No-nonsense farm conversions with open, airy rooms and good big showers sharing a pool, a playground and fabulous views. Great walks, too

Gather family in this big, beautiful barn for treks on hidden trails and picnics in the wildflower meadow. Set your watch by the wildlife

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

Close to Girona, with huge valley views! Cosy fires for cool days, shady corners for hot ones, lovely people, and the food a revelation

Victorian country house for 8-15 with gardens overlooking the Howgill Fells for happy reunions with family and friends

A row of old brick stables now craftily converted into a light-filled and very peaceful place to stay with a garden room and gorgeous views

Imperious old coaching inn lost in deep country with a river to fish, five-mile views, delicious rooms and some very tasty food

An enviable hideaway on a cobbled street high on a hill, with stunning views next to Galileo's house, the Villa Bardini and gardens

Heaps to do on-site: organic farm shop & café, cookery & cheese-making courses, farm tours. A brilliant base for exploring the Cotswolds too

Come for Goodwood and good fun - simple, relaxed old farmhouse style with quirky touches, a lovely garden and long views

A snug Snowdonia bolthole arranged around a vast boulder, once home to Victorian artists inspired by the setting. For romantic hikers

Just one hour from London, this remarkable house sits on a unique family-owned Nature Reserve on the Isle of Sheppey

Round up family and friends and head for the glorious South Hams and this eco-friendly barn conversion for ten with extra cottage

A monastic grange full of grandeur with luxurious interiors to keep you comfortable. Enjoy a pool, gardens and Margate on the doorstep

It's steeped in history and a joy to visit. Explore the vast pistes of Les Portes du Soleil... return to log fires and house-party dinners

An interesting historic townhouse filled with art and antiques, in the old part of Amantea, near shops, restaurants and beach

Sleek, smart apartments on the first floor of a 19th-century building in Verona's most fashionable residential/commercial neighbourhood

A period manor and pretty rooms in old stables: a quiet base for Pas-de-Calais and Picardie. Madame loves the house, animals, story-telling