A contemporary rooftop room in a warmly civilised B&B filled with books and lovely things – stunning view too

Thoughtful red brick barn conversion on a working farm. Peaceful, practical and within easy reach of outdoor activities

A stylish, canal-side inn – you get Sunday lunch, tow paths that lead into Edinburgh, then a pretty garden and cute rooms

Elegant rooms behind a popular village pub with country walks from the door, and the spectacular Peak District and stately homes nearby

Spend restful days in a verdant garden, slip into the cooling pool, sip wine on your private balcony, stroll into arty Benissa

Enjoy views over the lake, eat good food in the restaurant, sleep in antique-filled bedrooms, have a proper rest

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

A comfortable and light-filled converted stone barn in the pretty Vendée, a quiet and rural spot but just half a mile from town

Come for plenty of space and wonderful views to the Pyrenees on clear days from this converted outbuilding in the grounds of a château

A converted chapel - cosy and creative - right on the beach. Wander the Cornish coast, explore small towns and retreat from the everyday

Two comfortably converted farm buildings, with a shared pool on a gentle south-east sloping vineyard with wonderful views

Glorious views of Derwentwater and Skiddaw from this comfortable house. Art dotted about, a big table for chatty meals and a pretty garden

Heaps to do on-site: organic farm shop & café, cookery & cheese-making courses, farm tours. A brilliant base for exploring the Cotswolds too

Big house in peaceful lush oasis among the bananas, vines and aloe vera, a 20-minute walk down into Funchal

From the delicious scented garden with its limestone pool to the cool rooms with perfect linen, this is a place for a special occasion

5 houses near Siena to make design-lovers happy; come for the rural solitude of ancient stone farm buildings with urban interiors

A lake to fish, a terrace for evening sun and a choice of two spaces with a shared pool and games room, a short hop from pretty Auvillar