Climb the candle-lit marble staircase to dream between lavender-scented sheets in splendid rooms, some with balcony or terrace

Step through a door in an old wooden gate to discover a courtyard garden on the edge of town close to golden sands

Grand and old and filled with history, the estate and such a pretty house are a tonic, as are the well-tended grounds and parkland

Traditional house with a contemporary and imaginative interior; stroll to shops and restaurants, jump in the car to explore Provence

Come to be wrapped by wind and waves from this unique nest with an outdoor bath facing west - nature lovers and adventurers will be seduced

A small, quirky country house hotel with lovely staff, pretty rooms and heavenly food served in a pillared dining room

An old-world inn full of colour, with open fires, cosy rooms, local food and the magnificent Northumberland National Park all around

Foodies and sociable souls will enjoy this lively B&B in a pretty honey-coloured stone cottage with a garden and a very friendly owner

Bright, cosy cottage off the beaten track between the South Hams and Dartmoor, with good pubs nearby and an en suite ground-floor bedroom

Near to the sea, surrounded by pristine vineyards and sheltered by the walls of an ancient farmhouse, you'll feel secluded from tourists

Come for a delightful sojourn in this old baronial villa with historic winery, gorgeous guest rooms, a wellness area and infinity pool

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

A deceptively roomy 300-year-old stone cottage, with front-facing windows overlooking the harbour - just a short walk up to town

Your own apartment in a listed manor house with lovely light rooms and stunning grounds with views over farmland to the coast and Lundy

A gorgeously quirky historic building overlooking the bustling harbour with a cracking bar, St Austell ales, superb food and stylish rooms

Step into a place full of life, colour, texture and clever design surrounded by beautiful gardens and lakes

Chatty Madame is a superb cook, and her pretty house and garden in a quiet Yvelines village are equally delicious. Zip to Paris by train