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 restful space with a pretty garden in a quiet Derbyshire village - the pub a short stroll away and Chatsworth near

Hilltop château on the edge of a small village half an hour from Saint-Émilion, with a lovely garden, a swimming pool and two lakes

Immerse yourself in sentiment and romance at Valeria’s charming Veronese villa. The walls sing with framed opera programmes and music scores

Breathtaking views, coastal walks, wildflowers and pretty beaches. Return to a garden with a tropical feel, helpful hosts and sunny rooms

Sheep's Head Way is reputedly one of the best walks in Ireland. Come back to roaring fires, a Rayburn, art and style – terrific restorations

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

Come for breezy bedrooms, pretty gardens, a serene pool and delicious breakfasts at this gorgeous finca in rural Extremadura near Trujillo

Saint Emilion and Castillon both a hop away from a warm, wonderful barn with owners to match. Stylish, cosy and deep in organic vines

A lovely modern Provençal house, light and welcoming, in a valley of vineyards and forest, tucked peacefully away from the coast

A warm and convivial place steeped in French history with an interesting, kind host who really looks after you. Under an hour from Paris too

A 17th-century stone mansion within the ancient walls of Avignon. Walk to cafes, watch the shows at the Festival, chat with convivial hosts

Perched on a hillside between mountains and sea is this charming house in a modern Spanish style, engulfed by a beautiful garden with views

Moments from Chamonix, a sweet chalet with pretty gardens in sun or snow under a backdrop of Mont Blanc – perfect for the adventurous

Get to know Lisbon with ease from this generous and comfortable townhouse hotel bang in the middle of the city centre

Irresistible for art, design and heritage-lovers, bird-watchers and those who love to explore Norfolk's wide open spaces

Come for an exceptionally inviting 17th-century inn, a chocolate-box Cotswold village, excellent local food and ales, very comfortable rooms

A rural haven in a lovely garden with comfortable bedrooms, brilliant breakfasts and bikes for hire – explore the Parque Natural