Taste the wine, plunge into the granite pool, play billiards in the library, linger outdoors as swallows swoop – eat delicious local dishes

Leave the car, everything is walkable & buses are practically free. Visit restaurants, vineyards & markets from your lofty village bolthole

A lucky break to stay here: part of a 1669 grade-II* listed Almshouse with modern interiors; leafy and quiet yet a short hop from the town

Refined B&B in a pretty forest setting just north of the French Basque country, with a lovely garden, a swimming pool and delicious food

A seamless blend of ancient and modern in this architect-designed villa with infinity pool and veranda for admiring the wonderful views

Walkers, nature lovers, couples will love this eco-friendly cottage near Calgary beach: a breath of warmth in the beautiful back of beyond

An 1820s beach house just 50 metres from the pretty sands and a first-floor deck for al fresco meals with stunning views over the water

Style, comfort and tranquillity combine in a lovely B&B near Bergerac. Sleep in elegant four-poster beds, breakfast on the sunny terrace…

A rare treat, 700 metres above sea level and girdled by forests, waterfalls, chestnuts and olives, this is the place to come for solace

An 1820s farmhouse at the end of a quiet road in the North York Moors National Park, overlooking a forest and surrounded by fields

Take a suite with champagne, strawberries and a tower, swim in the saltwater pool, eat a Castilian cocido - unwind in rural peace!

A contemporary country-house hotel with a lovely spa and peaceful gardens - Sandringham and the north Norfolk coast are close

Light and sunny annexe with your own entrance in the centre of vibrant Buckfastleigh with lovely gardens, for couples plus a child or two

Everything is on the doorstep and you'll find much comfort at these smart self-catering apartments in the heart of the city

A cosy bolthole on a scenic estate with red kites soaring overhead and views to Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) - the walking is sublime

Painting courses on request, gardens full of roses, a parasol’d terrace, a seductive pool… we love this welcoming, traditional hotel

A light, bright village house with a courtyard garden - 5 minutes from Cabo da Roca where the sunsets and views are spectacular

A contemporary rooftop room in a warmly civilised B&B filled with books and lovely things – stunning view too