Crackling fires in winter, croquet in the summer. Life ticks by peacefully - rooms are engagingly old-fashioned, the garden is much-loved

Within the city walls and right next to the Minster, this super-smart hotel gives you gorgeous bedrooms and delicious food

A small top terrace can be booked for romantic evenings and you can lunch or dinner at the delightful floating restaurant

A chalet-with-everything: great mountain style, space and comfort with views of Mont Blanc, a sauna and bubbling hot tub

Stay a while... lulled by lapping sea and fragrant hanging gardens - cool, light, balconied, classic, intimate, unpretentious

Close to Saint-Jean-d'Angély, an elegant and spacious manor house with unfussy, comfortable interiors, bucolic views, big garden and pool

Colourful coastal apartments and studios where you can be nicely independent, and enjoy a communal café and health club with Art Deco pool

An 18th-century townhouse restored with flair by former restauranteurs: come for colour, comfort and sublime dining

A smart riverside inn with airy interiors that brim with character – old beams, open fires, well-kept ales and comfy bedrooms

An elegant escape in one of Corsica's prettiest towns - perfect for romantic couples with a spa, restaurant, and the island to explore

A gorgeous wooden-clad off-grid cottage deep in the National Park with far-reaching views, unfussy interiors and spoiling extra treatments

Historic pub with immaculate new bedrooms and a happy atmosphere. A waterside terrace for summer, blazing open fires for winter

In a leafy, peaceful part of Frome - a very civilised bolthole for two. A big garden is yours to share, friendly owners live next door

Unwind and feel part of the family in beautiful rural Yorkshire. The farmhouse is rambling and peaceful, rooms are comfy, breakfast generous

A lofty, spacious feel to this converted barn with stunning views over rolling hills, swooping swallows in summer and an honesty farm shop

An airy converted barn with beautiful woodwork and countryside views. Reach riverside restaurants and St Malo within a 15-minute drive

A peaceful retreat in an unspoilt woody corner of Sussex. Bring dogs and children for fabulous walking on the South Downs Way