Big beautiful apartments in a serene setting in southern Tuscany, with pool. And courses for everyone - organised by one delightful family

A gem of a house in a lovely unspoilt village with an intelligent, interesting owner who gives you delicious food and local wines

Come to recharge in the lovely Loire valley at this fine château surrounded by mature gardens and green countryside

Foodies and sociable souls will enjoy this lively B&B in a pretty honey-coloured stone cottage with a garden and a very friendly owner

A very tastefully restored old stone stable on a gloriously rural estate with woodland gardens, lake and a deer park

Fresh sea air, drowsy afternoons and nights of warmth and company against the backdrop of the sea in this big old house on Lyme Bay

Relax in peace & quiet: orchards, woods, organic farm, wildlife everywhere. Offa's Dyke nearby - start the day with Teona's veggie breakfast

Your hosts couldn’t be nicer and look after you beautifully – this is a lovely, homely place with a rambling garden

Within the city walls and right next to the Minster, this super-smart hotel gives you gorgeous bedrooms and delicious food

A lovely old 19th-century inn by the sea with hand-pumped ales, fresh local and seasonal food and spoiling bedrooms, some with sea views

Gite retreats in château grounds - welcoming and wonderful for young families. Build castles in the sandpit, make friends around the pool

A smart red-brick country pub in the centre of the village with a farm shop, brewery, Wellness Barn, super food and three charming bedrooms

A fine old house packed with grand old things above Portree Bay in the middle of Skye - homely bedrooms, some huge, are a treat

At the foot of the Cambrian Mountains, an ancient whitewashed cottage with cosy, light-flooded interiors – a perfect rural bolthole for two

Chatty Madame is a superb cook, and her pretty house and garden in a quiet Yvelines village are equally delicious. Zip to Paris by train

Come for a big gathering of friends or family and take the whole house plus an extra cottage in the pretty gardens – swim in the pool, relax

Friendly Maki and Clive's higgledy-piggledy home is a charming, special place. Rooms are cosy, Clive's cookery courses are fun and delicious

A thoughtfully renovated cottage in a small hamlet with garden, courtyard and pool. The peace is palpable but you're near to bustling Tusson