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

Family-friendly hotel on Ullswater with a pool and a variety of bedrooms, some super-cool - swim in the lake, walk in the hills, eat well

Unwind in a beautiful old mill house on the banks of the Célé river, surrounded by high limestone cliffs for outstanding walks and wildlife

Two duplex apartments filled with art and sculptures inside a beautiful 18th-century orangery, minutes from magnificent Versailles

A 18th-century house with pool in a small town with friendly owners and a tropical garden of banana, fig and, of course, frangipani

For lovers of tranquillity and simple pleasures with a private pool, tennis court, stunning views and forty acres to explore

A townhouse with a walled garden by the church in a peaceful village where friendly Scottish owners feed and look after you well

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

In a bustling port town on the Adriatic coast, this family-run hotel is warm, welcoming and just minutes from beaches and restaurants

Lodge and gardens – superbly designed, immaculate, fresh, eco friendly – rest in unspoilt Picardy. Anglo-French hosts take turns to cook

A big, comfortable house with heated outdoor pool in 17 acres of gardens. Mountains, river swimming, hiking nearby; coast within the hour

Come with friends for a cookery course, or with the kids, and enjoy the creative feel of the place - and the food! Venice 40 mins by train

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

A gem of a château in the wilds of Limousin with kind and thoughtful owners who are thoroughly immersed in this tranquil area

Slow down! Swim, soak in the jacuzzi, taste Campanian cuisine and wine, explore the national park, pop to Agropoli's beaches... be pampered

A truly special barn conversion, flooded with light and with its own decked outdoor space surrounded by bucolic countryside

Chocolate-box cottages in deepest Normandy, owned by bright young things with a passion for organic cuisine and the good life