Serious art, lovely lighting, great sound system and a fat wood-burner belting out the heat at this super place for families or friends

Hike the Wild Boar Fells, get cosy at home with books, games and DVDs, and meet the farm’s hens, cows and sheep

You’re wrapped in parkland here and close to the coast, gardens and war memorials. A treat of a stop-over for foodies

A monastic grange full of grandeur with luxurious interiors to keep you comfortable. Enjoy a pool, gardens and Margate on the doorstep

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

A row of old brick stables now craftily converted into a light-filled and very peaceful place to stay with a garden room and gorgeous views

Two duplex apartments filled with art and sculptures inside a beautiful 18th-century orangery, minutes from magnificent Versailles

The Dordogne flows through the gastronomic heart of France, where stunning villages cling to rock faces and historic riches are in store

Come for strawberries in summer, walnuts in winter, and a wonderful welcome all year round. Thierry and Charlotte are living their dream

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

Stylishly refurbished gastro inn on historic market square with gorgeous bedrooms, local ciders and some rather tasty food

An adorable little 1800s cottage with a garden – simple, unpretentious and filled with the owner's colourful art on walls and lampshades

An exquisitely restored 1850s townhouse, steeped in history, with a sweet garden and within walking distance of the historic centre of Porto

An 18th-century fisherman's cottage with garden at the end of a cobbled row, for happy seaside holidays with superb beaches nearby

This lovely, beamy, uncluttered Tuscan farmhouse with separate apartment is an elegant lodging on a vast fruitful estate with pool, and lovely owners

Food grown, foraged and prepared with care, a carefully curated wine list, roaring fires and very comfortable bedrooms to sink into

A shady terrace runs the full length of this old barn, overlooking magnificent trees and fields of sheep. Riberac is a 10-minute drive

Immerse yourself, luxuriously, in beautiful rural Picardy – mirabelle jam, peaceful parkland, walking in the hills – near historic Amiens