A comfortable and light-filled converted stone barn in the pretty Vendée, a quiet and rural spot but just half a mile from town

Encircled by wild dales and rugged fells, this spoiling cottage cocoons you in countryside peace with the added fun of a sauna in the garden

A smart launch pad for visiting all things Champagne-related and Reims with its enchanting cathedral. All is cosy, luxurious...

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

An elegant, super central bolthole for two (or three): stroll everywhere, hop on a vaporetto, sit in piazzas drinking cappuccino, live like a local

Small and elegant family-run hotel with airy bedrooms, plenty of private spaces and a bus to take you to the centre of bustling Avignon

A delightful coastal house with lush courtyard gardens, masses of space, home office and terraces galore

A 18th-century house with pool in a small town with friendly owners and a tropical garden of banana, fig and, of course, frangipani

If you need a great place in which to relax and don’t want to pay too much for it, try these excellent suites, which spoil you all the way

An impressive manor house set in gentle rolling countryside ten miles from Oxford with a delightful garden, warm hosts and organic breakfast

A great find if you want to be close to all the action but nicely tucked away. Friendly pub downstairs, cool bedrooms up, Soho 20 minutes

Good bolthole with two terraces offering spectacular views over the historic town, and restaurants and bars a short stroll

Cosy 17th-century cottage in a village inland from Wells-next-the-Sea and with easy access to north Norfolk's main attractions

A big friendly farmhouse basking in light, with terraces, vineyards, pool and views to several horizons, good for family gatherings

A 17th-century townhouse sitting on a quiet side street with lots of original features and a west-facing patio screened by vines and lemons

Traditional family-run hotel with sitting rooms galore, award-winning food and Snowdon views. High teas and games room for children too

An 1820s beach house just 50 metres from the pretty sands and a first-floor deck for al fresco meals with stunning views over the water

A light, bright village house with a courtyard garden - 5 minutes from Cabo da Roca where the sunsets and views are spectacular