A luxurious springboard for the wineries, villages and treasures of south Tuscany in the magical Orcia valley - if you can bear to leave it!

A beautiful little house in a corner of the garden: walk for miles or just to the local pub, barbecue on the deck with its rural views

A cosy, very comfortable stone cottage with fine views across the valley, just a couple of miles from the southern tip of Ullswater

Victorian almshouse with architectural pedigree, sweeping countryside views and easy access to charming local towns

Cosy country cottage for four on an organic farm in the Welsh borders. Wake to the sounds of birds and sheep, walk off supper on rural romps

This architect-designed passive style house sits just behind the sand dunes at Waxham beach, one of Norfolk’s most lovely beaches

Find gilded mirrors, rich brocades, Fragonard toiletries and an unexpected roof terrace at this 6-bedroom guest house near St Mark’s Square

A renovated, comfy Victorian cottage behind a small village pub, a hub for the local community and with good food, ales and wine

A large handsome 1800s manor, now a peaceful haven for free-range families and creative types on the edge of vibrant Richelieu in the Loire

A stunning veranda wraps itself around the house: doze off in a wicker armchair or sip a drink at dusk as the sun melts into the valley

A great little inn, hugely popular, with stylish bedrooms, lovely food, happy staff and a winning position on the river Wyre

A charming transformation of a once boarded-up pub in a pretty village setting, beside the river Wye in the heart of the Peak District

Homely furnishings and 17th-century charm at this estate on the Severn, whose owners are mad about horses and give you fine home produce

Walkers and wild-lifers, here is your place in the Pyrenees. Colour, character, a welcoming family, log fires and delicious home cooking

Two peaceful olive grove farmhouses, hours of hiking along CAI trails, each offering a shared pool with incredible views, Pisa and Lucca only 20 minutes away

A hugely spoiling place to stay with gardens, plunge pool, hot tub and sauna - part of the village pub, farm shop, brewery and Wellness Barn

A romantic little bolthole with a hot tub on the Penicuik Estate with well-thought-out interiors and dreamy views over pastures and woodland

Luxurious living combines with bleating sheep and bells from the church next door - 4 fabulous retreats on the Cotentin Peninsula