Lovely stone-built dog-friendly cottages with a pool in glorious, quiet surroundings near to lakes, mountains and wide sandy beaches

An 18th-century converted barn with lofty beamed ceilings, exposed stonework, handmade oak windows and much art – pretty garden too

Overlooking Menton and the Mediterranean, this lofty apartment in a grand Belle Époque palace is perfectly placed to explore the Riviera

A cottage for two on a wonderfully eco wine school and vineyard. Gaze at magnificent views from your terrace

An ancient trullo saraceno, carefully restored and sitting in a huge swathe of nature, with a serene pool, gnarly olives and wide skies

Family-friendly hotel on Ullswater with a pool and a variety of bedrooms, some super-cool - swim in the lake, walk in the hills, eat well

In a chocolate-box village just an hour on the train, and a short hop in a taxi, from London is this foodie inn with pretty bedrooms

Ascot is a trot down the road and there's a really cosy, cottagey feel to this quaint 18th-century inn with great food and comfy bedrooms

Families and walkers will be happy at this unfussy seaside retreat with beaches down the road and coastal paths right by your door

A wonderful green getaway with wrap-around views of Norfolk nature; walk Weavers’ Way, birdwatch at Blakeney, enjoy the coast at Cromer

A lovely spot in an AONB for this bright and airy converted barn, one of four round a gravelled courtyard on a 600-acre estate

A cracking spot for this thatched and beamed 17th-century village inn with lovely gardens, just a half-mile stroll from Lulworth Cove

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

After trekking Offa's Dyke, return to a cosy wood-burner stocked with logs and a sumptuous bed - you'll love this country retreat for two

Once a lofty edifice for music recitals, now an original place to stay - with stained-glass windows, a bed on a stage and wild gardens

Light-filled gites share a lovely pool, with pétanque, ping-pong and bikes to borrow – bring friends and take all three

Superb architecture & design reflect the industrial past, present and future in this cutting-edge pod for 2 - a Sawday's Community Champion

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