Bold, bright decor within the 19th-century walls of this pretty courtyard cottage, with a hot tub and long views over parkland and lake

A gorgeously tranquil place to escape to and fall in love with the Périgord's medieval villages, valleys, wines, markets and artisan farms

This 300-year-old Cotswold pub, the hub of picture-book Sapperton from which there are glorious walks, is a superb place to eat and stay

Tiny, suite-in-the-sky, in shabby-chic style, with all you need cleverly tucked into one room. Plus heavenly terrace with city-wide views

Gite retreats in château grounds - welcoming and wonderful for young families. Build castles in the sandpit, make friends around the pool

A very special renovation of a 12th-century convent, now an elegant, tranquil place to stay with beautiful, bird-filled gardens

Good old-fashioned service, fresh and gleaming surroundings, great food and very comfortable rooms at this rejuvenated roadside inn

An immaculately restored cottage with a blissful sun room, private terrace, gardens, pool and orchard for a warm and peaceful hideaway

In an outstanding area for lovers of food and wine, here are 3 beautiful boltholes in the Alto Douro, the oldest wine region in the world

Feel very private in this light and bright B&B room with your own patio and pleasing views over garden and countryside

Rural bliss at the end of the lane: a cottage for 2 with wine and local biscuits in the hamper and farmers’ markets within a 5-mile drive

Château apartments with a heated pool, parkland and a menagerie - Gold Beach and the British Normandy Memorial are on the doorstep

An old farm worker's cottage, niftily done up and nicely remote, with walking and fishing on the doorstep, four miles from Hadrian's Wall

On a sleepy hillside near Noto, the peace is profound at this country estate set in a modern property with a spa, gym and generous suites

Gorgeous scenic views from this relaxed and friendly B&B tucked in a tiny hamlet in the Dordogne near Bergerac

Adorable cottage with a Highland lodge feel – walk straight into the hills, swim in the Spey, relax in the whisky room and sitooterie

Thoughtful red brick barn conversion on a working farm. Peaceful, practical and within easy reach of outdoor activities

A grand, 16th-century Breton château complete with dovecote, turret and chapel surrounded by 50 acres of parkland, woods and small lake