A delightful retreat perfectly placed for walking, cycling and visiting some of the region’s most popular sights

A Victorian house on a 5000 acre estate, snazzily renovated and tucked down a track with a private lake, in the quieter part of Cumbria

A beautifully restored old coaching inn with a vibrant, bustling atmosphere, great food, friendly staff and super-swish bedrooms

A fin-de-siècle Franco-Scottish décor for this hospitable, entertaining B&B, in the heart of Edinburgh’s cultural quarter

A working farm with well renovated ancient buildings among 200 acres of pastures and forest. It's quiet here in the glorious Périgord

A lovely wisteria-clad inn in a traditional Cotswold village with grand walks, a pretty garden, tasty food and thoughtful bedrooms

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

Get a taste of la dolce vita in this boutique resort perched high above Sorrento, gateway to the dazzling Amalfi coast

Delightful almshouse, steeped in history, in a peaceful churchyard setting with far-reaching countryside views

A pub with rooms in the epicentre of London on trendy Westbourne Grove, a ten-minute stroll from Notting Hill

Stay just two kilometres from Siena's medieval gates with views over vineyards, lovely interiors, good food and pleasant gardens

There's a lovely welcome at this manoir near the sea with its family-friendly room arrangements (cottages, kitchens) and its outdoor pool

With stunning coastal views and family farm surroundings, these cottages are bright and roomy; plus wood-burning stoves and indoor pool

A lovely old cottage in the grounds of a Provençal mas with a delightful private courtyard, use of a large pool and a magnificent garden

This is a superb base to explore the island's glittering bays, vibrant coastal cities, mountains, valleys and forests

For escapists, wannabe writers and lovers of rural bliss: two boho hideaways for two (four at a squeeze) in this lush corner of Galicia

In a sleepy village near Oxford, a characterful 17th-century inn with contemporary flair, seasonal menus and a terrace for summer music

Leave the car, everything is walkable & buses are practically free. Visit restaurants, vineyards & markets from your lofty village bolthole