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 cool converted barn on an organic farm near Brittany’s loveliest beaches, with a kitchen garden and play area, perfect for foodie families

Spacious bolthole for two with long sea views: explore the wilds of the Scottish Isles, watch plenty of wildlife from big windows

Stylish, family-friendly hotel on the side of a peaceful Cotswold hill with big views, well-priced rooms and a 400-acre estate to explore

5 houses near Siena to make design-lovers happy; come for the rural solitude of ancient stone farm buildings with urban interiors

The Gautiers have the finest sense of how to treat guests: dreamy bedrooms, fantastic food & the pool beneath the orange trees is a delight

Walkers and wild-lifers, here is your place in the Pyrenees. Colour, character, a welcoming family, log fires and delicious home cooking

A classic period property right on the river, perfectly placed to explore the delights of nearby Marlborough

Four stylish Andalusian retreats surrounded by olive groves and almond trees, and a restaurant for wonderful, seasonal food

In off-the-beaten-track Tuscany, 2 peaceful apartments in a former haybarn, both carefully renovated with antique furniture

A lovely big house with huge riverside gardens and an easy-going charm – a 15-minute walk from bookish Hay-on-Wye

Near Southwold beach, bird reserves and Suffolk castles, a peaceful getaway with orchard, views and generous breakfasts. Good value

Vineyards, fruit trees and immaculate gardens, amazing food and wine, a sense of seclusion and sweeping views of the Tuscan hills

A deeply thoughtful conversion of an old Presbyterian church with wonderful watery views, much wildlife and plenty of space for joyful times

A 17th-century traditional Welsh longhouse in a very sheltered spot facing south and with a pretty garden surrounded by fields and meadows

A spiritual, rustic retreat for nature-lovers, writers, artists. In protected woodland, well away from bustle, close to the lapping river

A large handsome 1800s manor, now a peaceful haven for free-range families and creative types on the edge of vibrant Richelieu in the Loire

A quiet retreat with blissful gardens, a pool and charming hosts. You’re close to bastide towns, castles and the Canal du Midi