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

You’ve got history on your doorstep in this beautiful and serene B&B, with charming gardens and a real sense of style in every room

A beautiful old building with generous windows, arched doorways and opulent interiors in the glorious countryside by a fairy tale château

A harmonious B&B in Chinon wine country. Home-cooked food, comfortable beds, easy conservations with your host and starry skies at night

Tiny, suite-in-the-sky, in shabby-chic style, with all you need cleverly tucked into one room. Plus heavenly terrace with city-wide views

Everything you’d want of a lovely country inn – pretty rooms, tasty food, local ales in a beamed bar and fabulous walking

This 300-year-old Cotswold pub, the hub of picture-book Sapperton from which there are glorious walks, is a superb place to eat and stay

Great for comfort, beauty, character and home baking. Borrow vintage bikes to explore Cambridge: Christine knows it inside out

A beautifully designed B&B for foodies, cyclists and walkers in a village surrounded by trees just 15 minutes from the coast

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

High-up, simple apartments, pools with fabulous views; kids play-things and donkeys, the glittering coast, Rapallo and Portofino down below

Contemporary lodge on a remote peninsula with spectacular views; walk, cycle or kayak, explore nature reserves and unspoiled beaches

A rustic and elegant farmhouse retreat in Provence with a pool, vineyards and wildlife-filled pond – a launchpad for the Luberon

Beautiful cottages, donkey rides, a popular pool and restaurants to walk to. Dutch Peter knows all the walks in this heavenly valley!

Location, location, location - you can't beat it, so look past the dated kitchen and bathrooms and enjoy this light, bright, coastal home

A 200-year-old quintessential Umbrian farmhouse with pool, immersed in nature and with no immediate neighbours for lazy, peaceful days

Idyllic cottage hidden in deepest, foodiest Somerset - bask on your own patio among roses and sweet peas. Bring bikes - loads to explore