A B&B with a soul, walks to thrill the heart. In these peaceful hills northwest of Como, views challenge you to keep your eyes on the road

Cuisine reigns supreme at this historic B&B. Play world-class golf, trek the Giant’s Causeway, plunder National Trust treasures

A big, rambling inn – welcoming and unpretentious with deep sofas, eclectic artwork, tasty food and exceedingly comfortable bedrooms

Hospitable Jorge and Clotilde love nothing more than sharing their colourful, chaotic old house with guests. The farm produce is fabulous

A cottage for two on a wonderfully eco wine school and vineyard. Gaze at magnificent views from your terrace

A lovely old 19th-century inn by the sea with hand-pumped ales, fresh local and seasonal food and spoiling bedrooms, some with sea views

A humdinger of a pub, hidden in a sleepy village in the Surrey Hills, oozing character and charm and with delicious food and comfy bedrooms

A fine old house packed with grand old things above Portree Bay in the middle of Skye - homely bedrooms, some huge, are a treat

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

Cosy bolthole for two in a charming market town on the edge of Dartmoor – stroll to restaurants and shops or explore the moors

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

An elegant manor house with pretty bedrooms, pool and large grounds. Nathalie looks after you with ease and sets you up with big breakfasts

In the heart of a starlight reserve in a protected natural park, three authentic cottages with walks from the door for immersion in nature

A big, homely farmhouse on the Umbria/Tuscany border for family holidays filled with sunshine, outdoor frolics and good food

A perfectly renovated farmhouse in the grounds of a delightful château deep in the Normandy countryside, with a lovely walled garden

A wonderful surprise inside this 1590 house sitting in a beautiful walled garden full of fruit trees, just off the High Street

An 18th-century fisherman's cottage with garden at the end of a cobbled row, for happy seaside holidays with superb beaches nearby

This grand house on the river Derwent oozes old-fashioned comfort – find traditional bedrooms, delicious food and an open fire