A traditional cottage in Polruan on the Fowey estuary with harbour and cove views and a tea shop and two pubs in the village

From the delicious scented garden with its limestone pool to the cool rooms with perfect linen, this is a place for a special occasion

A medieval monastery, stunningly revived, in untouristy, car-free Pisciotta. Sip greco on the terrace; scramble through olives to the sea

A cool little inn lost in beautiful hills, child- and dog-friendly, with happy staff and award-winning food

Spread out in much style with friends or family in a beautifully renovated Victorian farmhouse at the foot of the Howgill fells

The oldest of three secluded cottages that share a gravel courtyard and a beautiful garden with cathedral views

This is Somerset at its most quintessential: a thatched roofed, honey-coloured Hamstone cottage with a pretty courtyard garden; sleeps four

10 minutes from La Rochelle, a place of peace and style. From scrumptious breakfasts to a splash in the pool, your hosts are eager to please

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

A grand, 16th-century Breton château complete with dovecote, turret and chapel surrounded by 50 acres of parkland, woods and small lake

Treat yourselves to a stay on one of the oldest wine estates in Provence and a family house from the 1740s, complete with antiques

Peaceful Highland hideaway on a wooded lochside: spy dolphins and otters, stargaze, and soak up the deep silence

A three storey house and garden with sea glimpses in the 'vieux village' named for the Mimosa trees which flower in profusion in winter

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

Sitting next to the church in the most picturesque village in England, this ancient, handsome cottage is packed with historical interest

At the foot of the Cambrian Mountains, an ancient whitewashed cottage with cosy, light-flooded interiors – a perfect rural bolthole for two

Flop in a hammock and be lulled by Mediterranean scents and breezes, relax in an ancient Trullo – come here for raw beauty not for frills