Elegance and ease mark this gentle group of Loire-Valley buildings, with soft-textured interiors and the owners’ fine hospitality and food

A cleverly planned 2020 large family home with all the bells and whistles for superb holidays – swimming pool, gym, barbecue and garden

An elegant house with ancient roots and a shimmering pool – explore the Charente countryside, drive to lovely Angoulême

A beautifully restored old coaching inn with a vibrant, bustling atmosphere, great food, friendly staff and super-swish bedrooms

A Georgian townhouse full of character for an epic family and friend get-together. The best of Hay is a stroll away

In tranquil Borgomaro, a wonderful hotel spread across three old buildings. Stylish rooms, a tempting pool and delicious Italian breakfasts…

Pippa tells you where to find wild flowers, babbling brooks and butterflies... and hike, bike and swim. Magic for families

Spend restful days in a verdant garden, slip into the cooling pool, sip wine on your private balcony, stroll into arty Benissa

A spacious and bright old sandstone farm building with private garden, all one one level and with lovely views over fields and countryside

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

Former blacksmith’s workshop in a chocolate-box corner of the New Forest, where clematis climbs the trellis and all you hear are the birds

A stroll from the village, this comfy house in its terraced garden comes with a keen-cook's kitchen, a generous terrace and pool

Come here in the summer (it’s closed Nov-April except by arrangement) for candlelit dining, chintzy bedrooms, long views over the park...

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

Come for the space and silence, the birds and the beach; soak up wild vistas, warm yourself by the fire pit - a Sawday's Community Champion

Gloriously cool in summer, cosy in winter, a 365-day-a-year retreat. Just a 10-minute promenade along the beach into the fun heart of town

Welcome to a dreamy fortified castle, once owned by French royalty, the perfect place to stay for history lovers and comfort seekers

An old farmhouse in a hilltop town deep in wine country, with a charming owner intent on ensuring you make the most of your stay