Proper village pub with much-praised food and cosy rooms; country walks lead from the door and Oxford is half an hour away

Chiara’s blissfully informal hillside home is a hard place to leave... Guests can get involved with cookery courses or the olive harvest

Sun-soaked stillness, saltwater dips and garden scents of fig and rosemary - slow days unfold between olive trees and a sky full of stars

A light-filled B&B packed with family memories and heirlooms in a small hamlet tucked into the foothills of the Dolomites

Beautifully designed timber cabins in the Black Mountains, right next to a lovely old inn serving good, honest food from their own farm

A bright and spacious cottage set against a backdrop of woodland for days spent happily reading by the wood-burner or lunch on the sun deck

Take the road less travelled as you climb into the Welsh hills to discover this lovely 16th-century farmhouse full of family history

Crackling fires in winter, croquet in the summer. Life ticks by peacefully - rooms are engagingly old-fashioned, the garden is much-loved

Grade II-listed country hotel with lovely gardens and an excellent restaurant, a short walk from Ambleside and the top of Lake Windermere

Step into a place full of life, colour, texture and clever design surrounded by beautiful gardens and lakes

A beautifully restored cottage in a rustic-chic style, set above the dramatic Gorges de l’Aveyron; perfect for couples or families of four

A thatched farmhouse only just over the channel near Rouen that’s well hidden in lush gardens, but worth finding for the gourmet food alone

Traditional beamed cottage, tucked in the hills, with views to distant beaches plus colourful gardens and a pool

A finely crafted staircase, a friendly owner next door, an Alpine garden to die for - groups large and small will love this old watermill

A lake to fish, a terrace for evening sun and a choice of two spaces, quite private and with a shared pool and games room just a short hop from pretty Auvillar

Indulge in superb Galician seafood and wine, an open fire, local art, pool, hammock, village peace, sandy beaches...and warm, dynamic hosts

A homespun inn with irresistible prices in a tiny village deep in the country - the river Tweed is close, fishing can be arranged

Nature lovers ride or hike through the breath-taking landscape of Andalucia's National Park and return to comfortable cottages with views