Come for sumptuous bedrooms, fine dining, colourful gardens and charming staff at this smart hotel and restaurant

Swim with frogs in the freshwater pool, breakfast in the sunshine, play boules by moonlight. Châteaux don't get much more rural

You're right on the water in this 1820 granary-turned-hotel, with calming bedrooms, bustling bar and restaurant serving excellent local fare

A beautiful little house in a corner of the garden: walk for miles or just to the local pub, barbecue on the deck with its rural views

Comfortable, traditional, accessible and in the grounds of an old rectory with meadows and the river Frome nearby for summer dips

A lovely farmhouse in Lot with acres of garden and a summer kitchen. Come ‘en famille’ for food, wine and lazy days by the pool.

Paradise for adventurers in Scotland’s wild Torridon Hills - loch views and luxury touches surrounded by water, woodland and wildlife...

Glorious Elizabethan manor house lovingly furnished with exceptional art and antiques by its welcoming owners

Remote three-bedroom cottage in Northumberland National Park, with far-reaching views over hills and valleys and walks in all directions

Walkers, nature lovers, couples will love this eco-friendly cottage near Calgary beach: a breath of warmth in the beautiful back of beyond

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

A wisteria-laden pergola shades the sunny side of the farmhouse - in gentle olive country near the Sibillini Park, not far from the Adriatic

A luxurious eco-retreat plus extra room in the Space Conker in private woodland with views to the Chaîne des Aravis and Mont Blanc

A beautifully restored annexe in a picturesque village in the heart of Suffolk. Take a camera - it's seriously picture-perfect around here

Four pretty cottages with private terraces, a shared garden and muted interiors inspired by Norfolk’s landscapes. A short drive to the coast

Charming, simple and elegant B&B with a lovely garden and kind owners in an area renowned for its good wine and food

An airy, art-filled house for groups of family or friends, with plenty of space, a secluded courtyard and pool near the beach

A country house, elegant and unstuffy, at the heart of a working Lazio olive farm. Lunch by the pool or unwind at the hot spring spa