Rural peace just an hour from London in your own gorgeous converted hay barn, ten minutes from Alton

A stylish, refined 17th-century house off a quiet street with its own garden and lots of generous surprises, a short hop to everything

Hospitable Jorge and Clotilde love nothing more than sharing their colourful, chaotic old house with guests. The farm produce is fabulous

A dear little cottage with many comforts and a private garden, off the beaten track and surrounded by mountains, valleys and trees

Straight out of a fairy tale, a rustic cottage by a babbling brook: a magical escape for couples, the craggy coast in easy reach

Comfortable redbrick cottage with views on the Heydon Hall estate. It’s delightfully rural, yet close to Reepham for pubs and shops

Glorious, thoughtful food, ales and wines using 'as much good stuff they can lay their hands on' at this restaurant with lovely rooms

A very swish 1610 house, thoroughly refurbished, in the heart of old Chichester with oodles of space and a surprisingly large garden

Come for sumptuous bedrooms, fine dining, colourful gardens and charming staff at this smart hotel and restaurant

A unique 1900 house and garden on the edge of Lyon, steeped in history and authenticity – a beautiful home with museum-quality objects

Something to astound at every turn where the traditional and downright quirky collide to stunning effect. Friendly, flexible hosts too

Converted barn with the most welcoming owners – the garden and pool are all yours; explore a less touristy part of the Dordogne

An old farm worker's cottage, niftily done up and nicely remote, with walking and fishing on the doorstep, four miles from Hadrian's Wall

A delightful coastal cottage with far-reaching ocean views from almost every room, two gardens and a short hop to beach and Coast Path

Come for the gloriously peaceful countryside and this 1700s house and garden, scrupulously renovated and with plenty of space

A perfectly restored medieval borgo on twin Chianti hilltops, with lavender fields, honey bees and clear views to the Apennines

Comfortable, understated, spotless and authentic – a modest family hideaway on Brittany’s stunning Crozon Peninsula (think Land’s End...)

Two cosy cottages on a former winemaking estate with private terraces, a shared pool, stunning views and glorious walks from the door