Serious art, lovely lighting, great sound system and a fat wood-burner belting out the heat at this super place for families or friends

Chocolate-box cottages in deepest Normandy, owned by bright young things with a passion for organic cuisine and the good life

Two peaceful spaces in a beautiful garden with a morning concert from the birds and a terrace for magical outdoor meals

A deliciously rural stone house with charmingly simple rustic-chic interiors and saline pool - an hour from Perugia

A lovely old cottage in the cliffside village of St Lawrence. Watch boats sail by from the terrace, soak in an antique bath with sea views…

Near the sandy beaches of the Cabo de Gata, close to the village of Níjar, is a much-loved family estate with eco pool and exotic gardens

Cosy country cottage for four on an organic farm in the Welsh borders. Wake to the sounds of birds and sheep, walk off supper on rural romps

Escape to the edge of the Atlantic. Find airy rooms and good food served from terraces overlooking the ocean - all with a green conscience

Come for peace, art, photography and go out for delicious food near Galicia’s ‘seafood coast’. One of Spain’s undiscovered gems

Tucked away from the busy glamour of the Riviera, come and unwind, from two to twelve people, in a peaceful garden and stone farmhouse

On its own wooded estate, a special manor house of character. Art on the walls, maps and wellies to borrow, gardens to romp in, super views

Breathe, relax in peaceful Provençal countryside: olives, lavender and budding fruit trees. Aix's lively markets are 10 minutes away

An airy, art-filled house for groups of family or friends, with plenty of space, a secluded courtyard and pool near the beach

A cosy cottage on a farm down a long winding track, wonderfully rural with footpaths across fields or along the canal

Head down the Strood causeway and step back in time for a slice of Mersea Island's old-world charm: beaches, fresh oysters & a charming inn

Elegant 19th-century château deep in the Dordogne forest promises seclusion, serenity and an unhurried, sun-soaked escape.

If you need a great place in which to relax and don’t want to pay too much for it, try these excellent suites, which spoil you all the way

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