An artistic escape with a stunning kitchen in sleepy, gastronomic Lot – stroll to the village market and feast on local produce

Ideal for families: pool, tennis and golf at the hotel with beach and yachting nearby. Comfortable bedrooms and a terrace for outdoor dining

A privilege to be able to stay within the famous gardens of magnificent Château de Courances. The painter's village of Barbizon is nearby

Ascot is a trot down the road and there's a really cosy, cottagey feel to this quaint 18th-century inn with great food and comfy bedrooms

Simple country cottage living on a working organic farm. Bring your hiking boots or bikes, stride out from the door

This is Somerset at its most quintessential: a thatched roofed, honey-coloured Hamstone cottage with a pretty courtyard garden; sleeps four

Rural peace just an hour from London in your own gorgeous converted hay barn, ten minutes from Alton

Snug, simple and delightful casitas with private entrances and courtyards interlink for groups. Stroll through the olives, bask by the pool

Gather your favourites for a getaway in deepest France. Bike the countryside, dip in the heated pool and sprawl out in this inviting space

Explore from this picturesque village; hike, cycle or ride through beautiful nature. Lay your head in creative, comfortable rooms

Two family-friendly gites with gardens and a big pool, surrounded by corn fields and sunflowers, ideal for a larger family to take together

A 15th-century Venetian palazzo, lovingly restored with stylish rooms overlooking the Grand Canal and a designer's insight into the city

An 1820s farmhouse at the end of a quiet road in the North York Moors National Park, overlooking a forest and surrounded by fields

Float in the infinity pool above the canyon, dine under the stars, revel in the silence, head to the Cavagrande di Cassibile Nature Reserve

A classic French beauty of a place; home to an engaging young family who love to entertain and look after you with great care

Walkers, nature lovers, couples will love this eco-friendly cottage near Calgary beach: a breath of warmth in the beautiful back of beyond

An old farmhouse in a hilltop town deep in wine country, with a charming owner intent on ensuring you make the most of your stay