A beautiful renovation: light, bright and seemingly suspended over a lush valley with cool, contemporary interiors and stunning views

Two family-friendly gites (big groups can take both) with beautiful gardens, sparkling pool, activities for children and peace for parents

Superb rural views, excellent hiking and generous bedrooms. Cristina and Alec take good care of guests - the food is delicious

A 17th-Century Irish castle on the water’s edge. Watch the yachts from your bedroom, join local wine nights, discover the rich history

Cosy cottage on a working farm just ten miles from Edinburgh with spectacular views, walks from the door and a wood-fired sauna

Traditional B&B in a beautiful château bursting with history and surrounded by formal gardens, then farmland and two fine rivers

A rustic and elegant farmhouse retreat in Provence with a pool, vineyards and wildlife-filled pond – a launchpad for the Luberon

Exposed beams and stone walls mix with modern art and minimalism to give a warm yet uncluttered luxury. Stylish yet relaxing

Coffee served in silver cups & cakes are homemade in this duke’s palace, a throwback to the Moorish kingdom - a Sawday's Community Champion

Fire up the BBQ, watch the sunsets, stroll to one of the best stretches of coastline in the world. Bliss for walkers, birders and escapees

A quintessential Grade II listed thatched cottage with glorious gardens near a 13th-century church and surrounded by rolling hills

High in Ávila's unspoilt nature is this stylish, eco-brilliant family hotel: mountains, massages, pool, organic dinners... a special escape

A lovely 1650 Welsh longhouse, beamed and flagstoned with a verdant garden in a totally unspoilt spot in the Snowdonia National Park

Welcome to an immaculate house on the Isle of Skye. Relax in the sauna, relish the hamper, linger over the barbecue with a fabulous view

Elegance and ease mark this gentle group of Loire-Valley buildings, with soft-textured interiors and the owners’ fine hospitality and food

Rooftop views of a Baroque town from heavenly flower-filled terraces and a truly scrumptious breakfast from Elisabetta make this one a must

Wisteria, clematis and roses clamber up this pretty stone barn conversion with its own big garden surrounded by mature trees and many birds

Beautifully connected, engagingly old-fashioned London pad, with a garden. Head out for Vauxhall Park, the Tate, Westminster...