A romantic creekside cottage down a web of narrow lanes in a tumbling green valley – mess about on the water to your heart’s content

A pretty stone single-storey house, now renovated beautifully into a comfortable hideaway with wonderful views to woodland and river

A 16th-century timbered riverside inn with a relaxed, rustic feel, garden cabin rooms with views and fresh seasonal and homegrown food

Good old-fashioned hospitality in a quiet Highlands cottage ringed by roses and roe deer. Forest and coastal walks, shortbread and tea

Contemporary lodge on a remote peninsula with spectacular views; walk, cycle or kayak, explore nature reserves and unspoiled beaches

Family-friendly hotel on Ullswater with a pool and a variety of bedrooms, some super-cool - swim in the lake, walk in the hills, eat well

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

A converted 18th-century chapel in the heart of Bruton with an all-day restaurant, in-house bakery, wine store and south-facing terrace

Eschew the crowds for your own slice of bliss in this ancient hamlet with village green - self-catering with a hotel feel and dreamy pool

Come for peace, comfort and beauty in a sunny corner of Provence at the foot of Mont Ventoux. Cafes, market, restaurants a 15-minute stroll!

Minutes from old Ajaccio (a scenic cycle ride) is a charming small hotel with a stunning bay setting, and majestic mountains behind

Wend your way down steep paths to Durgan beach, explore the magic of Charles’s wonderful garden and feast on Caroline’s super breakfasts

A 17th-century Grade II listed inn, bustling with a mix of visitors and locals, friendly staff, very comfortable rooms and scrumptious food

A sustainably run 1902 farmhouse and its converted cattle shed in countryside close to a wonderfully wild stretch of the North Devon coast

An important spot for this grand 19th-century château on the banks of the Loire, steeped in history and with kind, erudite owners

A recently renovated and very comfortable stand-alone limestone cottage with fabulous views on the edge of the Easton Walled Gardens

In a hamlet in the Loire countryside is a friendly estate with a family-sized gite, a shared saltwater pool and heaps of old-world charm

An 18th-century cottage in a tranquil village, formerly the bakery, now restored to perfection with oodles of space and much comfort