A small yet elegant place for couples or small groups to enjoy the open countryside, rest, join a cooking course or book a massage

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

Remote and rural, this cosy cottage is a slice of Welsh heaven, with plenty to do and see just a short drive away

Comfortable bolthole for 2–6 in the heart of the city. Shops and restaurants on the doorstep, a short drive from the coast and South Downs

Your hosts couldn’t be nicer and look after you beautifully – this is a lovely, homely place with a rambling garden

A small, quirky country house hotel with lovely staff, pretty rooms and heavenly food served in a pillared dining room

Romantics will love this small converted hut-on-a-hillside surrounded by pines and olives with stunning views over the old town and the sea

Peaceful cottage in the heart of Derbyshire, perfect for couples and families, with a pretty garden and gorgeous valley views

A smartly renovated village pub with rooms welcoming locals, visitors, families and dogs on a Staffordshire country estate

Hike the Wild Boar Fells, get cosy at home with books, games and DVDs, and meet the farm’s hens, cows and sheep

Steam in the hot tub, gaze over crashing waves or later stars. Inside is swish, kids play in their games room, dinner is in view of the sea

Nestled in lovely grounds, this country pub serves up cracking food and real ales. Wonderful walks nearby, comfy rooms to rest for the night

Guests love the Henley - it’s nicely informal, and cute rooms, big views, and Martyn’s lovely food all hit the spot. Breakfast included too

There's a pared-back unforced elegance to this stone barn sitting quietly in its own grounds beside a cobbled courtyard awash with roses

Lovely owners have created this quirky space on their farm; side-by-side al fresco baths make it romantic for two

A romantic creekside cottage down a web of narrow lanes in a tumbling green valley – mess about on the water to your heart’s content

A renovated, comfy Victorian cottage behind a small village pub, a hub for the local community and with good food, ales and wine

You'll find comfortable rooms, great food and a lovely bar at this friendly inn – Heartbeat country, Castle Howard and Whitby all wait