A marvellous spot overlooking Rutland Water for this 1760 former hunting lodge with good seasonal British food and very comfortable bedrooms

This grand house on the river Derwent oozes old-fashioned comfort – find traditional bedrooms, delicious food and an open fire

A sturdy, spacious house with stunning views over the garden and ocean, originally built in the 1800s as one of a row of Coastguard cottages

A big, homely farmhouse on the Umbria/Tuscany border for family holidays filled with sunshine, outdoor frolics and good food

This architect-designed passive style house sits just behind the sand dunes at Waxham beach, one of Norfolk’s most lovely beaches

A lovely little bolthole to return to after days out exploring pretty Cotswold villages and walking in an AONB straight from the door

Ease yourself into a rather more gracious lifestyle from this sweet retreat on a historic estate with gorgeous walled gardens

Vast rooms, thick stone walls and ancient flagged floors skilfully modernised to create comfort, surrounded by romantic château gardens

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

A delightful retreat perfectly placed for walking, cycling and visiting some of the region’s most popular sights

A stylish hotel, tucked away yet central, an unusually quiet base for exploring Rome just a three-minute walk from the tube station

Fabulous Drôme gîtes: contemporary in old stone buildings, uncluttered, fresh. Take all 5 for a party, laze by pool, doze in lavender

A peaceful cottage for 2-4 between the Dales and the Moors, with swallows in the barn, an idyllic village, and a garden to explore

An elegant Burgundian townhouse with pool on the fringe of Morvan National Park in Côte d'Or. Dijon, with Beaune and Chablis an easy drive

Rooms in the house overlook the vineyard, the lodges are surrounded by it - check out the vines, then drink their wine with a good dinner

This is Somerset at its most quintessential: a thatched roofed, honey-coloured Hamstone cottage with a pretty courtyard garden; sleeps four

A grand yet very homely place with tasty home cooking and 200 acres to explore. Play golf, sail, cycle – wonderfully informal

A niftily converted barn with high vaulted ceiling sitting on a hill with wonderful views over a newly-created lake and the Stour Valley