An impressive manor house set in gentle rolling countryside ten miles from Oxford with a delightful garden, warm hosts and organic breakfast

Two cottages which can be taken together, in wing of a warm yellow 1927 house. Charming owners, beautiful grounds and breathtaking views

A converted coach house and stables, now one long cottage with much space, a country house feel and your own walled garden

An entire literary estate on the Brittany coast, with a trio of restored houses, fabulous gardens and a private path to the beach

An old farm worker's cottage, niftily done up and nicely remote, with walking and fishing on the doorstep, four miles from Hadrian's Wall

Overlooking Menton and the Mediterranean, this lofty apartment in a grand Belle Époque palace is perfectly placed to explore the Riviera

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

Characterful mansion in west Wales set in 10 acres of greenery with a lake; glorious beaches and good restaurants are a short drive away

A very comfortable, pretty cottage, safe for dogs and young children, surrounded by garden and mature woodland on the Badminton Estate

A converted 18th-century chapel in the heart of Bruton with an all-day restaurant, in-house bakery, wine store and south-facing terrace

A large cob and stone Devon farmhouse in a sheltered dip near to Rosemoor and the coast, with valley views over the garden and pond

After a day touring châteaux, return to this pretty, very comfortable cottage with private terrace and a garden filled with birdsong