Simple rooms on a spotless farm, delightful hosts, delicious fruit tarts at breakfast on Sundays. The perfect stopover en route to Calais

Leave crowds behind for this charming stone farmhouse in the olive groves of rural Umbria – bring friends and have it all to yourselves

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

A handsome little château perched on the edge of a verdant valley, with wonderful views, lots of space and a rambling garden

Warm, interesting hosts and a fascinating celebration of 20th-century style. Gleaming en suites, original Art Deco furniture, WWII books...

Gorgeously rural pub with rooms nestled in a leafy Somerset valley: sweet bedrooms, fantastic menus, and charming owners. Dog friendly, too

A 1930s riverside cabin circled by lush gardens; cosy inside with underfloor heating, glowing wood-burner and gorgeous decor

A fabulous old house filled with history, treasure and stories – now a colourful, larger-than-life hotel in the arty district of Belfast

Come for stunning views down to the bay of La Herradura and this traditional, family-focused 1990s house on three floors

Sumptuous rooms with Renaissance-inspired art, infinity pool and gardens, just a short drive to Mantua’s historic city centre

An elegant, super central bolthole for two (or three): stroll everywhere, hop on a vaporetto, sit in piazzas drinking cappuccino, live like a local

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

For families who love a Great British beach holiday, this beach-side cottage on Hayling Island near Portsmouth is just the ticket

Warm interiors, pretty bedrooms and excellent breakfasts – good value in a very handy central spot

The living is easy here: laze in the subtropical garden, float in the saltwater pool, let the kids play and meet other guests over dinner

At the foot of the Cambrian Mountains, an ancient whitewashed cottage with cosy, light-flooded interiors – a perfect rural bolthole for two

A beautifully curated 1910 architect-designed summerhouse, filled with light and stunning views, with gardens, grove and refreshing pool

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