A peaceful retreat in an unspoilt woody corner of Sussex. Bring dogs and children for fabulous walking on the South Downs Way

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

This is Somerset at its most quintessential: a thatched roofed, honey-coloured Hamstone cottage with a pretty courtyard garden; sleeps four

A lovely Victorian cottage on a quiet village road, traditional and comfortable inside and with a fully enclosed garden at the back

Elegant Italian style in a sensitively-restored villa with sweeping views over rolling hills and forests

Come for breezy bedrooms, pretty gardens, a serene pool and delicious breakfasts at this gorgeous finca in rural Extremadura near Trujillo

A timbered, fire-warmed village farmhouse, home-grown dinners, delightfully French hosts. Deliciously authentic, generous and calm

Laze in the pool, nibble olives from the market, gaze over Provence. Inside, English meets classic French. Fabulous for families

Attractive country barn - great for two families sharing, for river trips, for playing in the pool, for running free

Come to stay in a lovely old house surrounded by an important garden created by three generations of brilliant women gardeners

On the doorstop, Dovedale, Buxton, Chatsworth House... Come home to snooker, books, logs, a patio with views and masses of lovely space

Contemporary boathouse for all the family. Find rock pools, a shingle beach and plenty of ozone in the salty Cornish air

An eco B&B (minus hair shirt) in the stunning Meon Valley surrounded by woodland and wildlife - a Sawday's Community Champion

A short stroll from the centre of historic Wimborne, a big Georgian house with beautiful interiors, original features and a lovely garden

An artist's house imbued with an understated elegance. Stay for dinner; be charmed by the garden where fruit trees throng, hens loiter

Come for a bright, roomy, uber-green and accessible larch-clad space with garden and pond in pretty countryside

A lovely 19th-century stone mas with south-facing terrace, garden and pool for relaxed family holidays, just off the D99 in a small hamlet

A grand place for up to 12 adventurous souls and the young at heart: swim, bob in a boat, hike and cycle or simply revel in the greenery and peace