Grade II-listed country hotel with lovely gardens and an excellent restaurant, a short walk from Ambleside and the top of Lake Windermere

Deep in the Lake District, a well-loved family home with open fires and heavenly views, a private woodland and a short walk to a good pub

This small hotel with pool has elegant communal spaces, spoiling bedrooms, kind staff, delicious food and panoramic mountain views

Two lovely cottages with a fresh, modern style, private terrace, tranquil communal gardens with an orchard and pool

Enjoy a bucolic setting (hike, ride, cycle) near medieval Vannes, a short hop from the sea – and lively conversation with friendly hosts

Italian style marries Californian comfort, with views over hilltop towns, vineyards and the majestic Sibillini mountains beyond

What a surprise! Tucked into a row of tightly woven old cottages is this contemporary open-plan hideaway with huge windows and much flair

Chic barn conversion with a swimming pool and country walks from the door; nearby Ventnor has a beach and great places to eat and drink

Perfect luxury in deepest Normandy: gorgeous gardens, a heavenly pool, and interiors worthy of an art gallery

Two family and dog friendly retreats for lovers of the countryside, birdwatchers and those wishing to escape the crowds

A blissfully quiet and welcoming New Cross home. English and oriental blend - including breakfast! Rooms are airy, richly decorated and fun

Created around a Georgian house, with lake, woodland and fields, this hotel and members' club offers great food, fresh air and much comfort

Come for lots of space and a lawn for sunny days at this 19th-century farm cottage deep in the Perthshire hills near the Meikleour Arms

An extraordinary, inspiring place: eat 100% vegan food, drink organic wine, sleep in natural materials, swim in the salt-water pool

Vast rooms, thick stone walls and ancient flagged floors skilfully modernised to create comfort, surrounded by romantic château gardens

Welcome to a dreamy fortified castle, once owned by French royalty, the perfect place to stay for history lovers and comfort seekers

Elegant Italian style in a sensitively-restored villa with sweeping views over rolling hills and forests

A most enchanting and welcoming Provençal mas sitting in acres of private parkland with woods, meadows and a small lake for magical stays