A tucked-away and peaceful retreat from which to explore the beautiful Dordogne or simply to unwind and recharge

A romantic cottage for two in the Pentland Hills, with views for miles and your own private garden with a wood-fired hot tub

One of four wooden-clad off-grid cottages, sleek and calm indoors, high up in the Cheviot Hills and with stunning views over the valley

Independent B&B with your own converted spaces sitting in a lovely garden with pool. Breakfast is served in the main house or on the terrace

Woodland and fells encircle you, spa suites hang above water, food in the Michelin-starred restaurant is sublime – come for a real treat

Warm interiors, pretty bedrooms and excellent breakfasts – good value in a very handy central spot

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

Come for a village feel, rural peace and boundless Portuguese countryside at this charming whitewashed home with a super terrace with views

Gracious hosts pamper guests in their family mansion, with a wellness spa, fire-warmed lounge and four-course meals from a talented chef

A stunner of a setting for this restored croft house with long views to a sparkling loch and a lively village nearby. Good beaches too

A beautifully converted dairy with a magical garden in a quiet village surrounded by lovely countryside

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

Between Florence and Siena, stay in one of five stylish apartments on a family-run agriturismo; they delight in sharing this slice of heaven

Atmospheric English pub with rooms by the green with its duck ponds in a pretty village, with walking and cycling routes to join

Anglo-Irish meets Italian and Indian; the owners have peppered this charming home with furniture and artefacts from their broad travels

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

Come to this delightful house, a marriage of old stones and modern furniture, for pure remote air, great outdoor sports and fine dining