An award-winning dog-friendly pub with rooms. Find happy staff, delicious well-sourced food and comfy rooms – great for walkers

Manor house in the grounds of a quintessential 18th-century French château with pretty gardens and lots of space just 3kms from Bayeux

Up in the hills, with Hay Bluff towering beside, this old stone house is sheltered in the valley with the brook rushing past to a waterfall

A magical chateau set in the forested hills of Burgundy with lovely rooms, peaceful walks, home cooking and a merry welcome

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

Elegant Victorian townhouse just between Kings road and Fulham Road. Chatty breakfasts with a friendly host - Suzie has the latest info on all things arty

A scented garden, delicious local delicacies and those coastal landscapes. This place is a sensory feast

A small hotel with gorgeous interiors, friendly staff, spacious rooms, a proper library, pretty garden and a relaxed, homely feel

A thatched farmhouse only just over the channel near Rouen that’s well hidden in lush gardens, but worth finding for the gourmet food alone

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

Glorious Elizabethan manor house lovingly furnished with exceptional art and antiques by its welcoming owners

On the side of a hill in the little-known Marche, a happy young farmhouse with an elegant saltwater pool, and wonderful meals from Kelda

Gaze on Umbrian hills as the children play, watch the fireflies dance at night. Dine fabulously in Gubbio - or here. Sociable-family bliss

Settle into an unhurried pace of life on the coast. Comfortable houses and an eco-friendly garden; yoga, massages and riding can be arranged

A honey-hued stone farmhouse or a stylish cottage – both are deep in delicious countryside with lovely walks by the rambling river

Beautiful, and with a delightfully rambling garden, this early 16th-century manor has bags of room for happy days with family or friends

Modern comforts, traditional cosiness and a warm welcome. There are walks from the door, country houses to visit and a pub in the village

Come to be wrapped by wind and waves from this unique nest with an outdoor bath facing west - nature lovers and adventurers will be seduced