A historical building in the heart of town, now a small hotel with swimming pool, delicious breakfasts, smart bedrooms and helpful staff

A charming B&B in south Sardinia, near Cagliari: circled by palms and cypresses, overlooking sweet-smelling lemon & orange groves. Bliss

Remote barn in the middle of Northumberland National Park with views for miles, wonderful walking trails and clear starry skies

A striking modern villa tucked away off a small road above the Serchio valley with sparkling pool, gardens and Apuan mountain views

An oh-so-special B&B in Palermo's ancient heart. This city at the edge of Europe, with its Arab-Norman-Byzantine heritage, is fascinating

A fine old house packed with grand old things above Portree Bay in the middle of Skye - homely bedrooms, some huge, are a treat

A clutch of airy properties, most with their own jasmine-scented terraces arranged around a funky pool

Built in the 1800s, a charming stone house on the Penicuik Estate with views over woodland and hills and calming, beautiful interiors

Airy interiors, good local food and a blissful rural setting for this refurbished inn, popular with locals and with a happy, bustling vibe

A family-run 1700s thatched Inn in a rural hamlet with super food, a grand team to look after you and picnic benches in a pretty garden

Such lovely views from this light-filled flat, built in the 19th century – curl up with a book and gaze out to sea

Your host runs home and B&B with effortless efficiency and you'll find shiny, spotless rooms to retreat to after a day's exploring

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

A rural idyll with a hot tub under starlit skies and surrounded by gorgeous countryside in the South Lakes within a hop of vibrant Cartmel

Atmospheric English pub with rooms by the green with its duck ponds in a pretty village, with walking and cycling routes to join

Tucked away from the busy glamour of the Riviera, come and unwind, from two to twelve people, in a peaceful garden and stone farmhouse

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

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