There's a pared-back unforced elegance to this stone barn sitting quietly in its own grounds beside a cobbled courtyard awash with roses

A charming transformation of a once boarded-up pub in a pretty village setting, beside the river Wye in the heart of the Peak District

Comfortable, understated, spotless and authentic – a modest family hideaway on Brittany’s stunning Crozon Peninsula (think Land’s End...)

Historic old house in a beautiful, traditional village. Boulangerie, bar, crêperie all a stroll away

A pretty stone single-storey house, now renovated beautifully into a comfortable hideaway with wonderful views to woodland and river

A cool little inn lost in beautiful hills, child- and dog-friendly, with happy staff and award-winning food

A beautifully restored townhouse in the heart of Amboise, steps from Leonardo da Vinci's last home and the great Château Royal

Light-filled chalet in a small hamlet just outside Châtel. Feast on superb breakfasts before heading out to explore the Portes du Soleil

An elegant 1892 building, once the village school, now a very comfortable, colourful B&B with warm owners and delicious breakfasts

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

A pretty retreat in the grounds of a romantic château – you have your own walled garden, with terrace, pool and sunbathing area

Charmingly rambling, inside and out: blazing fires, riotous patterns, oak panelling, a prolific garden and comfortable antique beds

A 1980s Catalan mas built in a traditional style, with garden and pool, surrounded by olive trees and vineyards near the Spanish border

Glorious views of Derwentwater and Skiddaw from this comfortable house. Art dotted about, a big table for chatty meals and a pretty garden

Stow yourselves away in the west wing of this glorious house, once home to Ambrose Congreve and steeped in history, with lovely gardens

Two lovely cottages with a fresh, modern style, private terrace, tranquil communal gardens with an orchard and pool

Stay in the grounds of a 19th-century château turned family home, where 500-year-old oak trees shade a glorious garden