You're overlooking the main square in medieval Umbertide from this cosy, second-floor apartment, so you'll feel very much like a local

There's a lovely welcome at this manoir near the sea with its family-friendly room arrangements (cottages, kitchens) and its outdoor pool

A gem of a château in the wilds of Limousin with kind and thoughtful owners who are thoroughly immersed in this tranquil area

For lovers of tranquillity and simple pleasures with a private pool, tennis court, stunning views and forty acres to explore

Go with the slow - homemade delights, no plastic anything, few mod cons - just relaxed humorous hosts and a beautiful place

Light-filled chalet in a small hamlet just outside Châtel. Feast on superb breakfasts before heading out to explore the Portes du Soleil

Restored 18th-century farm building surrounded by countryside, with a good pub a short walk away and Lake Windermere a ten-minute drive

Enjoy views over the lake, eat good food in the restaurant, sleep in antique-filled bedrooms, have a proper rest

A grand yet very homely place with tasty home cooking and 200 acres to explore. Play golf, sail, cycle – wonderfully informal

Cosy cottage on a working farm just ten miles from Edinburgh with spectacular views, walks from the door and a wood-fired sauna

A newly-renovated barn in a picturesque Cotswold village with an enclosed front garden and the river Eye at the bottom of the drive

A wonderfully comfortable light-filled house with long views, a sandy beach to walk to, fabulous walking and wildlife and a superb kitchen

Where else is breakfast served by candlelight in winter? Friendly staff, lovely bedrooms, off-street parking and Arthur’s Seat all wait

A lovely old cottage in the cliffside village of St Lawrence. Watch boats sail by from the terrace, soak in an antique bath with sea views…

Come down to the Meon Valley and be (very gently) nudged towards a better way of living - a Sawday's Community Champion

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