Elegant Regency rectory full of charm, with walks in all directions, views to gaze at and kind, generous hosts. A rare place

Fabulous Drôme gîtes: contemporary in old stone buildings, uncluttered, fresh. Take all 5 for a party, laze by pool, doze in lavender

A swishly renovated detached hideaway up a hill, surrounded by vineyards and with a covered deck for sweeping views just outside Beaune

This friendly, Scottish island B&B has the Atlantic at the end of the garden and air so clean the lichen grows like beards from the trees

Chic barn conversion with a swimming pool and country walks from the door; nearby Ventnor has a beach and great places to eat and drink

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

Sea views, fulsome breakfasts and plenty of fresh air on a traditional farm. A rustic treat: Southern Italian rural life at its best.

A smartly renovated 250-year-old brick and flint built inn, tucked away in a sleepy village beneath the glorious South Downs

An art-filled home poised above Hastings Old Town in a wonderfully private, peaceful spot and with a lush, tropical garden

Escape to your own snug bolthole above a beautiful hall. Creative village community, tasty breakfast delivered, come and go as you please

Stylish barn in the Slaughters – footpaths from the door, idyllic Cotswolds villages to explore. Head home for garden drinks and barbecues

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

A 19th-century bothy in remote, rugged countryside on the edge of the Cairngorms, for walkers, birders and seekers of peace

Eco-friendly B&B overlooking Lake Como with marvellous mountain and lake views. Heaps of space, generous hosts, a menagerie of animals

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

A great place for relaxing in hidden corners or by the pool, and for parties. The dinner experiences in the vineyard are delightful and guests are truly cherished

Come for very comfortable B&B suites with garden views in a converted 1880s barn with its own charming sitting and dining rooms