High-up, simple apartments, pools with fabulous views; kids play-things and donkeys, the glittering coast, Rapallo and Portofino down below

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

If you need a great place in which to relax and don’t want to pay too much for it, try these excellent suites, which spoil you all the way

Exceptional generosity reigns at this complex of 5 excellent, colourful holiday apartments, with pool and meals, on the Sorrento Peninsula

Two grand stone houses in tranquil parkland with a pool, potager and plenty of space for groups. Chickens and charm included

Bags of character within and without at this four-storey village house with rooftop views over the mountains, next to a 12th-century church

Beautifully restored house with a literary history, no neighbours and private access to a sandy bay beyond the pines

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

An airy Estate Manager's House set in pretty grounds with a pool, orchard, barbecue and private terrace for long lazy days in the sun

Friendly pub in rural village near Cambridge with strong community feel, great local food, garden, snug room and fresh, pretty bedrooms

Your very own château in the Dordogne for big family get-togethers and special celebrations

Luxurious living combines with bleating sheep and bells from the church next door - 4 fabulous retreats on the Cotentin Peninsula

A celebration of all things Somerset in a thatched village opposite the church and close to National Trust Barrington Court and Gardens

A traditional coaching inn dating from the 18th century with good food served in private and public dining rooms on the Wellington Estate

Glorious views across Northumberland countryside from this peaceful and comfortable cottage with almost an acre of garden

A luxurious 1920s manor house with superbly stylish rooms, secluded gardens and a heated pool; close to the Picardy coast

Independent B&B in an ancient hamlet with modern interiors, immaculate bedrooms and a pleasant wooden terrace for sunny days

Pomegranates, persimmon and figs, the waft of rosemary on the air... we love this old 'mas' 25km from Gordes, in sweet sunny Provence