An 1820s beach house just 50 metres from the pretty sands and a first-floor deck for al fresco meals with stunning views over the water

An elegant, super central bolthole for two (or three): stroll everywhere, hop on a vaporetto, sit in piazzas drinking cappuccino, live like a local

A taste of old Italy in this off-the-beaten-track rustic house on three levels, exquisitely restored and with elegant designer furnishings

Serene retreat in the French countryside with elegant interiors and impeccable hosting from the lovely Anne-Laure

With Snowdonia on the doorstep and the Menai Strait at your feet, this handsome Welsh manor has history, heritage and heavenly views

Come for amazing food at breakfast, really comfortable bedrooms with garden views and lovely Sasha (and her dogs) who will spoil you

A romantic cottage for two in the Pentland Hills, with views for miles and your own private garden with a wood-fired hot tub

High up and with splendid views of the estuary and harbour, this roomy apartment is a very comfortable base for seaside holidays

A 18th-century house with pool in a small town with friendly owners and a tropical garden of banana, fig and, of course, frangipani

A lovely bolthole in remote North Yorkshire – follow stunning hill walks with a soak in the roll top bath, and a glass of bubbly

A serene B&B in the heart of the Côte d'Or Burgundy wine region; come for vineyard tours, cycling, sightseeing and gourmet extravaganzas

A lovely old house and rambling garden in a medieval village with a monumental château, 12th-century church and a good local restaurant

Two spruce spaces for couples in peaceful Cornish countryside; it’s an easy drive to gardens, both coastlines and good eateries

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

Deep in Calvados near vibrant Caen, a cider barn with stylish bedrooms, quirky objets, a bar in the salon. Charming hosts welcome families

A fine designer house and pool above the coastal hurly-burly and one of the loveliest coves in Spain, backing onto a nature park. Happy hols

Set off on blissful walks, trek home to crumpets and tea. There’s no better place to escape the 21st century than rural Devon