Rambling casitas in a mountain hamlet, with a rustic bar, big shared pool and golf course, surrounded by birds, bougainvillea and views

The original Gatehouse for The Rothschild Estate, with elegant rooms, inspiring views and a large private garden with a Shepherd's Hut

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

Come for a sense of complete peace surrounded by country and coast with wonderful interiors to boot – a bolthole for two (plus two)

A big, homely farmhouse on the Umbria/Tuscany border for family holidays filled with sunshine, outdoor frolics and good food

In a mellowstone village with a jolly pub, a super raftered barn with generous touches. Friendly owners next door know the Cotswolds well...

Picturesque cottage in the grounds of a grand manor, lovingly and creatively restored by its welcoming English owner

Come to be looked after with delicious food and spoiling bedrooms in this mini stately home set in gorgeous parkland near Ludlow

A big, beamed contemporary barn filled with light and surrounded by unspoilt countryside for a romantic retreat.

A welcoming, warming inn for locals and visitors alike with a blazing log fire, excellent local and seasonal food and proper Devon ales

In the National Park with all its glories (Ashbourne for antiques, Chatsworth for history, Bakewell for its market), a sweet village cottage

A converted 19th-century church in the Northumberland National Park with beautiful stained-glass windows and a restored tower

Three very special places to stay on one glorious estate. Gather those whose company you enjoy and immerse yourselves in beauty and history

Fresh, inviting bedrooms with leafy garden views and a pretty church next door. Moffat's spectacular Grey Mare's Tail waterfall nearby

Stay in the wilds of south Cork, where new life is being breathed into a much-loved family home and you can simply join in

Laze in the pool, nibble olives from the market, gaze over Provence. Inside, English meets classic French. Fabulous for families

Heaps to do on-site: organic farm shop & café, cookery & cheese-making courses, farm tours. A brilliant base for exploring the Cotswolds too