For families who love a Great British beach holiday, this beach-side cottage on Hayling Island near Portsmouth is just the ticket

An island of oyster farms, salt pans and white beaches, woolly donkeys, countless push-bikes and the odd celeb – we love the Ile de Ré!

Come to walk, cycle, fish and hunker down in style in front of the wood-burner - sleep in deep comfort in a lovingly converted barn

Lovely small hotel in quirky market town surrounded by miles of stunning country – pretty rooms, tasty food and fine ales wait

Come for a restorative and restful stay on a wine estate with a beautiful landscaped garden and engaging owners who make you delicious meals

Built in 1518 to gaze across the Loire to Amboise and decorated with discreet elegance and respect for its history. Guests love it

Gite retreats in château grounds - welcoming and wonderful for young families. Build castles in the sandpit, make friends around the pool

A confident style for this mid-19th-century house, with a Mediterranean garden, elegant terrace and pool, a stroll from the historic centre

Grand Scottish home with stunning views & a tea-and-shortbread welcome. Historic castles, local festivals, golf, East Lothian beaches abound

Hear the rooting of wild boar and the odd splash of the pool. For those who love fresh air, great food, and the sweet hills of Umbria

Shady spots in the garden, a pool overlooked by tall palms, a bar nook stocked with drinks and a new spa in the Serra do Açor

This grand house on the river Derwent oozes old-fashioned comfort – find traditional bedrooms, delicious food and an open fire

A cracking place full of fun and interest where you feel instantly at home. Large peaceful rooms, delicious breakfasts, countryside views

Italian style marries Californian comfort, with views over hilltop towns, vineyards and the majestic Sibillini mountains beyond

A medieval monastery, stunningly revived, in untouristy, car-free Pisciotta. Sip greco on the terrace; scramble through olives to the sea

This architect-designed passive style house sits just behind the sand dunes at Waxham beach, one of Norfolk’s most lovely beaches

An exquisite Provençal home for a large party, hidden behind grand gates in a small village surrounded by the pine-scented Alpilles

Three comfortable stone houses clustered around the owners' home. Glorious views spread out below you across rolling countryside