A spacious and bright old sandstone farm building with private garden, all one one level and with lovely views over fields and countryside

Enjoy so much space in this 18th-century paper mill with uncluttered interiors and surrounded by forests, rivers and lush countryside - yet only a stone's throw away from the local bastide towns

Location, location, location – you can't beat it, so look past the dated kitchen and bathrooms and enjoy this light, bright, coastal home

Sweep along the gravel drive through lawns and specimen trees to this elegant manor house with 17th-century roots

A comfortable and characterful 1775 gatekeeper's lodge on the Mount Congreve Estate with access to the magnificent gardens

A stylish, canal-side inn – you get Sunday lunch, tow paths that lead into Edinburgh, then a pretty garden and cute rooms

Adorable cottage with a Highland lodge feel – walk straight into the hills, swim in the Spey, relax in the whisky room and sitooterie

Bright, cosy cottage in a quiet Devon village – 4 miles from Totnes – with 2 good pubs nearby and an en-suite ground-floor bedroom

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

Converted barn with the most welcoming owners – the garden and pool are all yours; explore a less touristy part of the Dordogne

Head down the Strood causeway and step back in time for a slice of Mersea Island's old-world charm: beaches, fresh oysters & a charming inn

One of five family farm cottages on the Wern Estate, serene and stylish with wood-burning stove, beautiful colours and distant sea views

Leave the car, everything is walkable & buses are practically free. Visit restaurants, vineyards & markets from your lofty village bolthole

Understatedly stylish with French antiques, sofas and balconies overlooking town and gardens. A grown-ups' retreat, 200m from the ocean

Technically in Florence yet immersed in the Tuscan hills: easy comfort, country character, warm wonderful hosts, heavenly views

A glamourous escape in central Nice. Creative art-filled interiors, a fabulous tropical garden, sumptuous buffet breakfasts, pool and spa

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

Cosy bolthole for two in a tiny hamlet next to a river and pub; walk the hills or spend the day at the unspoiled coast