Take your time here. Lucy will take you round her wonderful garden, introduce you to her donkeys, and share her laid-back approach

Stables turned into bright, comfortable holiday homes in countryside near Battle - for couples and families, whose dogs are very welcome too

Near Mont St Michel, an 18th-century 'maison de plaisance' in historic grounds run by a charming family. Don't miss the table d'hôte!

Heart-soaring Pyrenean views, animals roaming, natural materials in simple rural rooms, organic food: it’s a superbly welcoming eco-lodge

Take a suite with champagne, strawberries and a tower, swim in the saltwater pool, eat a Castilian cocido - unwind in rural peace!

A Victorian house on a 5000 acre estate, snazzily renovated and tucked down a track with a private lake, in the quieter part of Cumbria

20 minutes’ walk from Gordes and a hop from Aix, find grownup peace and minimalism for lovers of modern style and timeless Provence

An ancient coaching inn opposite the church in the prettiest village – just the ticket for weary travellers who deserve nurturing

Welcome to a cosy, country-rustic bolthole for four, in a friendly, community village inn, with some of the best food in Shropshire

A stunner of a setting for this restored croft house with long views to a sparkling loch and a lively village nearby. Good beaches too

Immerse yourselves in the heather-clad peaks, moorland, glens and diverse wildlife of the magnificent Pentland Hills Regional Park

Superb, all-organic agriturismo built of straw bales and offering wonderful home-grown natural food, a delightful family, great walking

Feel at ease in a lovely old townhouse filled with pictures and personality and including a separate loft apartment

Explore ‘Green Provence’ on e-bikes, enjoy the pool and calm of a Mediterranean garden surrounded by vineyards. Return to a delicious dinner

You're overlooking the main square in medieval Umbertide from this cosy, second-floor apartment, so you'll feel very much like a local

A rather grand, opulent house with warm owners, interesting furniture and art and some fine Renaissance architectural elements intact

A roomy, open-plan space for romantics, with complete privacy but with pub, bakery and views of the market garden from your own terrace