If you want to come to Venice as an open-hearted traveller rather than a tourist then this is the place for you - just walk to everything

A gem of a house in a lovely unspoilt village with an intelligent, interesting owner who gives you delicious food and local wines

Come to be doused in nature, tradition and rare Vino Santo at this soulful retreat, girded by orchards between the Dolomites and Lake Garda

Pops of colour and neon signs bring fun to this smart and warm family home near Brancaster beach

A delight to stay in this 1880s croft house on the quieter west coast - fabulous vegetarian and vegan food, thoughtful rooms, lovely owners

Come for a holiday with extras: children’s playground, babysitting, pool, truffle hunting, vineyard, olive grove tours and more

This lovely, beamy, uncluttered Tuscan farmhouse with separate apartment is an elegant lodging on a vast fruitful estate with pool, and lovely owners

You’ll fall in love with this ancient mas in a corner of paradise… climbing roses scent the air, chic open spaces are flooded with light

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

In the glorious Howardian Hills, a homely cottage with an open fire for chilly nights and a lovely, country-style kitchen filled with light

2 super family apartments in the unspoilt Serre Chevalier valley, with a private chef if you’d like one, and delightful Pippa to welcome you

Your own apartment in a listed manor house with lovely light rooms and stunning grounds with views over farmland to the coast and Lundy

In the heart of the East Sussex countryside, a fun community inn, with rustic-historic bedrooms, scrumptious food, and a great welcome for dogs

A gorgeous big old house on a farm in a very quiet part of Wiltshire - the undiscovered North Wessex Downs, filled with wildlife and an AONB

Charming gardens for you and your dog in a barn conversion in rural Norfolk half an hour from coast

A rather grand, opulent house with warm owners, interesting furniture and art and some fine Renaissance architectural elements intact

What a surprise! Tucked into a row of tightly woven old cottages is this contemporary open-plan hideaway with huge windows and much flair

A treat of a place in a vibrant suburb, a short tram ride from central Manchester. The ultimate combination of art and cool design