A chilled, family-friendly hotel on a sandy surfing beach with huge views and a sensational pool with sustainability at its heart

Unwind in elegant interiors and set out on long walks in beautiful countryside; Chichester and Winchester are near

Gite retreats in château grounds - welcoming and wonderful for young families. Build castles in the sandpit, make friends around the pool

A niftily restored, open-plan, beamed hayloft, just the ticket for romantics, with gorgeous views of fields and open countryside

A hugely seductive and stylish special place - with magnificent views, pool and bikes, vineyards and hilltop villages to visit

In the “green heart” of Italy: great hosts, dreamy views, super pool, and food to fall in love with, including vegetarian

Come for the gloriously peaceful countryside and this 1700s house and garden, scrupulously renovated and with plenty of space

Stay on a secluded private estate by the sea - once the home of the brilliant French writer, Colette

Simple rooms on a spotless farm, delightful hosts, delicious fruit tarts at breakfast on Sundays. The perfect stopover en route to Calais

A big warm, generous, house for a large group with a fenced garden and stunning views into the far distance. Child and dog friendly

A listed townhouse with 16th-century roots in lovely little Wells with a pretty garden, just a short walk to the magnificent cathedral

Something to astound at every turn where the traditional and downright quirky collide to stunning effect. Friendly, flexible hosts too

Come for the great outdoors and wrap-around views of Muncaster Fell and Scafell Pike from this warm, bright and spacious Passivhaus

1820s cottage with long views, a lovely garden and generous extras. Alnwick is close and miles of white sandy beaches with dunes

An elegant solution to a hotel - no rooms, but 13 charming villas in the heart of the maquis, nearly all with a private pool

Tradition and comfort on the border with Wales, a welcoming country-house hotel with warm rooms, pretty gardens and delicious food

Feel right at home in a thatched farmhouse on South Pool Creek, with cottage garden views, great breakfasts and a good local pub

Rural peace just an hour from London in your own gorgeous converted hay barn, ten minutes from Alton