A heartwarming 250-year-old pub with roaring fires in the flagged bar, attractive bedrooms and a special welcome for children and dogs

The perfect country cottage made of pretty Quercy stone, with generously sized rooms and outside dining with gorgeous rural views

A beautiful little collection of trulli near the Valle d’Itria – restored with flair and with gardens, woods and pool

Come for much grace, space and inspiration in this huge-windowed, view-filled spot surrounded by gloriously untrammelled countryside

Generous simplicity and organic farm cooking in this rustic Tuscan farm with library, yoga, family apartments and natural lily-dotted pond

Picture-perfect Andalusian houses with private, colourful gardens, stunning mountain views and sparkling pool; utterly relaxing

Friendly touches everywhere, terrific food and drink, smart bedrooms above the sparkling bar – dogs and children welcome

Come for pristine beaches, long walks to Barbate, sea views, whale watching trips and serene suites

High on a hill in the Tyne Valley, undisturbed except by birds singing and the wind whistling; views swoop down to a magical landscape

A traditional cottage in Polruan on the Fowey estuary with harbour and cove views and a tea shop and two pubs in the village

Chocolate-box cottages in deepest Normandy, owned by bright young things with a passion for organic cuisine and the good life

Wrapped in fields and woods, this big traditional house has crisply furnished interiors and plenty of gadgets. Terraced gardens and pool too

A very swish 1610 house, thoroughly refurbished, in the heart of old Chichester with oodles of space and a surprisingly large garden

A rustic haven in Vouvray wine country: bask on sun beds near the elegant pool, cosy up to the wood-burner, relax in your beautiful bedroom

A stately retreat, an oasis of calm and beauty. Picnic on the lawns, enjoy a glass of home-produced prosecco beneath a centuries-old tree

The holiday starts on the bumpy track along to this Arts & Crafts style modern house with plenty of space and a wrap-around garden

Part of the original Wensleydale creamery overlooking the river, with bustling Hawes and great walking country right on your doorstep

A quintessential Grade II listed thatched cottage with glorious gardens near a 13th-century church and surrounded by rolling hills