Step into a place full of life, colour, texture and clever design surrounded by beautiful gardens and lakes

Fine contemporary interiors within this half-timbered hillside villa, built with natural materials and with a beautiful pool and jacuzzi

A lovely gîte with cool lines and its own shady terrace plus pool, gardens, fountain and a relaxed family-friendly feel

Like staying in a family home, only with Henri III furniture and rolling green views. Energetic hosts cook, farm, hunt, chat over champagne

Style abounds in this exquisite Côte d'Azur family getaway, where lazy days are whiled away by the pool and in the quiet bird-filled gardens

Sweep along the gravel drive through lawns and specimen trees to this elegant manor house with 17th-century roots

A romantic creekside cottage down a web of narrow lanes in a tumbling green valley – mess about on the water to your heart’s content

A 1930s riverside cabin circled by lush gardens; cosy inside with underfloor heating, glowing wood-burner and gorgeous decor

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

A lovely house set in 20 hectares with a park, two ponds, paths winding through and a pretty river. Delicious locally-sourced meals too

With breathtaking views of the hills above Nice, a splendid villa with big bedrooms, shimmering infinity pool, and generous, fun owners

Come for a quiet, spoiling B&B, delicious breakfasts, delightful wines and a stunning garden with pool in the heart of southern Burgundy

A 200-year-old quintessential Umbrian farmhouse with pool, immersed in nature and with no immediate neighbours for lazy, peaceful days

A scrupulously renovated dog-friendly gate lodge with garden and outdoor dining area, a five-minute drive from Mount Congreve Gardens

Stylish seaside inn with stunning salt marsh views from a decked terrace, delicious food, wine and ales and sea-breezy modern bedrooms

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

A lovely old cottage in the cliffside village of St Lawrence. Watch boats sail by from the terrace, soak in an antique bath with sea views…

Take over this fine Georgian manor in leafy countryside close to the sea near Beaumaris and discover Anglesey’s beauty and its wildlife