The Dordogne flows through the gastronomic heart of France, where stunning villages cling to rock faces and historic riches are in store

A serene restaurant-hotel on Chesil beach, with a perfect view of the big blue sea. How restorative can a hotel be?

Taste the wine, plunge into the granite pool, play billiards in the library, linger outdoors as swallows swoop – eat delicious local dishes

A lovely 1910 village house, deep in sleepy countryside, with delightful owners, delicious home cooking and a pretty garden for lazy days

You'll feel ensconced in the countryside in this cosy cottage with a private garden overlooking the little vineyard and a secluded pool

An 18th-century beamed inn with tasty food, pretty bedrooms and a large garden just a ten-minute drive from Chichester

Stay in the very first holiday let in the history of this lovely little hamlet of nine houses, with a superb sailing club and a decent pub

Rest, restore, and explore... from this smart, successful Cotswolds’ gastropub with ancient beams, roaring fires and truly pretty bedrooms

A beautiful villa, a cabin, hut and a loft on the sunny side of the harbour and a stroll from the beach. Faultless finds!

Warm family hospitality, magnificent surroundings, bedroom breakfasts, candlelit dinners and elegant windows overlooking the park

A wonderful watery setting for a super family hotel. White sands and sunsets, waddling ducks, breakfasts to relish …

An ancient stone cottage on an organic winery with vines as far as the eye can see, chickens wandering, horses grazing and huge open skies

A beautifully restored annexe in a picturesque village in the heart of Suffolk. Take a camera - it's seriously picture-perfect around here

Gloriously cool in summer, cosy in winter, a 365-day-a-year retreat. Just a 10-minute promenade along the beach into the fun heart of town

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

High-up, simple apartments, pools with fabulous views; kids play-things and donkeys, the glittering coast, Rapallo and Portofino down below

A listed townhouse with 16th-century roots in lovely little Wells with a pretty garden, just a short walk to the magnificent cathedral

Charming half-timbered house at the start of the Alsace wine route, with spacious rooms, tempting breakfast and a swimming pool