This architect-designed passive style house sits just behind the sand dunes at Waxham beach, one of Norfolk’s most lovely beaches

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

Two rural retreats up a shared drive for gatherings of friends and family who enjoy the great outdoors and good food from the Meikleour Inn

A bright and prettily beamed barn with very comfortable interiors, private outdoor seating and a shared courtyard for barbecues and games

Picturesque cottage in the grounds of a grand manor, lovingly and creatively restored by its welcoming English owner

Rural French heaven at this lovely farm within four hectares. Natural materials, neutral colours and a lavender-lined pool all to yourselves

Beautiful, and with a delightfully rambling garden, this early 16th-century manor has bags of room for happy days with family or friends

A large cottage by the walled garden on a peaceful estate with oodles of space for big gatherings and views over a lake and mature trees

Exposed beams and stone walls mix with modern art and minimalism to give a warm yet uncluttered luxury. Stylish yet relaxing

Kate makes you feel at home the moment you enter her great big beloved house - full of books, guitars and a piano, antiques and huge spaces

Just below the Tuscan town of Massa Marittima, an agriturismo loved by sporty types and families, with wonderful food on site

One of four wooden-clad off-grid cottages, sleek and calm indoors, high up in the Cheviot Hills and with stunning views over the valley

Return to warming fires after hiking in Ireland's highest mountains. Two traditional cottages on the outskirts of pretty Killorglin

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

Comfortable home with wood fires, gracious bedrooms and convivial living rooms. The drive is full of blossom and daffodils in spring

You’ll find Norfolk ales, French wines and a hint of eccentricity at this old-school inn, where local food and comfy beds keep you smiling

Peaceful Basque farmhouse turned smart country B&B, only 20 minutes from restaurants and museums in Bilbao and unspoiled sandy beaches