Steeped in history and romance, with a great big sleigh bed and open fires, is this 14th-century defence tower above the river Tweed

A lovely old stone house with a covered veranda and sparkling pool in a small hilltop hamlet overlooking a lush forested valley

A gorgeous inn lost in lush country with hammocks in the garden, sofas in the drawing room and lovely local food in the popular restaurant

Beautiful cottages, donkey rides, a popular pool and restaurants to walk to. Dutch Peter knows all the walks in this heavenly valley!

A small and stylish townhouse retreat in leafy Folkestone with excellent bedrooms and a terrace for breakfast in summer

Provençale-meets-English country house to great effect – cycle Mont Ventoux, walk to the monastery, visit Roman towns and vineyards

An ancient farmstead in the Lombard style with up-to-date B&B rooms plus a garden, lake and museum all surrounded by quiet countryside

On a farmstead near Ronda where views stretch for miles are 2 houses, one old, one new, brilliant for families, sharing a fabulous pool

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

Charming 4-star gîte in an 11th-century castle in the foothills of the Pyrénées. Spectacular views, leafy terrace and wild swimming nearby

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

Fabulous Drôme gîtes: contemporary in old stone buildings, uncluttered, fresh. Take all 5 for a party, laze by pool, doze in lavender

Come for utter peace in this picture-perfect honey stone cottage with a lovely pool, garden and the glorious Dordogne to explore

Gloriously green rural self-catering apartments with pool and lovely, friendly owners

Nature lovers will be tempted to this gem of a village cottage in the Duddon Valley – a truly peaceful slice of the Lakes

A perfectly romantic and gorgeously restored bothy in a garden on a hillside by the sea, with grand views over the mountains of Skye

An elegant 1890 home in vibrant Bembridge for birdwatching, beaches and wildlife, with hot tub and extra beds for overflow guests

A 19th-century bothy in remote, rugged countryside on the edge of the Cairngorms, for walkers, birders and seekers of peace