Come with friends for a cookery course, or with the kids, and enjoy the creative feel of the place - and the food! Venice 40 mins by train

A comfy cottage for two in the quiet, leafy outskirts of Aix with easy access to the city and a kind, attentive owner nearby

A beautiful villa, a cabin, a loft and a wagon on the sunny side of the harbour and a stroll from the beach. Faultless finds!

Retreat to this sweet, peaceful cottage with suntrap courtyard garden enveloped in rolling hills just a short hop from the Jurassic Coast

Gite retreats in château grounds - welcoming and wonderful for young families. Build castles in the sandpit, make friends around the pool

Charming hosts, ample bedrooms and memorable dinners... deeply authentic and super special. You'll adore Hotel Coutettaz and long to return

An old chapel, smartly and sustainably converted, with a hot tub to soothe tired limbs after country walks through fells and dales

Vast house on an ancient Roman site with big terraced garden and pool. Grand yet homely, with air-con, spa and only 8 km to the city

A big, rambling inn – welcoming and unpretentious with deep sofas, eclectic artwork, tasty food and exceedingly comfortable bedrooms

In tranquil countryside close to the Ring of Kerry, a rustic farmhouse with wonderful stargazing and brilliant walks starting from the door

Three very special places to stay on one glorious estate. Gather those whose company you enjoy and immerse yourselves in beauty and history

Swing off the main road through the village, up into the hills along a narrow track and through a gate, observed by curious sheep

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

Garden lovers will flock to this lovely B&B with two spacious suites and delicious breakfasts – a good spot by a quiet hamlet

A pretty cottage by the sea, with uplifting views, restful bedrooms, the beach a short hop, gorgeous walks and lively Kinsale nearby

Stylishly refurbished gastro inn on historic market square with gorgeous bedrooms, local ciders and some rather tasty food

Feel right at home in a thatched farmhouse on South Pool Creek, with cottage garden views, great breakfasts and a good local pub

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