Converted barn with the most welcoming owners – the garden and pool are all yours; explore a less touristy part of the Dordogne

Feel like the lord or lady of the manor at this sublime restoration of a Tudor, timber-framed stone house in lovely Ludlow

Ease through a beautiful wrought iron gate to a courtyard and an elegant 1700s creamy stone holiday house, part of the château estate

A thoughtfully renovated cottage in a small hamlet with garden, courtyard and pool. The peace is palpable but you're near to bustling Tusson

Homely furnishings and 17th-century charm at this estate on the Severn, whose owners are mad about horses and give you fine home produce

Big house in peaceful lush oasis among the bananas, vines and aloe vera, a 20-minute walk down into Funchal

Feel French in this very beautiful 300-year-old house with a large garden and pool in a hilltop medieval village of winding, cobbled streets

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

Bedrooms are gorgeous, the wild ocean is close, and the people of Galicia are friendly and caring. You’ll pick up the same vibe here

A fairytale château with ancient roots, now beautifully renovated with lovely bedrooms, terrace, garden and ponds for gracious living

Understatedly stylish with French antiques, sofas and balconies overlooking town and gardens. A grown-ups' retreat, 200m from the ocean

The central part of a much larger building in a 17th-century hamlet with bright, spacious rooms, shared pool and glorious private gardens

A very thoughtful and peaceful house with a garden for happy holidays with family or friends, surrounded by glorious countryside for walks

All you'd hope for, and more! Enormous rooms, marvellous beams, majestic views, and delicious food and wines from their vineyard

A solid 1704 farmhouse with a peaceful, welcoming feel on the edge of a small hamlet with two acres of gardens set in glorious countryside

Painting courses on request, gardens full of roses, a parasol’d terrace, a seductive pool… we love this welcoming, traditional hotel

Nestled next to the main house, this feels part cottage and part townhouse, making a cosy retreat just a couple of miles from the coast

Come for dreamy river views, a lovely garden and this bolthole for two, beautifully renovated inside and out and with a private hot tub