Log fires smoulder, rooms are comfortable, the food is delicious and there's bags of character at this old village pub – once a cider house

Breathtaking views, coastal walks, wildflowers and pretty beaches. Return to a garden with a tropical feel, helpful hosts and sunny rooms

A birdwatchers’ paradise in heavenly valley setting with friendly hosts and delicious seasonal cooking. Explore national park from the door

Vineyard B&B suites in sympathetically restored barn. Your own entrance, light-filled rooms, terraces for sunny breakfasts & evening tipples

Swim with frogs in the freshwater pool, breakfast in the sunshine, play boules by moonlight. Châteaux don't get much more rural

A quintessential Grade II listed thatched cottage with glorious gardens near a 13th-century church and surrounded by rolling hills

A charming gite tucked into acres of ancient parkland, with an outdoor kitchen and deer wandering by at dusk

An old farm worker's cottage, niftily done up and nicely remote, with walking and fishing on the doorstep, four miles from Hadrian's Wall

Come for a holiday with extras: children’s playground, babysitting, pool, truffle hunting, vineyard, olive grove tours and more

A light-filled B&B packed with family memories and heirlooms in a small hamlet tucked into the foothills of the Dolomites

A cracking spot for this thatched and beamed 17th-century village inn with lovely gardens, just a half-mile stroll from Lulworth Cove

A smartly renovated 250-year-old brick and flint built inn, tucked away in a sleepy village beneath the glorious South Downs

A converted Victorian schoolhouse with a glorious oak bar, an impressive selection of gins, hearty food and attractive bedrooms

A smartly refurbished village pub with its own micro-brewery and a huge emphasis on cooking great food from a network of local suppliers

A light, spacious house sitting on a nature reserve for very comfortable stays and magnificent birdwatching, walking, cycling, riding

Come for sea air, independent shops, great places to eat and this quirky cottage with plenty of room and a sunny walled garden

A boutique hotel on the edge of Arcachon Bay. A natural pool, zen gardens, contemporary Eastern-style interiors, and good food await

A handsome old country manor house in the heart of the Loire castles surrounded by parkland, forests, lakes, small hamlets, vineyards and châteaux