

A beautiful rural escape for couples or families with the delights of the Cotswolds all around. Dogs very welcome too

Former blacksmith’s workshop in a chocolate-box corner of the New Forest, where clematis climbs the trellis and all you hear are the birds

A renovated barn, part stone, part wood, resembling the tobacco barns of the area with beautiful grounds surrounded by farmland

Five beautiful and fully accessible cottages on an organic farm for restful retreats with family or friends – a Sawday's Community Champion