An exquisitely restored 500-year-old inn, where the accent is very much on food, reared and grown nearby and with very comfortable rooms

A Regency farmhouse sitting in a wrap-around garden with views to mountain and sea for wonderful walking, cycling and swimming

Grand and old and filled with history, the estate and such a pretty house are a tonic, as are the well-tended grounds and parkland

Off the beaten track and into the hills – this remote, unknown bird-filled region is faultless for outdoorsy people

Stay in a celebrated French author’s holiday home, beautifully restored and tucked among pines next to one of Brittany's loveliest bays

Swim in the pool overlooking vineyards, try the wines and oil made onsite, get cosy by log fires or head to the nearby beach

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

Step through a door in an old wooden gate to discover a courtyard garden on the edge of town close to golden sands

Ensconce yourselves in the Black Périgord and stay in the East Wing of a 16th-century castle with private garden and surrounding parkland

Enjoy so much space in this 18th-century paper mill with uncluttered interiors and surrounded by forests, rivers and lush countryside - yet only a stone's throw away from the local bastide towns

A gorgeous house with oodles of original features, a lovely garden and the owners' pub, farm shop, brewery and spa a short walk

A quintessential Grade II listed thatched cottage with glorious gardens near a 13th-century church and surrounded by rolling hills

A 16th-century timbered riverside inn with a relaxed, rustic feel, garden cabin rooms with views and fresh seasonal and homegrown food

In the heart of the East Sussex countryside, a fun community inn, with rustic-historic bedrooms, scrumptious food, and a great welcome for dogs

Warm hospitable agriturismo for foodies, designers, wine enthusiasts and all who love the 'real' Sicily. A happy place for families, too

With breathtaking views of the hills above Nice, a splendid villa with big bedrooms, shimmering infinity pool, and generous, fun owners

A charming home-from-home in the Yorkshire Dales with stunning country views; come for Fell walks, great pubs and cosy fireside board games

Lovingly renovated farmhouse amid vines and sunflowers, deep in the Charente countryside - small pool in garden, beaches 45 minutes away.