A glorious retreat for nature lovers with a natural swimming pool, bikes to borrow and the timeless soundtrack of the water surrounding you

A welcoming country-house hotel that’s popular with locals and visitors alike - good food, stylish rooms and an airy restaurant wait

Bedrooms have seersucker linen, doors open to the countryside and Beaune is a hop away. David and Niels ensure a memorable stay

Bask in the beautiful Basque country at this friendly B&B in the village, with family-run restaurant for delicious suppers

A fine designer house and pool above the coastal hurly-burly and one of the loveliest coves in Spain, backing onto a nature park. Happy hols

A family-run, environmentally friendly bistro with rooms near Grasmere: climb to the nearest viewing spot. Dogs welcome too

This friendly, Scottish island B&B has the Atlantic at the end of the garden and air so clean the lichen grows like beards from the trees

An ideal stopover at a handsome 1790 house on the edge of a small village surrounded by beautiful countryside and with friendly young owners

Garden and mountain views from this pretty villa for two - Lake Como shimmers below. Pick up morning pastries in picturesque Mezzegra

Sun-soaked stillness, saltwater dips and garden scents of fig and rosemary - slow days unfold between olive trees and a sky full of stars

A privilege to be able to stay within the famous gardens of magnificent Château de Courances. The painter's village of Barbizon is nearby

A restored Grade II listed flint barn with roots in the 13th century, a serene lily pond and mesmerising views over the South Downs

In wild Jura, surrounded by fields and heather-covered hills, a secluded farmhouse with cosy rooms and sublime views of Small Isles Bay

Stay a while... lulled by lapping sea and fragrant hanging gardens - cool, light, balconied, classic, intimate, unpretentious

Smart, spacious house for 12 with great views over the family vineyard - arrange a tasting, walk the Cotswold Way, cycle the canal towpath

You'll find comfortable rooms, great food and a lovely bar at this friendly inn – Heartbeat country, Castle Howard and Whitby all wait

Stylishly simple cottage in the heart of the old fishing port of Méze, within easy stroll of seafood restaurants and sandy beaches

An ancient building filled with beauty and sitting in the quietest SSSI valley, criss-crossed by medieval drove ways buzzing with wildlife