A stylish, canal-side inn – you get Sunday lunch, tow paths that lead into Edinburgh, then a pretty garden and cute rooms

There's a pared-back unforced elegance to this stone barn sitting quietly in its own grounds beside a cobbled courtyard awash with roses

A very romantic and peaceful Umbrian hideaway just for two with delicious breakfasts and wonderful views from house and pool

An intimate cottage in deepest Cheshire, perfect for exploring Roman Chester, walking or relaxing in the garden

Elegant Italian style in a sensitively-restored villa with sweeping views over rolling hills and forests

A flawlessly restored palazzo in the oldest part of town opposite an ancient monastery, with peaceful courtyard and a terrace with views

A grand, 16th-century Breton château complete with dovecote, turret and chapel surrounded by 50 acres of parkland, woods and small lake

Bask in the beautiful Basque country at this friendly B&B in the village, with family-run restaurant for delicious suppers

Three luxurious apartments sleeping up to 10 people altogether, set within an elegant Georgian manor house in the Wye Valley AONB

This shuttered, stone maison in Gascony on the Santiago de Compostela pilgrims' route is a joy for families to spend time together

A very tranquil spot with views of rolling countryside, the East Mendip Way on the doorstep and good pubs within walking distance

In a hamlet in the Loire countryside is a friendly estate with a family-sized gite, a shared saltwater pool and heaps of old-world charm

The views are breathtaking over forest and field from this lovely barn conversion on a working farm, for special gatherings

Walkers, nature lovers, couples will love this eco-friendly cottage near Calgary beach: a breath of warmth in the beautiful back of beyond

A peaceful, very stylish bolthole for 2 on the doorstep of glorious Holyrood Park, with Edinburgh’s sights a stroll away

Traditional beamed cottage, tucked in the hills, with views to distant beaches plus colourful gardens and a pool

Two duplex apartments filled with art and sculptures inside a beautiful 18th-century orangery, minutes from magnificent Versailles

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