A much-loved Tuscan villa restored to elegance: dinner on the terrace, frescoes, rose garden, a small spa…and Florence a 20-minute drive

Colourful coastal apartments and studios where you can be nicely independent, and enjoy a communal café and health club with Art Deco pool

Independent B&B with your own converted spaces sitting in a lovely garden with pool. Breakfast is served in the main house or on the terrace

High above Lisbon, this small but elegant former palace offers stunning views, stylishly rustic rooms and a dreamy, sun-trap patio

A beautifully renovated getaway set in glorious countryside near the Lakes. Strike out on walks from the door, relax in the woodland garden

A 17th-century stone mansion within the ancient walls of Avignon. Walk to cafes, watch the shows at the Festival, chat with convivial hosts

Fresh, simple country charm - pretty rooms with enchanting river views, freshly baked bread for breakfast... Beautiful, fragrant gardens

Lovely big room in its own wing of a Victorian farmhouse. A peaceful spot with views across fields and an elegant drawing room

Cosied up by the fire in your farmhouse high on the moor you’ll feel miles from civilisation, while Chatsworth is just minutes away

Up a narrow lane this dreamy pub with rooms has views to the South Downs. Stay for supper, let the kids run free in the garden playground

A niftily converted barn with high vaulted ceiling sitting on a hill with wonderful views over a newly-created lake and the Stour Valley

A rustic-chic bolthole with bird's eye views to gaze at from your bedroom and the beautiful garden, tucked in a quaint hamlet in Maremma

A magnificent medieval tower in the grounds of an 18th-century château sitting in a dreamy valley. Come for superb gardens and architecture

Style abounds in this exquisite Côte d'Azur family getaway, where lazy days are whiled away by the pool and in the quiet bird-filled gardens

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

A wall of glass frames the sea view - take drinks on the waterfront lawn in summer, or by the crackling fire in winter

Historic pub with immaculate new bedrooms and a happy atmosphere. A waterside terrace for summer, blazing open fires for winter

An eye-catching ancient inn with a colourful flower garden in summer, delicious local food and very presentable bedrooms