Serious art, lovely lighting, great sound system and a fat wood-burner belting out the heat at this super place for families or friends

Come here in the summer (it’s closed Nov-April except by arrangement) for candlelit dining, chintzy bedrooms, long views over the park...

A sweet bolthole for two and a babe-in-arms or pooch in friendly, foodie Ramsbottom with walks straight into woods and moors

Recharge and reconnect with your creative side in one of Ania's workshops; secret coves, wild swimming and coastal walks are all close

In a quaint village with a bakery, brasserie and shops, a handsome gîte with a wonderful pool and fashion museum

Live like a local at these rustic apartments with a shared courtyard; walk to restaurants and shops, take the ferry to the beach

An enchanting Belle Epoque villa with a terraced garden and superb views across palm trees and vines to Mont Saint-Michel

Choose between airy bedrooms up an elegant stair, or magnificent rooms at garden-level with private terraces. Find sweetness and warmth

Immersed in nature, high in the magnificent Cheviot Hills, this wooden-clad off-grid cottage has sleek, modern interiors and grand views

Taste the wine, plunge into the granite pool, play billiards in the library, linger outdoors as swallows swoop – eat delicious local dishes

There’s a Tuscan feel to this lovely, family-friendly place – walk to the sound of cicadas, stargaze, visit vineyards, markets and castles

Encircled by wild dales and rugged fells, this spoiling cottage cocoons you in countryside peace with the added fun of a sauna in the garden

A dog-friendly cottage in a tranquil village, formerly the bakery, now restored to perfection with oodles of space and much comfort

Gem-like in a deep park among meadows, a family-friendly château with 2 stylish cottages. Join the lovely owners for dinner, dip in the pool

A classic French beauty of a place; home to an engaging young family who love to entertain and look after you with great care

Come for the gorgeous, wild North York Moors and this very pretty 1911 stone cottage in the grounds of an elegant manor house

An 18th-century townhouse on a quiet Arles street with a traditional feel and kind hosts - you'll be the only guests at this Provençal home

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