Birders will love escaping up here, golfers too - visit Hatfield House, Knebworth, Cambridge - come back to a good local pub and a comfy bed

A lovely, rambling old house for family gatherings with an extra cottage for bigger groups, a gorgeous garden and hilltop villages nearby

Once a lofty edifice for music recitals, now an original place to stay - with stained-glass windows, a bed on a stage and wild gardens

This stylish B&B is foodie heaven. Its eclectic, multicultural menu - and décor to match - make for a special getaway to the Cornish coast

At the foot of the Cambrian Mountains, an ancient whitewashed cottage with cosy, light-flooded interiors – a perfect rural bolthole for two

A spacious courtyard, two ancient yews and this lovely restored house ooze charm - swim, cycle, walk in glorious countryside, taste cognac

A sprint from London: a Cotswolds pub modernised with sympathy and care. Happy staff, organic ales and food, gorgeous rooms

A dear little gingerbread-style house in the prettiest part of the estate with your own pontoon and boat on the edge of a shimmering lake

Four bright and warm cottages with gardens, for families and friends, plus activities for children and endless walks for you and your dog

A wisteria-laden pergola shades the sunny side of the farmhouse - in gentle olive country near the Sibillini Park, not far from the Adriatic

An airy Estate Manager's House set in pretty grounds with a pool, orchard, barbecue and private terrace for long lazy days in the sun

A stunning veranda wraps itself around the house: doze off in a wicker armchair or sip a drink at dusk as the sun melts into the valley

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

A cosy cottage on a farm down a long winding track, wonderfully rural with footpaths across fields or along the canal

Relax in peace & quiet: orchards, woods, organic farm, wildlife everywhere. Offa's Dyke nearby - start the day with Teona's veggie breakfast

An ancient building filled with beauty and sitting in the quietest SSSI valley, criss-crossed by medieval drove ways buzzing with wildlife

An elegant house with ancient roots and a shimmering pool – explore the Charente countryside, drive to lovely Angoulême

Warm interiors, pretty bedrooms and excellent breakfasts – good value in a very handy central spot