A cool pub with smart rooms, English ales and Thai-inspired food. Farringdon tube is round the corner and you can walk to the Barbican

Rural retreat, far from the madding crowd. Laze by the infinity pool and take in the views. Inside all is calm and stylish. Stay a while

In a small village on the borders, a Jacobean farmhouse luxuriously restored with lovely touches; the Brecon Beacons are close by

A 1980s Catalan mas built in a traditional style, with garden and pool, surrounded by olive trees and vineyards near the Spanish border

Explore the coastal paths on foot or by bike, or simply sunbathe next to the pool... Leafy gardens, comfortable rooms and excellent dinners

Gaze over to glorious Curemonte from the pretty cottage, loll by the pool, play games in the barn. Bring friends and book the main house too

Ensconce yourselves in the Black Périgord and stay in a very pretty flat in the East Wing of a 16th-century castle

Tucked at the bottom of a long track and surrounded by a gorgeous natural landscape, is this generous end-slice of a 17th-century stone farm

After trekking Offa's Dyke, return to a cosy wood-burner stocked with logs and a sumptuous bed - you'll love this country retreat for two

A confident style for this mid-19th-century house, with a Mediterranean garden, elegant terrace and pool, a stroll from the historic centre

A perfect spot with views of rolling hills, sunflowers and vineyards. Enthusiastic hosts and heaps to do here - watch wildlife, bake, swim

Thatched cottage perfect for families; surfing at Croyde, walks on Exmoor, sunny barbecues in the garden and cosying up by the wood-burner

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

Fragrant gardens full of fruit trees, a lovingly renovated house just a few minutes’ walk from the village, and excellent breakfasts

Medieval manor house and busy farm. A welcoming atmosphere, big bedrooms, breakfast in the baronial great hall by the cosy log fire

Secluded place with home-grown food, much peace and walks by the river for a couple (or small family). Courses and solo retreats too

Lovely views over the river Anglin from the large windows of this old industrial-like building, once used for honey production on the estate

A Grade II listed 1669 ex-Almshouse in a row of three in walking distance of the historic town centre of Ashbourne and the Tissington Trail