A 17th-century townhouse sitting on a quiet side street with lots of original features and a west-facing patio screened by vines and lemons

A romantic and very comfortable retreat in a smartly converted dairy with a pretty garden, close to the South Downs

Lovely old house with award-winning restaurant and indoor swimming pool. Sleeps up to 18 so just the ticket for a big family gathering

Come for deep beds, real fires, Scottish breakfasts, a generous welcome, great walking, cycle tracks and grand lochside views

Steeped in history and romance, with a great big sleigh bed and open fires, is this 14th-century defence tower above the river Tweed

An enchanting Belle Epoque villa with a terraced garden and superb views across palm trees and vines to Mont Saint-Michel

A fine designer house and pool above the coastal hurly-burly and one of the loveliest coves in Spain, backing onto a nature park. Happy hols

A light, bright, art-filled space with private garden on a quiet residential street just a short walk from shops, markets and good food

Crackling fires in winter, croquet in the summer. Life ticks by peacefully - rooms are engagingly old-fashioned, the garden is much-loved

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

An old stone farmhouse with plenty of room for a large group, a terrace with hot tub and lawns and access to a shared pool and tennis court

A very generous amount of space in this beautifully restored annexe with heated pool and outstanding views over the East Devon AONB

Cakes from the host & eggs from the hens. Bring a party, bring the dogs, and soak up the history from a very fine house in the Cotswolds

A large cottage by the walled garden on a peaceful estate with oodles of space for big gatherings and views over a lake and mature trees

This secluded New Forest inn is a magnet for families in summer: a good pint and the log fire make it a superb winter hideaway too

A Grade II listed 1669 ex-Almshouse in a row of three in walking distance of the historic town centre of Ashbourne and the Tissington Trail

A B&B in a WWF-protected botanical garden beside Lake Maggiore. Wander and explore, take a dip in the lake. This place invites you to unwind

A small, stylish hotel lost in the country with beautiful rooms, excellent food, fine walking and a river passing directly outside