An 18th-century converted barn with lofty beamed ceilings, exposed stonework, handmade oak windows and much art – pretty garden too

A grand yet very homely place with tasty home cooking and 200 acres to explore. Play golf, sail, cycle – wonderfully informal

A stunner of a setting for this restored croft house with long views to a sparkling loch and a lively village nearby. Good beaches too

Unwind in glorious Northumberland with beaches, proper dunes, ancient castles and two cosy cottages with open fires, sea views and gardens

In off-the-beaten-track Tuscany, 2 peaceful apartments in a former haybarn, both carefully renovated with antique furniture

Come for a village feel, rural peace and boundless Portuguese countryside at this charming whitewashed home with a super terrace with views

A countryside escape for 2 near Chepstow with traditional interiors and cheery wood-burner. Not suitable for children but dogs very welcome

Find history and splendour in bucketfuls on this huge, friendly, wooded domaine. A winning combination of modern luxury and ancient peace

A renovated bright apartment with lots of space, a hop, skip and jump away from the shingle beach of seaside-jolly Deal

A confident style for this mid-19th-century house, with a Mediterranean garden, elegant terrace and pool, a stroll from the historic centre

Cosy and comfortable eco cottages near to sleepy Sidmouth, where grown-ups can relax and children can play safely in the gardens

A trulli hamlet immersed in nature, on the wilder side of Puglia with visits to white-washed hilltop towns and cooking with Nonna Maria

Your friendly hosts offer you stylish bedrooms, swims in the heated pool, and wonderful dinners and wines. Cahors is only a 10-minute drive

Rural peace just an hour from London in your own gorgeous converted hay barn, ten minutes from Alton

A renovated barn, part stone, part wood, resembling the tobacco barns of the area with beautiful grounds surrounded by farmland

Stylish B&B near the fashionable Chartrons quarter. A charming host, spacious rooms, a courtyard garden and delicious breakfasts

Contemporary studio in a classic Cotswold village. Peaceful bolthole for creatives and walkers - with shops, cafés and pubs a stroll away

Classic crofter’s cottage with a minimalist chic makeover - soft colours, designer lighting - surrounded by peace; a romantic hideaway