In an leafy quarter of central Milan, 2 inviting apartments run by generous Jane. Perfect for families and romancers

Wooded, lakeside retreat for 1 or 2 – big windows, huge terrace, wood-burner, wide screen. The Jurassic coast a cross-country walk away

Gather loved ones and come for a family holiday with oodles of space, a gorgeous pool and a tropical garden with views of mountains and sea

Breakfasts with sausages from home-reared rare breed pigs, a big log fire and relaxed friendly hosts. Acres of garden and woodland paths

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

Up a narrow lane this dreamy pub with rooms has views to the South Downs. Stay for supper, let the kids run free in the garden playground

Award-winning Aga-cooked breakfasts, scented candles, gorgeous beds... Come for a break from clock-watching and a spot of Shropshire air

Within the city walls and right next to the Minster, this super-smart hotel gives you gorgeous bedrooms and delicious food

Traditional B&B in a beautiful château bursting with history and surrounded by formal gardens, then farmland and two fine rivers

A beautiful 18th-century manor house on a productive wine estate with an enticing garden, spa and pool by a nature reserve. Views soar

Comfortable, traditional, accessible and in the grounds of an old rectory with meadows and the river Frome nearby for summer dips

A townhouse with a walled garden by the church in a peaceful village where friendly Scottish owners feed and look after you well

A beautiful little collection of trulli near the Valle d’Itria – restored with flair and with gardens, woods and pool

A restful space with a pretty garden in a quiet Derbyshire village - the pub a short stroll away and Chatsworth near

An immaculately restored 1500s palazzo, filled with history, art, antiques and books in the buzzing heart of a charming town

A stone built 18th-century tower in a pretty valley dotted with fruit trees for quiet and relaxed days recuperating from life in the city

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

Bright, cosy cottage in a quiet Devon village, four miles from Totnes, with two good pubs nearby and an en suite ground-floor bedroom