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

Colourful coastal apartments and studios where you can be nicely independent, and enjoy a communal café and health club with Art Deco pool

Few inns can rival the scale or history of this one. Dogs doze by the inglenook, food is sourced from local suppliers, bedrooms are gorgeous

Get the full-English bucolic countryside experience at this boutique inn right in the heart of a quintessentially pretty Cotswold village

A charming B&B in south Sardinia, near Cagliari: circled by palms and cypresses, overlooking sweet-smelling lemon & orange groves. Bliss

Throw open French windows to this sleek self-catering space, with off-street parking. Walk to the beach & the pub, visit historic Chichester

The views are sensational, the bedrooms full of charm and higgledy-piggledy beams. Sip Perigord Noir on the terrace and amble to the market

Treat yourself to a bit of a rest with the one you love at this dreamy gîte in glorious countryside, with pool, garden and gorgeous walks

Old meets new seamlessly here: ancient stone, lofty beams, good comfort, wood-burner, Jacuzzi/spa and space to relax in the designer garden

Perfect château B&B with pointy turrets and pale blue shutters, surrounded by gorgeous countryside, a cycle route and ancient villages

An elegant Burgundian townhouse with pool on the fringe of Morvan National Park in Côte d'Or. Dijon, with Beaune and Chablis an easy drive

A lovely old cottage in the grounds of a Provençal mas with a delightful private courtyard, use of a large pool and a magnificent garden

A lovely wisteria-clad inn in a traditional Cotswold village with grand walks, a pretty garden, tasty food and thoughtful bedrooms

In a leafy, peaceful part of Frome - a very civilised bolthole for two. A big garden is yours to share, friendly owners live next door

Play boules in the garden, swim in the natural pool and enjoy Monica’s wonderful cooking served with local wines at this village farmhouse

A spacious courtyard, two ancient yews and this lovely restored house ooze charm - swim, cycle, walk in glorious countryside, taste cognac

Come to this cosy barn down a winding lane for a back-to-nature escape: hike the Black Mountains, splash in the stream, gaze at the views

A deliciously rural stone house with charmingly simple rustic-chic interiors and saline pool - an hour from Perugia