Charmingly rambling, inside and out: blazing fires, riotous patterns, oak panelling, a prolific garden and comfortable antique beds

Charming half-timbered house at the start of the Alsace wine route, with spacious rooms, tempting breakfast and a swimming pool

A lovely eco barn - your home from home; come for walks on the North Yorks Moors, world class cycling and cosy evenings by the wood-burner

A delightful eyrie surrounded by water, forest, wildflowers in spring and summer, views to distant islands - just a short stroll to Ullapool

A hop to Montpellier, but deep in the countryside: a romantic pad, with Moroccan rugs, ochre-limed walls and bikes to ride into the country

Welcome to a dreamy fortified castle, once owned by French royalty, the perfect place to stay for history lovers and comfort seekers

Magnificent house with old-fashioned charm and gardens leading down to the Beaulieu River – take the footpath to Beaulieu or Bucklers Hard

Stay in the very first holiday let in the history of this lovely little hamlet of nine houses, with a superb sailing club and a decent pub

Close to sandy beaches between Penzance and Helston, three places to stay with characterful interiors and freshly baked scones waiting

Deep in Burgundy's wine country, an elegant maison de maître sits in acres of gloriously private parkland

A delightful harled stone and wood house yards from the sea with glorious hills behind, for walkers, dreamers, nature lovers and adventurers

A rustic-chic bolthole with bird's eye views to gaze at from your bedroom and the beautiful garden, tucked in a quaint hamlet in Maremma

Great taste – in decor and food – and a delicious heated pool. Views swoop over field and valley; trails, villages, wineries tempt

Proper village pub with much-praised food and cosy rooms; country walks lead from the door and Oxford is half an hour away

A Georgian manor house in the old quarter of Penzance, close to the water, with good food and a chilled vibe

Bedrooms with terraces and views over St Michael’s Mount Bay. Explore the gardens; walk from the door to glorious beaches

Come to this delightful house, a marriage of old stones and modern furniture, for pure remote air, great outdoor sports and fine dining