Traditional house with a contemporary and imaginative interior; stroll to shops and restaurants, jump in the car to explore Provence

A cosy bolthole near Paris's best museums, monuments and churches. A peaceful sleep and simple buffet breakfast set you up for sightseeing

Charmingly rambling, inside and out: blazing fires, riotous patterns, oak panelling, a prolific garden and comfortable antique beds

An adorable little 1800s cottage with a garden – simple, unpretentious and filled with the owner's colourful art on walls and lampshades

A sculptor's studio, flooded with light, converted into a restful holiday home surrounded by glorious countryside, near Totnes

The holiday starts on the bumpy track along to this Arts & Crafts style modern house with plenty of space and a wrap-around garden

A B&B in a WWF-protected botanical garden beside Lake Maggiore. Wander and explore, take a dip in the lake. This place invites you to unwind

Perthshire country house with contemporary touches. Deer, red squirrels, tawny owls... and the river Tay glints way below through the trees

Dine in the orangery on excellent cuisine, or take breakfast in bed with the shutters thrown wide. Simply delightful

Elegant historic house set in acres of grounds transports you to a bygone belle époque (with all mod cons)

You're overlooking the main square in medieval Umbertide from this cosy, second-floor apartment, so you'll feel very much like a local

An elegant solution to a hotel - no rooms, but 13 charming villas in the heart of the maquis, nearly all with a private pool

Classic-modern luxury, a charming young hostess and a peaceful setting – perfect for breakfast-lovers, wine buffs and all the family

A very romantic and peaceful Umbrian hideaway just for two with delicious breakfasts and wonderful views from house and pool

Near Vosges mountains, a happy homely hotel surrounded by woods and flower-filled meadows with friendly hosts. Deliciously peaceful

Historic pub with immaculate new bedrooms and a happy atmosphere. A waterside terrace for summer, blazing open fires for winter

Unspoilt Coverack has all you need for a fun beach holiday and this terraced fisherman's cottage on the coast path is cosy all year round

Sleek, smart apartments on the first floor of a 19th-century building in Verona's most fashionable residential/commercial neighbourhood