A bit like staying with friends in a smart country house, but not having to help - an elegant refuge near Bradford-on-Avon

A cosy, very comfortable stone cottage with fine views across the valley, just a couple of miles from the southern tip of Ullswater

Cosy cottage on a working farm just ten miles from Edinburgh with spectacular views, walks from the door and a wood-fired sauna

A hop to Montpellier, but deep in the countryside: a romantic pad, with Moroccan rugs, ochre-limed walls and bikes to ride into the country

Rare as a bird, a proper old fashioned French inn on the side of the road in a sleepy village, a restoration project for the new owners

Come for home-baked bread, eggs from the hens, arrays of fresh fruit, and fabulous river views... your hosts do lovely B&B

Comfortable and colourful villa, very much a family home, with glorious views, infinity pool and lovely gardens, just 3 minutes from town

Great for comfort, beauty, character and home baking. Borrow vintage bikes to explore Cambridge: Christine knows it inside out

An enchanting escape immersed in nature yet only 40 minutes by train into the Eternal City for art and history-filled days

An absolute peach of an apartment on the first floor of this iconic building with stunning views over the harbour and St Michael's Mount

Come to recharge in the lovely Loire valley at this fine château surrounded by mature gardens and green countryside

A big, beamed contemporary barn filled with light and surrounded by unspoilt countryside for a romantic retreat.

A marvellous spot overlooking Rutland Water for this 1760 former hunting lodge with good seasonal British food and very comfortable bedrooms

A luxurious 1920s manor house with superbly stylish rooms, secluded gardens and a heated pool; close to the Picardy coast

Feel like the lord or lady of the manor at this sublime restoration of a Tudor, timber-framed stone house in lovely Ludlow

An attractive converted stable with covered veranda, private garden and views over rolling countryside, minutes from the coast

Three restful B&B apartments, unique and stylish with communal spaces, wellbeing and healing, delicious home-cooked food

Deep luxury, superb service and a wealth of delightful things to admire at this small hotel on a very quiet street in the heart of the city