A luxurious springboard for the wineries, villages and treasures of south Tuscany in the magical Orcia valley - if you can bear to leave it!

Simple rooms on a spotless farm, delightful hosts, delicious fruit tarts at breakfast on Sundays. The perfect stopover en route to Calais

A niftily converted barn with high vaulted ceiling sitting on a hill with wonderful views over a newly-created lake and the Stour Valley

Everything you’d want of a lovely country inn – pretty rooms, tasty food, local ales in a beamed bar and fabulous walking

A dreamy house in a quiet village - once the wine merchant's domain with perfect proportions and a sunny courtyard - very much Flora's home

Family-friendly B&B above the medieval hill village of Bargemon, with soothing minimalist interiors, a large garden and a swimming pool

A very pretty Victorian gothic house of limestone and brick, sitting peacefully on the edge of the village, eight miles from foodie Ludlow

Friendly pub in rural village near Cambridge with strong community feel, great local food, garden, snug room and fresh, pretty bedrooms

A taste of old Italy in this off-the-beaten-track rustic house on three levels, exquisitely restored and with elegant designer furnishings

Remote barn in the middle of Northumberland National Park with views for miles, wonderful walking trails and clear starry skies

Just minutes from Bath is this enchanting space. Grand walking, a very rural feel, lovely views and a warm welcome for 2-4 plus your dog

Elegance and ease mark this gentle group of Loire-Valley buildings, with soft-textured interiors and the owners’ fine hospitality and food

A stylish, cosy, stone-flagged cottage with vintage and modern furniture, wood-burners, patios and views - and three excellent pubs nearby

An expansive and generous 13th-century Catalan farmhouse, restored with verve and colour in the Pyrenees - a wonderful spot for groups

What a surprise! Tucked into a row of tightly woven old cottages is this contemporary open-plan hideaway with huge windows and much flair

For retreats, groups of friends, and big families: come to recharge the senses at this special and ancient house enveloped by wild gardens

In the city of Trapani, at the foot of Mount Erice, a nobleman's villa with a warm heart and exotic gardens. A hop from the Egadi Islands

Take in the stunning views, explore the narrow medieval lanes and soak up the old-world charm of one of France’s most beautiful villages