Old wooden sleigh beds, check-clothed tables, log fires, a courtyard of centuries-old trees, a claw foot bath. Stacks of character

An immaculately restored old inn with generous bedrooms, great food, ale and wine. Locals love it as much as those who make it a destination

Great taste – in decor and food – and a delicious heated pool. Views swoop over field and valley; trails, villages, wineries tempt

A serene riverside retreat on the Lot, with manicured gardens and a shared pool, tennis court and children's playground for socialising

Come for a delightful old stone house in gentle, undulating countryside, with charming hosts, fabulous food and a huge dollop of fun

In the heart of arts and craft town Chipping Campden, a beautifully decorated 17th-century house with a celebrated restaurant downstairs

An art-filled home poised above Hastings Old Town in a wonderfully private, peaceful spot and with a lush, tropical garden

Come to be cosseted in this gloriously peaceful retreat among beautiful gardens with much old-fashioned charm and excellent food

An impressive, south-facing bastide on three floors with a sunny pool, lovely garden and grounds that stretch to vineyards and garrigue

Stunning views from sunny bedrooms. Delightful lively hosts, good breakfasts with homemade jams, colour galore in the acre of garden

Between Paris and Rouen, a handsome country house in Monet scenery. Cows graze, bedrooms soothe, friendships bud over bountiful breakfasts

Unwind in elegant interiors and set out on long walks in beautiful countryside; Chichester and Winchester are near

Relaxed country-chic worthy of a photo shoot at these beautifully turned-out apartments in deep countryside... gaze on heaven from the pool

The Gautiers have the finest sense of how to treat guests: dreamy bedrooms, fantastic food & the pool beneath the orange trees is a delight

Four gîtes in the château’s vast barn, one in the tower. Magnificent mountain and valley views, and Sandrine’s regionally inspired meals

3 lovely cottages in the heart of Cognac vines for cosy nights by the fire and summer barbecues by the pool

B&B rooms, some with kitchenettes, in a lush garden setting with a river running behind. The pretty village is on your doorstep

Spread out in much style with friends or family in a beautifully renovated Victorian farmhouse at the foot of the Howgill fells