In a quiet, ancient country town – outdoor breakfasts and indoor style: trompe l’oeil decorations, frescoes, vaulted panelled ceilings

Ensconce yourselves in the Black Périgord and stay in the East Wing of a 16th-century castle with private garden and surrounding parkland

A lovely listed cottage, just stumbling distance from a good pub in a quiet village surrounded by spectacular walking and cycling country

Come for a big gathering of friends or family and take the whole house plus an extra cottage in the pretty gardens – swim in the pool, relax

A lovely little bolthole to return to after days out exploring pretty Cotswold villages and walking in an AONB straight from the door

Another bright, beamed and history-filled place to stay on the smart Upton Cressett estate with walks from the door and much comfort within

A delightful harled stone and wood house yards from the sea with glorious hills behind, for walkers, dreamers, nature lovers and adventurers

A nature-filled estate for smart lodge holidays in rural peace with woods and coast to explore, onsite activities and yummy homemade meals

Visit Florence, Arezzo, Siena… or revel in the beauty and peace of Casa Zia, surrounded by wilderness and lovely birdsong

A heavenly inn on Fife’s south coast – the terrace overlooks the beach, lovely food waits within, chic rooms are a steal

Laid-back hosts, delicious breakfasts and a staggering sense of history in peaceful Welsh countryside - magical place for a special occasion

Big house in peaceful lush oasis among the bananas, vines and aloe vera, a 20-minute walk down into Funchal

Warmth and comfort on the Pink Granite Coast where the wind and waves lull you to sleep, and bedrooms overlook the cedars or the sea

A charming home-from-home in the Yorkshire Dales with stunning country views; come for Fell walks, great pubs and cosy fireside board games

A converted farmhouse set in a large mature garden, well located for exploring the delights of the Lot et Garonne south of the Dordogne

A perfectly renovated farmhouse in the grounds of a delightful château deep in the Normandy countryside, with a lovely walled garden

A niftily restored, open-plan, beamed hayloft, just the ticket for romantics, with gorgeous views of fields and open countryside

An elegant 18th-century manor in the market town of Malesherbes, sitting behind its own walls and with mature gardens for a peaceful retreat