Your friendly hosts offer you stylish bedrooms, swims in the heated pool, and wonderful dinners and wines. Cahors is only a 10-minute drive

An elegant, historical building in the heart of Catania - an intimate hotel, yet grand with gorgeous architecture and a wonderful welcome

A gorgeous wooden-clad off-grid cottage deep in the National Park with far-reaching views, unfussy interiors and spoiling extra treatments

A lodge and a cottage on an ancient wine estate, thoughtfully and eco-consciously converted with private outdoor spaces and a saltwater pool

Glorious views of Derwentwater and Skiddaw from this comfortable house. Art dotted about, a big table for chatty meals and a pretty garden

Grand and old and filled with history, the estate and such a pretty house are a tonic, as are the well-tended grounds and parkland

A relaxed hilltop escape with good food, a pretty garden and fine views of the Dales and the river Wharfe – bring your dog too

Light-filled gites share a lovely pool, with pétanque, ping-pong and bikes to borrow – bring friends and take all three

Remote and rural, this cosy cottage is a slice of Welsh heaven, with plenty to do and see just a short drive away

A wonderful taste of Andalucian life here at these sweet farm cottages with long views. Walks radiate from the door, Granada is close

There’s a calm feel to this three-storey cottage, close to the centre of Bridport and the beach. Great for families, walkers and dogs

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

Painting courses on request, gardens full of roses, a parasol’d terrace, a seductive pool… we love this welcoming, traditional hotel

Thoughtful red brick barn conversion on a working farm. Peaceful, practical and within easy reach of outdoor activities

Simple, stylish interiors at this restored cottage on a rural estate overlooking the river Tay, with farmland, forest and trails to discover

Be inspired by hilltop views, unwind in beamed rooms by huge fireplaces or scramble down to the beach for family adventures

Another bright, beamed and history-filled place to stay on the smart Upton Cressett estate with walks from the door and much comfort within

A newly-renovated barn in a picturesque Cotswold village with an enclosed front garden and the river Eye at the bottom of the drive