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

A fabulous old house filled with history, treasure and stories – now a colourful, larger-than-life hotel in the arty district of Belfast

A rather grand, opulent house with warm owners, interesting furniture and art and some fine Renaissance architectural elements intact

Ease into a slower way of life from this beautiful Tuscan farmhouse surrounded by vineyards in the valley below medieval Montepulciano

Birders will love escaping up here, golfers too - visit Hatfield House, Knebworth, Cambridge - come back to a good local pub and a comfy bed

A stunner of a setting for this restored croft house with long views to a sparkling loch and a lively village nearby. Good beaches too

Serene retreat in the French countryside with elegant interiors and impeccable hosting from the lovely Anne-Laure

Simple but stylishly furnished village house, terrific hill-top views, low-impact design, organic cooking and a hot tub; utterly peaceful

Near Southwold - rich colours, fresh flowers and exotica! Fields for the dogs, walled gardens for you, logs, umbrellas, digital showers...

Comfortable, traditional, accessible and in the grounds of an old rectory with meadows and the river Frome nearby for summer dips

In the Welsh Marches, down winding lanes, a delightful refurbished hop pickers' house - romantic bolthole for 2. Friendly owners, too

Sofas in front of the fire, English wines and local ales, ambrosial food and smart rooms, all a short stroll from Sissinghurst Castle

A great spot for two plus two, with a decked area that gazes on copses, stream and treehouse. Wallow your cares away in the hot tub

Three luxurious apartments sleeping up to 10 people altogether, set within an elegant Georgian manor house in the Wye Valley AONB

Come for a bright, roomy, uber-green and accessible larch-clad space with garden and pond in pretty countryside

Expansive bedrooms and delicious breakfasts at an historic, plant-filled hotel teetering on the edge of a mountain in rural Castellón

High above Lisbon, this small but elegant former palace offers stunning views, stylishly rustic rooms and a dreamy, sun-trap patio

Bask in the beautiful Basque country at this friendly B&B in the village, with family-run restaurant for delicious suppers