Ascot is a trot down the road and there's a really cosy, cottagey feel to this quaint 18th-century inn with great food and comfy bedrooms

Come for very comfortable B&B suites with garden views in a converted 1880s barn with its own charming sitting and dining rooms

A cosy bolt hole near medieval Cartmel with woods, meadows and wildlife – great for walkers in this quiet part of the South Lakes

Live out all your bohemian dreams at this arty villa, with garden and plunge pool, perched above the glittering Riviera.

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

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

Step back in time at this wonderfully authentic château, loved deeply by its owners - 25km from Beaune and the Route des Grands Crus

Fall in love with this riverside village, lost in a valley in lower Normandy, and this sunny house for couples or families

Fresh sea air, drowsy afternoons and nights of warmth and company against the backdrop of the sea in this big old house on Lyme Bay

Stylish interiors, beautiful rooms, lovely staff and wonderful food – all this in the Forest of Dean with great walking and cycling trails

Achingly trendy, a design-lover's dream with infinity pool, wine on the terrace, pampering spa and a sunny bay at your feet – stunning

On the riverside, a short walk into Godalming, this lovely 18th-century pub with a peaceful garden has beautiful bedrooms and inventive menus

Come for an exceptionally inviting 17th-century inn, a chocolate-box Cotswold village, excellent local food and ales, very comfortable rooms

Spacious farmhouse with annexe, great for gatherings with family and friends. Fabulous walks and endless views over the Eglwysbach valley

Escape to the heart of the Haute-Savoie and this impressive château near Annecy, Mont Blanc and Lake Geneva

Books, meadow flowers, a rocking chair by a cosy fire at this treasure-trove cottage of beautiful things - down tiny lanes in west Cork

Surrounded by delightful gardens, these gîtes are serene retreats from which you can discover the Dordogne, or gently unwind

High in the heavenly hills is this very smartly converted farm building, with underfloor heating, much glass, wood and exposed brickwork