Swim with frogs in the freshwater pool, breakfast in the sunshine, play boules by moonlight. Châteaux don't get much more rural

A 15th-century hotel and spa with beamed lounges and two restaurants, standing proudly on the high street

Two cottages for couples: one more traditional, the other fresh and modern, both comfortable and romantic and there's a good pub next door

One of Scotland’s coolest hotels waits at the end of a four-mile track - you find loch, mountain and sky, and Tom’s fabulous food

A tranquil agriturismo within easy reach of Padua. Superb views of the Euganean Hills, chic bedrooms and fine wine to sample

Converted stables in the grounds of a manor house in a peaceful village just outside Banbury with lovely walking in the Cherwell Valley

A light-filled village cottage for 2 near Bosherston Lily Ponds. Come to ramble the coastal path, enjoy sandy beaches and visit local pubs

Homely furnishings and 17th-century charm at this estate on the Severn, whose owners are mad about horses and give you fine home produce

A magical medieval castello, gloriously gothic with tower, moat and ghost, fit for a Shakespearian play.

Treat yourself to a bit of a rest with the one you love at this dreamy gîte in glorious countryside, with pool, garden and gorgeous walks

Stay in a lovely 18th-century townhouse in one of the prettiest villages on the Loire surrounded by unspoilt countryside

A calm, leafy bolthole in one of Paris' most elegant districts. Step out to stylish boutiques, good bakeries – and the Eiffel Tower

An 1800s former watermill, now elegantly converted to give B&B rooms plus a self-catering cottage in the Côte d'Opale, superb for walking

A special little house, renovated with huge style, filled with beautiful objects and with a delightfully quiet and secluded private garden

Tucked down an alley off the main road through Midhurst, this well-designed, generous-spirited little house exudes character and quirk

An art-filled home poised above Hastings Old Town in a wonderfully private, peaceful spot and with a lush, tropical garden

Near Vosges mountains, a happy homely hotel surrounded by woods and flower-filled meadows with friendly hosts. Deliciously peaceful

A stunning setting for this B&B - the village a thousand feet below you and views to both snow-capped Alps and Provence lavender fields