Wide views over the trees to the glittering loch and the hills beyond will mesmerise; interiors are calm, uncluttered and generous

Find gilded mirrors, rich brocades, Fragonard toiletries and an unexpected roof terrace at this 6-bedroom guest house near St Mark’s Square

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

Built in 1518 to gaze across the Loire to Amboise and decorated with discreet elegance and respect for its history. Guests love it

A small, stylish hotel lost in the country with beautiful rooms, excellent food, fine walking and a river passing directly outside

Delicious vegetarian cooking, a pool, lemon groves and hazy views of the Hyblaean mountains make a perfect escape near Cassibile

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

Simple country cottage living on a working organic farm. Bring your hiking boots or bikes, stride out from the door

A beautifully restored listed barn of Westmorland stone sitting in a conservation area village in spectacular walking country, near Appleby

A lodge house in magnificent gardens, which are all yours when visitors leave. A sweet retreat for anyone, but gardeners will adore it

A lovely restored house on a farm beside a cluster of ancient buildings surrounded by lush forest and grasslands – a deeply rural spot

Exceptional generosity reigns at this complex of 5 excellent, colourful holiday apartments, with pool and meals, on the Sorrento Peninsula

A fascinating place steeped in history and abuzz with prize-winning winery activity. Plus rustic cottages, golf, a restaurant and 2 pools

A truly delightful place to eat and stay with gorgeous bedrooms and good food, in a village with Tudor houses and ancient church towers

A light, bright Georgian townhouse in a residential street directly opposite the lovely Lido and restaurant, near Clifton Village

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

This old stone building, a former olive warehouse, is beautifully restored and sits on its own – a simple bolthole for rest and recuperation

A dog-friendly cottage in a tranquil village, formerly the bakery, now restored to perfection with oodles of space and much comfort