Good food draws the crowds at this smart bar & restaurant with rooms in a quiet village sandwiched between Cornwall’s north and south coasts

Gaze on Umbrian hills as the children play, watch the fireflies dance at night. Dine fabulously in Gubbio - or here. Sociable-family bliss

By a bubbling brook in the Mendips, close to Bath and Bristol, a wonderfully revived and welcoming inn with smart rooms and scrumptious food

A view-filled waterside retreat surrounded by ten acres of meadow and trees, with a cosy firepit for starry nights

A soothing, deeply romantic bolthole with simple interiors and its own little private garden, next to a winery and surrounded by vineyards

A glorious château near Tours – authentic, huge fun, steeped in family history and surrounded by gorgeous gardens with a serene pool

Five beautiful suites in the south wing of this fairy tale castle, filled with architectural features, family history and much grandeur

In the foothills of the Pyrenees, a rambling, romantic garden to lose yourself in, a large swimming pool, wildlife and vineyards all around

1820s cottage with long views, a lovely garden and generous extras. Alnwick is close and miles of white sandy beaches with dunes

Escape to a sun-soaked farmhouse, with a gorgeous pool, dreamy gardens and endless Loire countryside all around

An elegant 18th-century manor in the market town of Malesherbes, sitting behind its own walls and with mature gardens for a peaceful retreat

Between Florence and Siena, stay in one of five stylish apartments on a family-run agriturismo; they delight in sharing this slice of heaven

Come to this cosy barn down a winding lane for a back-to-nature escape: hike the Black Mountains, splash in the stream, gaze at the views

A sweet retreat for a nature-loving couple, with soul-searching views and the smell of the sea. Logs and Breton cider are on the house...

For walkers and lovers of wildly beautiful coastal country: two cosy old cottages and a bright, modern renovation in a cluster with others

An old farm worker's cottage, niftily done up and nicely remote, with walking and fishing on the doorstep, four miles from Hadrian's Wall

Come for gloriously independent B&B in your own cosy retreat with a belter of a breakfast brought to your door and plenty of local walks

Steam in the hot tub, gaze over crashing waves or later stars. Inside is swish, kids play in their games room, dinner is in view of the sea