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

Stylish sustainability in star-hung Alicante with solar power, gorgeous rooms and a pool. Authentic breakfasts and dinners await

A 17th-century Westmorland barn, fully renovated with a roomy living space and west-facing garden with views of High Street and Blencathra

Sweep along the gravel drive through lawns and specimen trees to this elegant manor house with 17th-century roots

Warm, interesting hosts and a fascinating celebration of 20th-century style. Gleaming en suites, original Art Deco furniture, WWII books...

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 beautiful villa with a medieval tower surrounded by formal gardens, gentle slopes of perfectly maintained vineyards and wooded hilltops

Come for big skies, loch views, much wildlife, acres of forest and a charming wood-clad cottage from which to explore such a remote spot

Like staying in a family home, only with Henri III furniture and rolling green views. Energetic hosts cook, farm, hunt, chat over champagne

Float in the infinity pool above the canyon, dine under the stars, revel in the silence, head to the Cavagrande di Cassibile Nature Reserve

A perfectly romantic and gorgeously restored bothy in a garden on a hillside by the sea, with grand views over the mountains of Skye

Come for gloriously independent B&B in your own cosy retreat with a belter of a breakfast brought to your door and plenty of local walks

Breakfasts with sausages from home-reared rare breed pigs, a big log fire and relaxed friendly hosts. Acres of garden and woodland paths

A large, light-filled house sitting very much on its own in the middle of the peaceful Eden Valley with masses of space inside and out

Great for comfort, beauty, character and home baking. Borrow vintage bikes to explore Cambridge: Christine knows it inside out

In a hamlet in the Loire countryside is a friendly estate with a family-sized gite, a shared saltwater pool and heaps of old-world charm

Near to the sea, surrounded by pristine vineyards and sheltered by the walls of an ancient farmhouse, you'll feel secluded from tourists

After trekking Offa's Dyke, return to a cosy wood-burner stocked with logs and a sumptuous bed - you'll love this country retreat for two