Chic barn conversion with a swimming pool and country walks from the door; nearby Ventnor has a beach and great places to eat and drink

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

In the city of Trapani, at the foot of Mount Erice, a nobleman's villa with a warm heart and exotic gardens. A hop from the Egadi Islands

Peaceful, traditional country house just 2 miles from central Dorking. Relaxed hosts, good food, beautiful gardens, walks galore - a retreat

Deep in the Lake District, a well-loved family home with open fires and heavenly views, a private woodland and a short walk to a good pub

A gorgeous old gardener's house in grand Belle Epoque style, filled with every comfort and sitting in the grounds of a magnificent château

In the beautiful Somerset hamlet of St Catherine, a cosy wooden cabin surrounded by fields and woods. Wonderful walks from the front door...

A honey-hued family home clad with vines and roses with a swimming pool and heaps of space – perfect for families

A very swish 1610 house, thoroughly refurbished, in the heart of old Chichester with oodles of space and a surprisingly large garden

20 minutes’ walk from Gordes and a hop from Aix, find grownup peace and minimalism for lovers of modern style and timeless Provence

Special back-to-nature, stargazing loft for couples and families, on a nature-filled estate in Piedmont

Like staying in a family home, only with Henri III furniture and rolling green views. Energetic hosts cook, farm, hunt, chat over champagne

Five tranquil apartments surrounded by Tuscan countryside just over half an hour's drive from Siena - hire them all for a group holiday

A light, spacious house sitting on a nature reserve for very comfortable stays and magnificent birdwatching, walking, cycling, riding

A lovely big house with huge riverside gardens and an easy-going charm – a 15-minute walk from bookish Hay-on-Wye

A super old place for those who love history and Thomas Hardy. Come for enjoyable gastropub food and comfortable, traditional bedrooms

Come to stay in a lovely old house surrounded by an important garden created by three generations of brilliant women gardeners

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