A relaxed home-from-home feel at this Spanish house with old-fashioned charm, a big garden and pool and lovely views from every window

Once a pub, now a friendly home, with all you need for a market town break. Park the car (or leave at home) – everything is on the doorstep

Swing off the main road through the village, up into the hills along a narrow track and through a gate, observed by curious sheep

Dating back to 1892 and once the home of the town's mayor, this fine house sits in the centre of a pretty Andalusian town with much to offer

Small hotel in a hiker's paradise a short walk from Cómpeta with pool, spacious rooms, private terraces, breathtaking views and generous breakfasts

A much-loved Tuscan villa restored to elegance: dinner on the terrace, frescoes, rose garden, a small spa…and Florence a 20-minute drive

Ease yourself into a rather more gracious lifestyle from this sweet retreat on a historic estate with gorgeous walled gardens

Refined B&B in a pretty forest setting just north of the French Basque country, with a lovely garden, a swimming pool and delicious food

A big, homely farmhouse on the Umbria/Tuscany border for family holidays filled with sunshine, outdoor frolics and good food

Deep in the Lake District, a well-loved family home with open fires and heavenly views, a private woodland and a short walk to a good pub

Live in the lap of luxury in a 600-year-old regenerated farmhouse, enjoy fine fittings, great lighting, games, castle view and infinity pool

A small top terrace can be booked for romantic evenings and you can lunch or dinner at the delightful floating restaurant

A peaceful retreat with yoga and activities to restore and renew, in the Andalusia hills between Granada and the Mediterranean coast

Come down to the Meon Valley and be (very gently) nudged towards a better way of living - a Sawday's Community Champion

A self-catering apartment in the wing of a traditional Burgundian winemaker's house in a tiny hamlet, surrounded by fields of vines

Independence at one end of the house with your own sitting room opening onto a courtyard garden. Good pub for food a few minutes' walk away

A really friendly French family home, steeped in history and tradition with delicious home-grown food, a lovely garden and peaceful pool