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

Delightful B&B on a working farm, generous hosts welcome you with tea and homemade cake. Bring a piece of furniture and give it a facelift!

A lodge house in magnificent gardens, which are all yours when visitors leave. A sweet retreat for anyone, but gardeners will adore it

A beautifully restored annexe in a picturesque village in the heart of Suffolk. Take a camera - it's seriously picture-perfect around here

Pippa tells you where to find wild flowers, babbling brooks and butterflies... and hike, bike and swim. Magic for families

Foodies will love the irresistible cooking - along with local wine and a typically Tuscan setting. Bedrooms are pretty

Lose yourselves in this picturesque castle, magical with its luxurious rooms and timeless atmosphere. Count and Countess are brilliant hosts

A rural idyll with a hot tub under starlit skies and surrounded by gorgeous countryside in the South Lakes within a hop of vibrant Cartmel

Glorious views of Derwentwater and Skiddaw from this comfortable house. Art dotted about, a big table for chatty meals and a pretty garden

Sumptuous suites arranged around a sunny internal courtyard inside an ancient monastery - an intimate sanctuary for those who seek comfort

A honey-hued family home clad with vines and roses with a swimming pool and heaps of space – perfect for families

Anouk & Gilles have fine-tuned their welcome. Lounge by the pool and dine exquisitely within their landscaped park

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

Boutique hotel next to Funchal’s 15th-century cathedral, with a champagne and lobster bar, rooftop cocktail bar and an excellent restaurant

Lovely stone-built dog-friendly cottages with a pool in glorious, quiet surroundings near to lakes, mountains and wide sandy beaches

Off the beaten track and into the hills – this remote, unknown bird-filled region is faultless for outdoorsy people

A dramatic transformation of an old shepherd's cottage deep on a remote hillside in Perthshire farmland with masses of space and light

A very special restored Augustinian monastery, sitting in the Monti Rognosi Nature Reserve and radiating a timeless charm