Be inspired by hilltop views, unwind in beamed rooms by huge fireplaces or scramble down to the beach for family adventures

A stylish, refined 17th-century house off a quiet street with its own garden and lots of generous surprises, a short hop to everything

Gite retreats in château grounds - welcoming and wonderful for young families. Build castles in the sandpit, make friends around the pool

Grade II-listed country hotel with lovely gardens and an excellent restaurant, a short walk from Ambleside and the top of Lake Windermere

Generous simplicity and organic farm cooking in this rustic Tuscan farm with library, yoga, family apartments and natural lily-dotted pond

Glass-and-timber doors bathe you with light, gaze at big skies and the river Dart lapping. Sublime year round, it's one of our favourites

B&B rooms, some with kitchenettes, in a lush garden setting with a river running behind. The pretty village is on your doorstep

Come for dreamy river views, a lovely garden and this bolthole for two, beautifully renovated inside and out and with a private hot tub

Stay in a lovely 18th-century townhouse in one of the prettiest villages on the Loire surrounded by unspoilt countryside

Beautiful views over Bantry Bay from this thoughtfully restored house with stylish rooms, gardens and woodland – a wonderful escape

Hilltop château on the edge of a small village half an hour from Saint-Émilion, with a lovely garden, a swimming pool and two lakes

A neatly-converted old farmhouse on a quiet country lane with bright living spaces, heated pool, garden and hot tub just minutes from sandy beaches

An 18th-century cottage for four on a working sheep farm: walk the Pentland Hills, get the bus to Edinburgh for culture

A sleek space designed with the majestic surroundings in mind. You have your own private barbecue area and a shared large garden

A charming, warm and intimate hotel tucked away on a side street just minutes from the Ponte Vecchio, with a view-filled rooftop restaurant

A stylish, cosy, stone-flagged cottage with vintage and modern furniture, wood-burners, patios and views - and three excellent pubs nearby

A restful space with a pretty garden in a quiet Derbyshire village - the pub a short stroll away and Chatsworth near

Once a coach house, now a split-level place to stay – you can walk to the river and it's just a short hop to central London