In the heart of beautiful Siena, it's just like staying with a friend, as hostess Paola chats whilst preparing local produce for breakfast

In a bustling port town on the Adriatic coast, this family-run hotel is warm, welcoming and just minutes from beaches and restaurants

A rustic and elegant farmhouse retreat in Provence with a pool, vineyards and wildlife-filled pond – a launchpad for the Luberon

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

Come for a bright, roomy, uber-green and accessible larch-clad space with garden and pond in pretty countryside

Welcome to an immaculate and historic retreat with private gardens, ten minutes from the Finistère coast (and oysters!)

Stylishly refurbished gastro inn on historic market square with gorgeous bedrooms, local ciders and some rather tasty food

A magical family house with its toes in the water, a beach either side and Padstow’s pretty harbour and restaurants down the road

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

A Suffolk pink hideaway where you can stay all day. Relaxed owners, tea and homemade cake on arrival, a log fire to read by... delicious!

Steeped in history and romance, with a great big sleigh bed and open fires, is this 14th-century defence tower above the river Tweed

A pub with rooms in the epicentre of London on trendy Westbourne Grove, a ten-minute stroll from Notting Hill

In truffle, lavender and olive oil country, a dreamy wine château with terraced gardens, run by hosts whose happiness is infectious

Near Mont St Michel, an 18th-century 'maison de plaisance' in historic grounds run by a charming family. Don't miss the table d'hôte!

An elegant townhouse, built in 1830 and once the sous-préfecture for Rochefort, with spacious, light-filled rooms and a garden with pool

A 18th-century house with pool in a small town with friendly owners and a tropical garden of banana, fig and, of course, frangipani

Rustic charm meets modern comfort in peaceful Devon hideaway set in acres of wild meadows and ancient orchards, with birdsong on the breeze

This B&B is a superb base to explore the island's glittering bays, vibrant coastal cities, mountains, valleys and forests