An entire literary estate on the Brittany coast, with a trio of restored houses, fabulous gardens and a private path to the beach

The holiday starts on the bumpy track along to this Arts & Crafts style modern house with plenty of space and a wrap-around garden

An exquisitely restored 500-year-old inn, where the accent is very much on food, reared and grown nearby and with very comfortable rooms

Stay in the grounds of a 19th-century château turned family home, where 500-year-old oak trees shade a glorious garden

A nicely priced inn on Shaftesbury's high street with a warm contemporary style and some excellent food – fine local walking waits

Quirky townhouse on the edge of the Peak District, with country walks from the door, plus shops, cinema, heritage centre, bistros and pubs

A dramatic transformation of an old shepherd's cottage deep on a remote hillside in Perthshire farmland with masses of space and light

A rare treat, 700 metres above sea level and girdled by forests, waterfalls, chestnuts and olives, this is the place to come for solace

A cottage in a conservation village with logs in the burner, sloe gin on the table, and a good dining pub you can walk to

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

Charming, vivacious hosts make you feel welcome at this splendid 16th-century home. Cooking classes, wine pairing and excellent regional food

An 18th-century coaching inn right in the heart of an old Welsh drovers' town, with award-winning food and the Brecon Beacons rising behind

This friendly, Scottish island B&B has the Atlantic at the end of the garden and air so clean the lichen grows like beards from the trees

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

After a bountiful breakfast of Loch Fyne kippers and homemade scones, head for Oban, gateway to the isles. Return to a dram by the fire

Breathe, relax in peaceful Provençal countryside: olives, lavender and budding fruit trees. Aix's lively markets are 10 minutes away

A great base for Stratford and beyond – expect a peaceful village, smart rooms, local ales, tasty food and a happy vibe throughout

Chocolate-box cottages in deepest Normandy, owned by bright young things with a passion for organic cuisine and the good life