Great for gatherings of family and friends: fine views, a good big kitchen, games room and pool; nearby caves and castles to explore

Spend restful days in a verdant garden, slip into the cooling pool, sip wine on your private balcony, stroll into arty Benissa

A semi-detached 19th-century stone cottage, scrupulously renovated with indoor heated swimming pool, sauna and terrace in a quiet spot

Your own cottage on a wine estate in a very beautiful part of the South Downs, famed for world-class sparkling wines

Light-filled house full of modern art and antique finds with stunning gardens and a pool. The best of Provence is on your doorstep

Friendly hosts, good food and clever design in this house looking over Kilmartin Glen. Slow down, watch the sunrise and marvel at the peace

Tranquil couple's getaway with a shared pool, wonderful views, and lavender plants in every direction. The delightful owners are next door

Cosy Lakeland stone barn in acres of peaceful countryside for walkers, wildlife lovers and those wishing for a retreat

Up, up and away to this stunning cottage perched 1400 feet high in the National Park with big skies, grand walks and much comfort indoors

A chic bolthole in a sleepy Suffolk village with seriously good food, stylish bedrooms, riverside walks and Suffolk’s wild coast

A converted coach house and stables, now one long cottage with much space, a country house feel and your own walled garden

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

Taste the wine, plunge into the granite pool, play billiards in the library, linger outdoors as swallows swoop – eat delicious local dishes

This friendly, Scottish island B&B has the Atlantic at the end of the garden and air so clean the lichen grows like beards from the trees

Unwind in a hammock, in the pool, in a balconied rose-coloured bedroom - meander local markets, pick a pepper, cook up a feast and have fun

Walkers, bikers, families and nature fans will love staying with ever-helpful Joan and Montse in this secluded but not too remote valley

Tranquil manor house deep in Bordeaux wine region with six acres of grounds, a tennis court and swimming pool

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