Fabulous Drôme gîtes: contemporary in old stone buildings, uncluttered, fresh. Take all 5 for a party, laze by pool, doze in lavender

Everything you’d want of a lovely country inn – pretty rooms, tasty food, local ales in a beamed bar and fabulous walking

Amazing beaches, a pub you can hike to, a train to get you to Snowdonia... and your own remote cottage with stunning views

Stylish B&B near the fashionable Chartrons quarter. A charming host, spacious rooms, a courtyard garden and delicious breakfasts

Bright and spacious barn for two and a baby on the South Downs Way, close to Brighton and the coast

Dreamy, languid beauty at this spacious, airy, arty house with garden and pool in typical Pugliese countryside

Sweep along the gravel drive through lawns and specimen trees to this elegant manor house with 17th-century roots

Great for comfort, beauty, character and home baking. Borrow vintage bikes to explore Cambridge: Christine knows it inside out

A rural farmhouse B&B with view-filled bedrooms, hearty breakfasts and walks from the door. The Dowies are generous hosts

Two restored mill buildings in the serene French countryside, with river views and artful interiors – a peaceful self-catering escape

Small country hotel in a riverside setting near Giverny, with a superb restaurant and a charming village a few minutes’ walk away

Once a pub, now a friendly home for relaxed gatherings of families or friends, with oodles of space, lots to do and pretty riverside walks

If you need a great place in which to relax and don’t want to pay too much for it, try these excellent suites, which spoil you all the way

Just minutes from Bath is this enchanting space. Grand walking, a very rural feel, lovely views and a warm welcome for 2-4 plus your dog

Elegant house with sprawling gardens and space for family and friends, within walking distance of the coast

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

A glorious château near Tours – authentic, huge fun, steeped in family history and surrounded by gorgeous gardens with a serene pool

In the heart of a starlight reserve in a protected natural park, three authentic cottages with walks from the door for immersion in nature