An adorable little 1800s cottage with a garden – simple, unpretentious and filled with the owner's colourful art on walls and lampshades

A Georgian manor house in the old quarter of Penzance, close to the water, with good food and a chilled vibe

A lovely farmhouse in Lot with acres of garden and a summer kitchen. Come ‘en famille’ for food, wine and lazy days by the pool.

Great design along with much comfort and warmth an hour from Inverness airport, but a world away from the city and with stunning views

Charming cottage in a vast garden with a swimming pool and boule; walk to the nearest village, drive to Côte d'Azur in less than an hour

A converted old granary next to a traditional Welsh longhouse in a deeply rural setting for unfussy nature lovers

Wild and peaceful small hotel bordering National Park of Guadarrama. Listen to birdsong, hike in the sierra, spend the day in Segovia

Mesmerising sea views from this big comfortable hillside house near Deià with a big pool, verdant gardens and sun-trapping terraces

A recently renovated and very comfortable stand-alone limestone cottage with fabulous views on the edge of the Easton Walled Gardens

Picturesque cottage in the grounds of a grand manor, lovingly and creatively restored by its welcoming English owner

A lovely wisteria-clad inn in a traditional Cotswold village with grand walks, a pretty garden, tasty food and thoughtful bedrooms

Tucked down an alley off the main road through Midhurst, this well-designed, generous-spirited little house exudes character and quirk

An old-world inn full of colour, with open fires, cosy rooms, local food and the magnificent Northumberland National Park all around

A traditional, grand 1850 townhouse sitting in a large, landscaped garden with mature trees, a short walk to the village centre and square

Tucked down a high-hedged lane on a working farm with gorgeous walks from the door and stunning views of the unspoilt Exe valley

An 18th-century limestone barn, now a quiet hideaway for a group of friends or family in a very rural spot surrounded by fields and woods

Soak up Provençal peace in a charming estate in the Alpilles, with stylish ground-floor B&B rooms, olives, vines and a friendly family dog

The wow factor is set to eleven at this magnificent château steeped in French history and surrounded by acres of land (and a moat)