A beautiful little collection of trulli near the Valle d’Itria – restored with flair and with gardens, woods and pool

A stylish retreat in the heart of St Ives offering a glimpse of the sea – with an extra double sofabed room for friends or children

A period manor and pretty rooms in old stables: a quiet base for Pas-de-Calais and Picardie. Madame loves the house, animals, story-telling

Traditional B&B in a beautiful château bursting with history and surrounded by formal gardens, then farmland and two fine rivers

A sculptor's studio, flooded with light, converted into a restful holiday home surrounded by glorious countryside, near Totnes

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

In a profoundly peaceful spot between arty St Ives and stunning Marazion, a hideaway for two surrounded by gardens and parkland

Gorgeous scenic views from this relaxed and friendly B&B tucked in a tiny hamlet in the Dordogne near Bergerac

A gorgeous apartment in the heart of a Jacobean-style manor house with sweeping views over woodlands and the wonderful gardens

A lovely gîte with cool lines and its own shady terrace plus pool, gardens, fountain and a relaxed family-friendly feel

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

A bright and spacious cottage set against a backdrop of woodland for days spent happily reading by the wood-burner or lunch on the sun deck

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

In the middle of the National Park and surrounded by the Coquet Hills, come for dark skies, fabulous walking and a very comfortable cottage

A pleasing (not very little) place to stay in the heart of a wood within the unspoilt countryside of the South Downs National Park

A big, beamed contemporary barn filled with light and surrounded by unspoilt countryside for a romantic retreat.