Victorian almshouse with architectural pedigree, sweeping countryside views and easy access to charming local towns

Hike the Wild Boar Fells, get cosy at home with books, games and DVDs, and meet the farm’s hens, cows and sheep

A hop from St Mark’s Square, this long-standing hotel - a delightful family affair - could not be better placed for exploring Venice

Crackling fires in winter, croquet in the summer. Life ticks by peacefully - rooms are engagingly old-fashioned, the garden is much-loved

A cosy, beautifully refurbished flat in a Georgian house bang in the middle of the unspoilt town with its pretty streets and houses

A very pretty old coach house in a south London garden – perfect for a couple or a family. Friendly owners live across the courtyard

Romantic cottage within 25 acres of fields, garden and orchard with fresh veg to pick, wellies for walking and animals roaming the farm

Come down to the Meon Valley and be (very gently) nudged towards a better way of living - a Sawday's Community Champion

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

Treat yourself to a bit of a rest with the one you love at this dreamy gîte in glorious countryside, with pool, garden and gorgeous walks

Glorious, thoughtful food, ales and wines using 'as much good stuff they can lay their hands on' at this restaurant with lovely rooms

This famous old country house might not come cheap, but where else can you splash out in such decadent style for life’s big celebrations?

Three beautiful spaces for a much-awaited gathering of friends and family. Share the glorious gardens, swim in the pool, create memories

Sleek, smart apartments on the first floor of a 19th-century building in Verona's most fashionable residential/commercial neighbourhood

Sustainably built Suffolk retreat with plenty of space for friends and family to properly unwind - a steam room seals the deal

Sumptuous and pampering with monogrammed sheets and frescoed walls.More for honeymooners and couples than lolly-licking tots

Former pear-press cellar, now a swish bolthole with magical mountain views. In the village centre, 15-minutes’ drive to the Paradiski slopes

If you need a great place in which to relax and don’t want to pay too much for it, try these excellent suites, which spoil you all the way