A beautiful rural escape for couples or families with the delights of the Cotswolds all around. Dogs very welcome too

A harmonious B&B in Chinon wine country. Home-cooked food, comfortable beds, easy conservations with your host and starry skies at night

A wonderful place to stay whether you enjoy golf or not, with big skies, sea views, sumptuous bedrooms, delicious food and attentive staff

Independent B&B with your own converted spaces sitting in a lovely garden with pool. Breakfast is served in the main house or on the terrace

An 18th-century limestone barn, now a quiet hideaway for a group of friends or family in a very rural spot surrounded by fields and woods

An elegant townhouse made up of two apartments on a lively piazza a short stroll from the sea. Live like a local in pretty Monopoli

Plenty of uncluttered easy space both in and out by the private pool - children love the freedom - great wine, food, and cycling country

Gaze on Umbrian hills as the children play, watch the fireflies dance at night. Dine fabulously in Gubbio - or here. Sociable-family bliss

A 1930s riverside cabin circled by lush gardens; cosy inside with underfloor heating, glowing wood-burner and gorgeous decor

Cosy Lakeland stone barn in acres of peaceful countryside for walkers, wildlife lovers and those wishing for a retreat

An adorable whitewashed crofter's cottage on the Wern Estate with pretty gardens, a bird-filled woodland and glorious walks from the door

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

Woodland retreat above Loch Tummel. Silence, sunsets and star-filled skies in a 70s bungalow that blends retro charm with modern comfort

A taste of old Italy in this off-the-beaten-track rustic house on three levels, exquisitely restored and with elegant designer furnishings

An Edwardian villa with stunning views, polished floors, cosy fires and child-friendly garden a short walk from lovely Portmeirion

A heated pool, charming B&B rooms and acres of beautiful grounds beside the Adour River - Bayonne and Biarritz are close

A rural haven in a lovely garden with comfortable bedrooms, brilliant breakfasts and bikes for hire – explore the Parque Natural

Two homely gîtes sleeping 4 and 2 in rural farm country. Walk to the bakery; drive 15 minutes to Saint-Malo and riverside restaurants