Built in the 1800s, a charming stone house on the Penicuik Estate with views over woodland and hills and calming, beautiful interiors

For escapists, wannabe writers and lovers of rural bliss: two boho hideaways for two (four at a squeeze) in this lush corner of Galicia

An impressive manor house set in gentle rolling countryside ten miles from Oxford with a delightful garden, warm hosts and organic breakfast

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

A comfortable and light-filled converted stone barn in the pretty Vendée, a quiet and rural spot but just half a mile from town

Elegant historic house set in acres of grounds transports you to a bygone belle époque (with all mod cons)

Come for sumptuous bedrooms, fine dining, colourful gardens and charming staff at this smart hotel and restaurant

A detached 1960s house in a fabulous position with beautiful views over the mountains and plenty of space for walkers and skiers

A 300-year-old cottage and a secluded, magical setting next to the longest sea loch in the UK, for walkers, dreamers and nature lovers

Inside, a grand cathedral ceiling, outside, wisteria-covered terrace and pretty pool. Atlantic sands, Cognac and La Rochelle are in reach

Come for summer breakfasts of pastries fresh from the local bakery, afternoons reading by the pool and long, lazy lunches

A sweet bolthole around a courtyard on a smallholding, extremely comfortable, bright and spacious inside and with a communal garden

Superbly comfortable house with beamed rooms, lovely views, club-like morning room, antiques, terrace, pool, fitness centre and lily pond

A bright, colourful lodge, part of an 18th-century abbey with a private garden, swimming pool, books, games and a cosy fire

Tucked at the bottom of a long track and surrounded by a gorgeous natural landscape, is this generous end-slice of a 17th-century stone farm

Heart-warming B&B with hosts who are endlessly thoughtful. The food is exotic, organic, delicious and families are made very welcome

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

Come to the dramatic Côtes-d'Armor and three charming gîtes perched on the cliffs, just a short stroll down to the beach