Your host runs home and B&B with effortless efficiency and you'll find shiny, spotless rooms to retreat to after a day's exploring

Authenticity and originality combine at this family chateau with its panelled rooms, theatrical flourishes and charming candlelit dinners

20 minutes’ walk from Gordes and a hop from Aix, find grownup peace and minimalism for lovers of modern style and timeless Provence

Pretty, thatched, perfectly round: a romantic village bolthole with retro touches. Grab flip-flops, leads and run the dogs on Pendower beach

Crackling fires in winter, croquet in the summer. Life ticks by peacefully - rooms are engagingly old-fashioned, the garden is much-loved

A rare treat to stay in this lovely stone farmhouse in the Durham Dales with acres of private farmland and magical interiors by Rita Konig

A little gem tucked on a rural Northumbrian estate with other cottages. The rugged coast and lovely Alnwick make for super day trips

Come to shed your city cares, eat wonderful local food, spend time in simple, authentic surroundings and remind yourselves about serenity

Come for an exceptionally inviting 17th-century inn, a chocolate-box Cotswold village, excellent local food and ales, very comfortable rooms

A peaceful, stylish getaway for two within the charming owners' home with shared pool, fabulous views - and all of Provence to (re)visit

Swim with frogs in the freshwater pool, breakfast in the sunshine, play boules by moonlight. Châteaux don't get much more rural

Everything is on the doorstep and you'll find much comfort at these smart self-catering apartments in the heart of the city

An elegant solution to a hotel - no rooms, but 13 charming villas in the heart of the maquis, nearly all with a private pool

A stylish retreat in the heart of St Ives offering a glimpse of the sea – with an extra double sofabed room for friends or children

Marvellously quirky bolthole right on Lyme Regis seafront with stunning views; perfect for beach combers and boutique browsers

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

Large, unpretentious and very comfortable family house in splendid isolation with swimming pool, tennis court and well-tended gardens

A charming hotel in a quiet neighbourhood in medieval Bologna, just the ticket for a city escape filled with food, history and culture