A super old place for those who love history and Thomas Hardy. Come for enjoyable gastropub food and comfortable, traditional bedrooms

A light-filled, modern house with wonderful sea views through vast picture windows stretching all the way to St Kilda on clear days

A lovely restored house on a farm beside a cluster of ancient buildings surrounded by lush forest and grasslands – a deeply rural spot

Peaceful escape for couples in the grounds of a stately Tudor manor house; watch the wildlife from your garden, explore the nearby coast

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

A magnificent Victorian clock tower on a peaceful, bird-filled estate with a garden, gorgeous views across the park and activities to join

Walkers, bikers, families and nature fans will love staying with ever-helpful Joan and Montse in this secluded but not too remote valley

You're right on the water in this 1820 granary-turned-hotel, with calming bedrooms, bustling bar and restaurant serving excellent local fare

Come to be cosseted in this gloriously peaceful retreat among beautiful gardens with much old-fashioned charm and excellent food

Attractive country barn - great for two families sharing, for river trips, for playing in the pool, for running free

A striking modern villa tucked away off a small road above the Serchio valley with sparkling pool, gardens and Apuan mountain views

After a bountiful breakfast of Loch Fyne kippers and homemade scones, head for Oban, gateway to the isles. Return to a dram by the fire

Romantics will love this small converted hut-on-a-hillside surrounded by pines and olives with stunning views over the old town and the sea

Old beams and rich history: a dramatic setting for fireside chats, superb breakfasts (home-reared, baked, grown) - and Midsomer Murders

An old bakehouse, part of a farm gifted to The National Trust for Jersey with a beautiful walled garden filled with wildflowers in spring

A quirky hotel with enthusiastic owners in an authentic Andalucian town, just ten minutes up winding roads from Marbella

Groups will love this 18th-century winemaster’s house and tower. There’s a hillside infinity pool, valley views and a private boulodrome

A joyful, inviting house on a 15-acre smallholding in Devon. Super food, gracious hosts, delightful bedrooms - leave feeling nourished