High up and with splendid views of the estuary and harbour, this roomy apartment is a very comfortable base for seaside holidays

Landscaped gardens, orchard and potager blend into Normandy countryside. Return from rural walks to a log fire and comfortable armchairs

Elegant, charming home in leafy, peaceful garden - pâtisserie courses and good dinners. Champagne vineyards and historic Provins are nearby

A peaceful grown-up place circled by meadows and woodland with helpful owners next door – a superb spot to explore the south-west

A stunning château with huge rooms, pretty balconies with views, peaceful garden. Super owners, excellent dinners - and child-friendly too

Lovely owners have created this quirky space on their farm; side-by-side al fresco baths make it romantic for two

It's not often you get an entire hamlet to yourselves but here it is – 10 traditional stone houses with big communal spaces in rural bliss

A secluded, luxurious 8-bedroom heaven in the Umbrian hills, with a heart-warming welcome, gorgeous views, and simple, exceptional food

On the edge of the South Downs, this smartly renovated pub with contemporary rooms serves seasonal home cooked food and a warm welcome

In a small village on the borders, a Jacobean farmhouse luxuriously restored with lovely touches; the Brecon Beacons are close by

Designer cool suites, apartments, a villa – a sophisticated oasis of a place – near white sands, curious caves, turquoise sea, Lecce

Unwind in a hammock, in the pool, in a balconied rose-coloured bedroom – meander local markets, pick a pepper, cook up a feast and have fun

Garden lovers will flock to this lovely B&B with two spacious suites and delicious breakfasts – a good spot by a quiet hamlet

Laze under the loggia, drink in superb, sweeping Umbrian views and wine from the vines beyond the pool; sleep peacefully in grand style

A small, family-run boutique hotel sitting right at the foot of Etna with wonderful views, garden, pool and ambrosial Sicilian breakfasts

Escape to your own snug bolthole above a beautiful hall. Creative village community, tasty breakfast delivered, come and go as you please

Two homely gîtes sleeping 4 and 2 in rural farm country. Walk to the bakery; drive 15 minutes to Saint-Malo and riverside restaurants

A 1750 one-storey former farm building, beautifully converted into a lovely hideaway for walkers, nature lovers and peace seekers