Light-filled gites share a lovely pool, with pétanque, ping-pong and bikes to borrow – bring friends and take all three

A great find if you want to be close to all the action but nicely tucked away. Friendly pub downstairs, cool bedrooms up, Soho 20 minutes

A comfy cottage for two in the quiet, leafy outskirts of Aix with easy access to the city and a kind, attentive owner nearby

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

Sumptuous rooms with Renaissance-inspired art, infinity pool and gardens, just a short drive to Mantua’s historic city centre

A sculptor's studio, flooded with light, converted into a restful holiday home surrounded by glorious countryside, near Totnes

Stylish interiors, beautiful rooms, lovely staff and wonderful food – all this in the Forest of Dean with great walking and cycling trails

A short stroll from the centre of historic Wimborne, a big Georgian house with beautiful interiors, original features and a lovely garden

Spacious bedrooms, friendly hosts and a classic English country house in a peaceful hamlet with walks from the doorstep

A very special design-led garden apartment on the ground floor of an elegant 1835 house on one of the prettiest crescents in the city

A welcoming inn with rooms on the edge of a small village. Stay in a converted barn in the pretty garden, eat delicious country fare

A quirky hotel with enthusiastic owners in an authentic Andalucian town, just ten minutes up winding roads from Marbella

Stylish sustainability in star-hung Alicante with solar power, gorgeous rooms and a pool. Authentic breakfasts and dinners await

On its own wooded estate, a special manor house of character. Art on the walls, maps and wellies to borrow, gardens to romp in, super views

The farm is up its own track with wake-up Cheviot views over pine forests and fields of sheep. Luxurious bedrooms, large airy living space

This deeply peaceful retreat will soothe the soul; come to walk, bike, sail then back to a roaring fire and good book. A sublime spot

Full of country-hideaway chic, this special holiday home is in one of the loveliest parts of the Var, surrounded by 10 private acres

The sort of inn we all love – open fires, original beams, ancient flags, tasty food, with lovely bedrooms thrown in for good measure