In the heart of beautiful Siena, it's just like staying with a friend, as hostess Paola chats whilst preparing local produce for breakfast

You'll feel ensconced in the countryside in this cosy cottage with a private garden overlooking the little vineyard and a secluded pool

Dine in the orangery on excellent cuisine, or take breakfast in bed with the shutters thrown wide. Simply delightful

Luxurious living combines with bleating sheep and bells from the church next door - 4 fabulous retreats on the Cotentin Peninsula

Historic, indulgent, atmospheric – and the Contessa is so warm. Vineyards, restaurants, operas, walks...La dolce vita on Slovenia's border

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

Perched in gorgeous gardens and with stunning views, this 18th-century presbytery has lovely rooms and an excellent gourmet restaurant

Wow. The sort of place you long for on dreary days - inspired architecture, heavenly views, delicious home-cooked food, a lake for swimming

Towering 5 storeys above lively Palermo, a gracious B&B with sunlit rooms, lovely Sicilian hosts and breakfast in fine china on the terrace

High ceilings and exposed stone walls give a light, bright and rustic feel to this restored barn with fabulous views over a lush valley

A warm and colourful B&B with generous owners, elegant bedrooms and an outdoor pool, in the heart of a pretty town near Toulouse

Cosy bolthole for two in a tiny hamlet next to a river and pub; walk the hills or spend the day at the unspoiled coast

For families who love a Great British beach holiday, this beach-side cottage on Hayling Island near Portsmouth is just the ticket

A newly-renovated barn in a picturesque Cotswold village with an enclosed front garden and the river Eye at the bottom of the drive

The sort of inn we all love – open fires, original beams, ancient flags, tasty food, with lovely bedrooms thrown in for good measure

Good old-fashioned hospitality in a quiet Highlands cottage ringed by roses and roe deer. Forest and coastal walks, shortbread and tea

Sweep along the gravel drive through lawns and specimen trees to this elegant manor house with 17th-century roots

A lovely, long barn-style conversion with much space, stunning views across the spectacular bay and a secret beach to stroll to