Come for big, peaceful bedrooms with views, delicious home cooked breakfasts and riverside strolls through ancient beech woodland

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

A thatched farmhouse only just over the channel near Rouen that’s well hidden in lush gardens, but worth finding for the gourmet food alone

View-filled, beautifully converted and toasty warm, this old donkey shed is perfect for walkers, cyclists, peace-seekers and lovers

Hideaway at the bottom of the garden with a little courtyard and far-reaching views; walk to the village pub or take a day trip to Bath

Fine linens, cool pool and a barbecue for this soothing barn renovation in a dreamy corner of Tuscany. Friendly owners can cook on request

An immaculate stable retreat surrounded by gardens near Canterbury. Two couples could spend an idyllic week here, or a family of 5

A warm, inviting boutique hotel in Shrewsbury’s historic centre; potter about the medieval streets, relax in a sun-catching courtyard

An adorable little 1800s cottage with a garden – simple, unpretentious and filled with the owner's colourful art on walls and lampshades

Elegant rooms behind a popular village pub with country walks from the door, and the spectacular Peak District and stately homes nearby

Come for peace, comfort and beauty in a sunny corner of Provence at the foot of Mont Ventoux. Cafes, market, restaurants a 15-minute stroll!

Fabulous bakes and hot waffles at breakfast, green fields all around and Normandy steeped in history. Great for foodies and historians

Atmospheric English pub with rooms by the green with its duck ponds in a pretty village, with walking and cycling routes to join

Come for much grace, space and inspiration in this huge-windowed, view-filled spot surrounded by gloriously untrammelled countryside

Come for amazing food at breakfast, really comfortable bedrooms with garden views and lovely Sasha (and her dogs) who will spoil you

A lovely restored house on a farm beside a cluster of ancient buildings surrounded by lush forest and grasslands – a deeply rural spot

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

In the Welsh Marches, down winding lanes, a delightful refurbished hop pickers' house - romantic bolthole for 2. Friendly owners, too