Countryside and seaside all in one go – what could be more inspiring? Lovely Louisa lives down the road, on hand if you need her

Coffee served in silver cups & cakes are homemade in this duke’s palace, a throwback to the Moorish kingdom - a Sawday's Community Champion

Six cosy cottages for couples (babies and dogs welcome) on this gorgeous eco farm with enclosed gardens, a summer pool and treatments

Adorable cottages in pastoral peace with views to Wimborne Minster; cook and eat in modern kitchens. Blue flag beaches are close

In a hamlet in the Loire countryside is a friendly estate with a family-sized gite, a shared saltwater pool and heaps of old-world charm

One of Scotland’s coolest hotels waits at the end of a four-mile track - you find loch, mountain and sky, and Tom’s fabulous food

Elegant house deep in the countryside with wild garden, dreamy pool, and bags of vintage charm. A promise of peace and perfect solitude

An ancient coaching inn opposite the church in the prettiest village – just the ticket for weary travellers who deserve nurturing

Between Penzance & Helston, close to Praa Sands, is a beautiful bolthole for 6. Good for garden lovers & peace-seekers – dog-friendly too

Traditional and modern, verging on the opulent. Find a stone-flagged tap room for walkers, top modern food and Chatsworth-perfect bedrooms

A lovely listed cottage, just stumbling distance from a good pub in a quiet village surrounded by spectacular walking and cycling country

At the heart of fascinating Palermo, splendid aristocratic hosts welcome you to their historic family mansion filled with heirlooms

Choose between airy bedrooms up an elegant stair, or magnificent rooms at garden-level with private terraces. Find sweetness and warmth

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

You have complete independence in your own wing beside the owner's house, with much space, a sparkling pool and balconies with views

Serious art, lovely lighting, great sound system and a fat wood-burner belting out the heat at this super place for families or friends

A lovely old 19th-century inn by the sea with hand-pumped ales, fresh local and seasonal food and spoiling bedrooms, some with sea views

A peaceful, beautiful place to wake up in and to return to after glorious walks, with no near neighbours apart from curious sheep