Escape to a rural idyll on a working olive and citrus farm in the toe of Italy. Attentive hosts, good for kids and great food!

A laidback retreat, well placed for visiting some of the most popular Tuscan gems, with a sparkling pool, traditional meals & charming hosts

Beautiful B&B in idyllic setting, with natural salt water pool and plenty of relaxed communal spaces

Come to unwind in nature, surrounded by sun-drenched fields in this large, rustic but elegant villa with courtyard, garden and pool

Two family and dog friendly retreats for lovers of the countryside, birdwatchers and those wishing to escape the crowds

B&B rooms, some with kitchenettes, in a lush garden setting with a river running behind. The pretty village is on your doorstep

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

Friendly touches everywhere, terrific food and drink, smart bedrooms above the sparkling bar – dogs and children welcome

Live like a local. Art lovers, book lovers and walkers will be happy here above an art gallery in the centre of town

A small, trendy hotel, very much of its time, with oodles of style, stunning bedrooms and fantastic staff

Get a taste of la dolce vita in this boutique resort perched high above Sorrento, gateway to the dazzling Amalfi coast

A botanical beauty deep in the Loire Valley, this elegant house has history and heart in abundance

With incredible views across to distant hilltop towns, olive groves and buzzing bees, this elegant farmhouse has bags of charm

A family-run 1700s thatched Inn in a rural hamlet with super food, a grand team to look after you and picnic benches in a pretty garden

A big old house with a lovely pool, surrounded by ancient olives just 3kms from the sea and deep in the heart of Bandol wine country

Steeped in history and romance, with a great big sleigh bed and open fires, is this 14th-century defence tower above the river Tweed

Sustainably built Suffolk retreat with plenty of space for friends and family to properly unwind (a steam room seals the deal)