The Gautiers have the finest sense of how to treat guests: dreamy bedrooms, fantastic food & the pool beneath the orange trees is a delight

Come for utter peace in this picture-perfect honey stone cottage with a lovely pool, garden and the glorious Dordogne to explore

Deep luxury, superb service and a wealth of delightful things to admire at this small hotel on a very quiet street in the heart of the city

Superb, all-organic agriturismo built of straw bales and offering wonderful home-grown natural food, a delightful family, great walking

Fabulous bakes and hot waffles at breakfast, green fields all around and Normandy steeped in history. Great for foodies and historians

A very pretty old coach house in a south London garden – perfect for a couple or a family. Friendly owners live across the courtyard

In the gardens of a laid-back country house, a barn with books, games, faded rugs and a grand piano – a treat for convivial families

Contemporary boathouse for all the family. Find rock pools, a shingle beach and plenty of ozone in the salty Cornish air

A light, airy and comfortable barn conversion on a farm with stunning views over the Dorset/Devon border just five miles to the sea

Chill under poolside palm trees or lose yourself in novels on super comfy armchairs. Funchal with its colourful markets is within easy reach

Generous simplicity and organic farm cooking in this rustic Tuscan farm with library, yoga, family apartments and natural lily-dotted pond

A very special place to stay, immersed in the architecture and history of the city as well as its traditions, culture, food and wine

A tranquil agriturismo within easy reach of Padua. Superb views of the Euganean Hills, chic bedrooms and fine wine to sample

Rabid fans of smashing city breaks will flock to this oasis with gorgeous garden and pool in a quiet residential street near a big park

A stylish, cosy, stone-flagged cottage with vintage and modern furniture, wood-burners, patios and views - and three excellent pubs nearby

An old farm worker's cottage, niftily done up and nicely remote, with walking and fishing on the doorstep, four miles from Hadrian's Wall

High above the bay of Naples, this lovely B&B could be a Fellini film set. Romantic rooms are furnished with antiques, dinner is delicious

Spread out in much style with friends or family in a beautifully renovated Victorian farmhouse at the foot of the Howgill fells