Peaceful Highland hideaway on a wooded lochside: spy dolphins and otters, stargaze, and soak up the deep silence

Families and walkers will be happy at this unfussy seaside retreat with beaches down the road and coastal paths right by your door

A really well thought-out escape for a small family with children. A big garden, pool, petanque court and play barn for indoor fun

Proper village pub with much-praised food and cosy rooms; country walks lead from the door and Oxford is half an hour away

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

Take breakfast on the terrace, splash in the fabulous pool. A secluded, friendly, immaculate villa close to golf and surfing beaches

Wonky floors and handmade beds in a restored coaching inn for 4, 6 or 8 - sociable evenings round the farmhouse table, walks from the door

Three simple, traditional apartments in an ancient convent building with a beautiful botanical garden in the heart of the historic centre

Lodge and gardens – superbly designed, immaculate, fresh, eco friendly – rest in unspoilt Picardy. Anglo-French hosts take turns to cook

Guarded by high gates is a spacious oasis on the edge of the village, full of friendliness and charm, perfect for walking, cycling, markets

A lovely little bolthole for two on a gorgeous estate with restaurant, deli and superb gardens, sculpture walk and wildflower meadows

Leave crowds behind for this charming stone farmhouse in the olive groves of rural Umbria – bring friends and have it all to yourselves

An exceptional villa with four acres of private gardens, high in the mountains and with stunning views over Lake Como - the perfect oasis

Heart-soaring Pyrenean views, animals roaming, natural materials in simple rural rooms, organic food: it’s a superbly welcoming eco-lodge

A former tobacco barn and an annexe with outdoor kitchen and courtyard, near good places to eat for relaxed days at the beach

A special little house, renovated with huge style, filled with beautiful objects and with a delightfully quiet and secluded private garden

A friendly rural town pub with smart rooms, locally inspired menus and Cheshire and north Wales to explore – bring the dog too

Be inspired by hilltop views, unwind in beamed rooms by huge fireplaces or scramble down to the beach for family adventures