The Gautiers have the finest sense of how to treat guests: dreamy bedrooms, fantastic food & the pool beneath the orange trees is a delight

An upmarket, very comfortable old stone village house with tasty breakfasts and a sunny courtyard full of colourful flowers

5 minutes from the Vatican in a tall palazzo above the British school. Owners share local tips, serve bakery-fresh breakfasts on the terrace

Mesmerising sea views from this big comfortable hillside house near Deià with a big pool, verdant gardens and sun-trapping terraces

Full of country-hideaway chic, this special holiday home is in one of the loveliest parts of the Var, surrounded by 10 private acres

Mont Blanc looms large over this alpine chalet in quiet Les Tines, a stone’s throw from Chamonix and miles of mountain trails

You'll feel relaxed in this big light-filled house with plunge pool and outdoor cinema; walk along the river with Portugal on the other side

A converted old granary next to a traditional Welsh longhouse in a deeply rural setting for unfussy nature lovers

Swings, a terrace and pool in 2 acres ringed by fields and tranquility, and lakes and vineyards beyond. Family bliss in Quercy

Enjoy views of the South Downs from this converted milking parlour for 2 or 4 - fill up on the breakfast hamper and head out on long walks

Near Southwold - rich colours, fresh flowers and exotica! Fields for the dogs, walled gardens for you, logs, umbrellas, digital showers...

Come for much grace, space and inspiration in this huge-windowed, view-filled spot surrounded by gloriously untrammelled countryside

If houses could smile, this 1850 townhouse would be beaming - grand for groups, with four terraces, two living rooms and a plunge pool

History, tranquillity and genuine warmth in a beautifully restored medieval château, deep in the heart of the countryside

Citrus scents the air, loungers flank a spakling pool. Light, cool, simple rooms, vibrant hosts, garden and olive groves - divine food

Inland Algarve, away from the crowds – this gorgeous house with pool and gardens is a haven for families and friends

A dramatic house with stylish interiors – designed to bring the outdoors in so you feel wrapped in nature. Great for families or friends

Good looking barn conversion for sociable gatherings on an organic farm – meet the animals, take a day trip, go walking