Kate makes you feel at home the moment you enter her great big beloved house - full of books, guitars and a piano, antiques and huge spaces

5 minutes from the Vatican in a tall palazzo above the British school. Owners share local tips, serve bakery-fresh breakfasts on the terrace

In a leafy, peaceful part of Frome - a very civilised bolthole for two. A big garden is yours to share, friendly owners live next door

A gorgeous barn conversion in the heart of the High Weald with superb walking, only five miles from Tunbridge Wells

Beautifully restored house with a literary history, no neighbours and private access to a sandy bay beyond the pines

Delicious food, stylish bedrooms and very helpful staff come hand in hand at this buzzing little inn that stands on the river Avon

A private villa beautifully flanked by gardens bursting with fruit. Here you'll find real Spanish character, style and a sun-trap terrace

A fine designer house and pool above the coastal hurly-burly and one of the loveliest coves in Spain, backing onto a nature park. Happy hols

Breathe, relax in peaceful Provençal countryside: olives, lavender and budding fruit trees. Aix's lively markets are 10 minutes away

A big, rambling inn – welcoming and unpretentious with deep sofas, eclectic artwork, tasty food and exceedingly comfortable bedrooms

Explore woodlands, farmland and gardens, plunge into the heated pool, dine at Flora Restaurant at Trelowarren. This is civilized luxury

A soothing, deeply romantic bolthole with simple interiors and its own little private garden, next to a winery and surrounded by vineyards

A Grade II listed pub in pretty Amberley - tuck into innovative menus, explore West Sussex, retire to gorgeous bedrooms

Traditional bedrooms lie under the beams of this fascinating country mansion - a grand, hospitable B&B near St Malo and sand beaches

A delight to stay in this 1880s croft house on the quieter west coast - fabulous vegetarian and vegan food, thoughtful rooms, lovely owners

A beautifully restored building in a vast, open space dotted with olive trees and fragrant citrus - unwind in the calming atmosphere

Understatedly stylish with French antiques, sofas and balconies overlooking town and gardens. A grown-ups' retreat, 200m from the ocean

A honey-hued family home clad with vines and roses with a swimming pool and heaps of space – perfect for families