A converted Victorian schoolhouse with a glorious oak bar, an impressive selection of gins, hearty food and attractive bedrooms

Serious art, lovely lighting, great sound system and a fat wood-burner belting out the heat at this super place for families or friends

A pleasure to stay in such a dreamy château surrounded by a beautiful terrace, elegant gardens and parkland, a lake, river and waterfall

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

An elegantly renovated coaching inn with inspired design, beautifully simple pub food, tempting ales and gloriously comfortable bedrooms

Five tranquil apartments surrounded by Tuscan countryside just over half an hour's drive from Siena - hire them all for a group holiday

An attractive, sympathetic barn conversion, full of light, pleasingly uncluttered and hidden down a lane in stunningly beautiful countryside

Refurbished police HQ in the centre of Bristol, minutes from the bus station, shops and pretty harbourside - a Sawday’s Community Champion

Family cottage within 25 acres of fields, garden and orchard with fresh eggs to collect, wellies for walking and animals roaming the farm

Elegantly restored mariner’s cottage with tasteful interiors and sweeping, uninterrupted views over the ever-changing estuary

A really well thought-out escape for a small family with children. A big garden, pool, petanque court and play barn for indoor fun

Old wooden sleigh beds, check-clothed tables, log fires, a courtyard of centuries-old trees, a claw foot bath. Stacks of character

On the side of a hill in the little-known Marche, a happy young farmhouse with an elegant saltwater pool, and wonderful meals from Kelda

Old meets new in Benoit’s charming villa with courtyard pool, breakfasts to linger over and all the fun of La Baule on the doorstep

Delightful little antique-filled cottage with large walled garden and an allotment near Versailles. Gardeners will be happy

Countryside and seaside all in one go – what could be more inspiring? Lovely Louisa lives down the road, on hand if you need her

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