If you want to come to Venice as an open-hearted traveller rather than a tourist then this is the place for you - just walk to everything

Surrounded by wildlife and water, this ultra-modern house has huge windows, white walls and designer furnishings. Blissfully remote

Everything is on the doorstep and you'll find much comfort at these smart self-catering apartments in the heart of the city

A lovely little bolthole for two on a gorgeous estate with restaurant, deli and superb gardens, sculpture walk and wildflower meadows

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

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

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

An iconic Cotswold pub, restored to perfection, with a cracking bar, elevated pub food and some super-smart bedrooms in pub and extension

Perfect for lovers of the quintessentially English cottage - carefully renovated and classily stylish - a ramble to nearest pub

A family-run restaurant with rooms with a gorgeous sunny terrace overlooking the bustling harbour and delicious food in two dining spaces

A beautifully restored cottage and extra wing for 3 - 4 on Bodmin Moor for families, outdoor types and lovers of real countryside – dogs can come too

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

Ideal for families: pool, tennis and golf at the hotel with beach and yachting nearby. Comfortable bedrooms and a terrace for outdoor dining

Bring boots, maps, your dog and an appetite for high places and deep comfort in this restored farm conversion

Laid-back hosts, delicious breakfasts and a staggering sense of history in peaceful Welsh countryside - magical place for a special occasion

A lovely spot in an AONB for this bright and airy converted barn, one of four round a gravelled courtyard on a 600-acre estate

Feel like the lord or lady of the manor at this sublime restoration of a Tudor, timber-framed stone house in lovely Ludlow

Slowly does it at a rustic haven run with infectious enthusiasm and kindness by a truffle hunter with a passion for nature and food