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

A very peaceful, family-run hotel on the shores of Lake Garda with rose and jasmine-scented gardens for summer dinners by candlelight

A dramatic house with stylish interiors – designed to bring the outdoors in so you feel wrapped in nature. Great for families or friends

Swim with frogs in the freshwater pool, breakfast in the sunshine, play boules by moonlight. Châteaux don't get much more rural

A charming home-from-home in the Yorkshire Dales with stunning country views; come for Fell walks, great pubs and cosy fireside board games

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

An ancient thatched cottage near Dartmoor with a warming log fire in winter and flowers inside and out in the summer

Rambling casitas in a mountain hamlet, with a rustic bar, big shared pool and golf course, surrounded by birds, bougainvillea and views

Heaps to do on-site: organic farm shop & café, cookery & cheese-making courses, farm tours. A brilliant base for exploring the Cotswolds too

A smart B&B in the heart of Beaune sitting quietly in half a hectare of gorgeous gardens; you're well looked after by your charming hosts

Comfortable, traditional, accessible and in the grounds of an old rectory with meadows and the river Frome nearby for summer dips

A gorgeous wooden-clad off-grid cottage deep in the National Park with far-reaching views, unfussy interiors and spoiling extra treatments

An important spot for this grand 19th-century château on the banks of the Loire, steeped in history and with kind, erudite owners

A wonderful drive over the mountains to the wild side of Skye with its moody lochs, heather-covered hills and this restaurant with rooms

One of the loveliest houses in a very lovely village. Pretty rooms have parquet floors and white walls, the food is a delight

Unwind in elegant interiors and set out on long walks in beautiful countryside; Chichester and Winchester are near

Groups will love this 18th-century winemaster’s house and tower. There’s a hillside infinity pool, valley views and a private boulodrome