Escape to a sun-soaked farmhouse, with a gorgeous pool, dreamy gardens and endless Loire countryside all around

Light, bright and smartly decorated, this grown-up B&B is a calm retreat from the hectic whirl near charming Colwell Bay, Isle of Wight

A rustic haven in Vouvray wine country: bask on sun beds near the elegant pool, cosy up to the wood-burner, relax in your beautiful bedroom

Come to a gorgeous bolthole, just for two, in a sleepy riverside village with the delights of the Corrèze at your feet

Great staff, beautiful design, a fine old building and sublime food make this 600-year-old inn a perfect escape all year round

In glorious rural Umbria, a spacious old farmhouse with magnificent views of mountains and Lago Trasimeno, rustic décor and a lovely pool

A three storey house and garden with sea glimpses in the 'vieux village' named for the Mimosa trees which flower in profusion in winter

Come for the landscape, fresh air, fabulous food and superb interiors in these gorgeous light-filled retreats down on the farm

Beautiful Noto is 4 miles from the Ionian Sea, and this creative renovation, with lush garden, stands above the throng. Heaven in Sicily

Airy interiors, good local food and a blissful rural setting for this refurbished inn, popular with locals and with a happy, bustling vibe

Come for fine food and drink, sumptuous bedrooms and a relaxed, informal atmosphere at this gorgeous Cotswold manor house with ancient roots

A townhouse with a walled garden by the church in a peaceful village where friendly Scottish owners feed and look after you well

Simple country cottage living on a working organic farm. Bring your hiking boots or bikes, stride out from the door

Three immaculate rooms in a 17th-century building; step out onto winding streets lined with trattorias, boutiques, fountains and monuments

Bright, cosy cottage off the beaten track between the South Hams and Dartmoor, with good pubs nearby and an en suite ground-floor bedroom

A flamboyant place! You're in the heart of this charming market town, just a hop from the river and a stroll from pretty squares and bistros

A sylvan hideaway tucked into the hills of the Southern Alps, full of Provençal charm inside and out – Saint-Cézaire and the coast are close