In an outstanding area for lovers of food and wine, here are 3 beautiful boltholes in the Alto Douro, the oldest wine region in the world

Very private and comfortable rooms with their own entrances at this generous B&B with glorious gardens and views to the Black Mountains

A handsome château filled with intrigue and interest on the edge of a Bastide town in Landes. Your charming host looks after you with aplomb

Friendly owners settle you in to this cool, creatively styled barn. Perfect for groups & families with big pool & garden

A joy for foodies, peace seekers and lovers of period architecture… note the Honduran mahogany banister with inlaid jet and pearl

Up, up and away to this stunning cottage perched 1400 feet high in the National Park with big skies, grand walks and much comfort indoors

Snug, simple and delightful casitas with private entrances and courtyards interlink for groups. Stroll through the olives, bask by the pool

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

Glamour, warmth and style in a renovated wine warehouse in a cool quarter of Bordeaux - France’s most popular city after Paris

Converted stables on a fruitful and beautiful estate with gardens, sculpture walks, wildflower meadows and a farm-to-fork restaurant

A light-filled studio with a sweet private terrace on the estate of a 16th-century manor - river views, glorious gardens and pure peace

A snug Snowdonia bolthole arranged around a vast boulder, once home to Victorian artists inspired by the setting. For romantic hikers

Former blacksmith’s workshop in a chocolate-box corner of the New Forest, where clematis climbs the trellis and all you hear are the birds

Your own apartment in a listed manor house with lovely light rooms and stunning grounds with views over farmland to the coast and Lundy

Step into the valley region from this beautifully restored 17th-century house surrounded by saltwater and freshwater canals and lakes

Hideaway at the bottom of the garden with a little courtyard and far-reaching views; walk to the village pub or take a day trip to Bath

A rather grand, opulent house with warm owners, interesting furniture and art and some fine Renaissance architectural elements intact

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