Kids range free, adults recharge in these two gites on a 17th-century estate with sunny gardens and a pool. Hike, bike, swim, relax...

Bountiful breakfasts, the warmest of owners and Breton adventures. Enjoy romantic ruins, quaint villages and delicious seafood suppers

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

Between Penzance and Helston and close to surf beaches, a perfect place for two. For peace-seekers and lovers of mid-century design

A sustainably run 1902 farmhouse and a cottage in countryside close to a wonderfully wild stretch of the North Devon coast

Traditional accommodation and organic food; handy for Bari but set peacefully in the countryside near Toritto, famed for its almonds

Cosy Lakeland stone barn in acres of peaceful countryside for walkers, wildlife lovers and those wishing for a retreat

Slowly does it at a rustic haven run with infectious enthusiasm and kindness by a truffle hunter with a passion for nature and food

A B&B with a soul, walks to thrill the heart. In these peaceful hills northwest of Como, views challenge you to keep your eyes on the road

Boutique hotel next to Funchal’s 15th-century cathedral, with a champagne and lobster bar, rooftop cocktail bar and an excellent restaurant

Great gulps of ozone will engulf you at this architect-designed 1960s beach house - light, bright and sparkling, just like the ocean

Blissful tranquillity - yet an easy drive from St Paul de Vence (legendary haunt of Matisse and Picasso) and 10km from the Riviera

A hilltop setting for this ancient fortress with an illustrious past. You stay in apartments or farmhouses inside or outside the walls

Come to stay in a lovely old house surrounded by an important garden created by three generations of brilliant women gardeners

Come to a gorgeous bolthole, just for two, in a sleepy riverside village with the delights of the Corrèze at your feet

An old chapel, smartly and sustainably converted, with a hot tub to soothe tired limbs after country walks through fells and dales

Smart country inn in Constable country with lovely rooms and food - grab a picnic, hire a boat and drift along the river Stour

A handsome old country manor house in the heart of the Loire castles surrounded by parkland, forests, lakes, small hamlets, vineyards and châteaux