A great place for relaxing in hidden corners or by the pool, and for parties. The dinner experiences in the vineyard are delightful and guests are truly cherished

3 lovely cottages in the heart of Cognac vines for cosy nights by the fire and summer barbecues by the pool

A rural idyll with a hot tub under starlit skies and surrounded by gorgeous countryside in the South Lakes within a hop of vibrant Cartmel

Homely furnishings and 17th-century charm at this estate on the Severn, whose owners are mad about horses and give you fine home produce

Within the city walls and right next to the Minster, this super-smart hotel gives you gorgeous bedrooms and delicious food

At the gates of a country estate, two quirky hexagonal lodge houses with private outdoor seating and acres of grounds for walks and picnics

A superb palazzo in beautiful old Florence with 13 design rooms, a cocktail menu and breakfast in your room. Arty, stylish and near the Duomo

A relaxed hilltop escape with good food, a pretty garden and fine views of the Dales and the river Wharfe – bring your dog too

A red-brick cottage and Shepherd’s hut in a magical garden with a cookery school and views over the South Downs

A big old house with a lovely pool, surrounded by ancient olives just 3kms from the sea and deep in the heart of Bandol wine country

On a quiet road leading to the sea, this sleepy village pub has been sensitively restored. Enjoy good food, sleep in comfy bedrooms

A bright comfortable retreat in an enviable spot - riverside walks, Botanic Gardens and all the hip eateries of Stockbridge on your doorstep

Shady spots in the garden, a pool overlooked by tall palms, a bar nook stocked with drinks and a new spa in the Serra do Açor

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

An 18th-century fisherman's cottage with garden at the end of a cobbled row, for happy seaside holidays with superb beaches nearby

A serene retreat basking above the Algarve with sea views from the garden and pool, and charming Moorish details

Come for the gloriously peaceful countryside and this 1700s house and garden, scrupulously renovated and with plenty of space

Contemporary studio in a classic Cotswold village. Peaceful bolthole for creatives and walkers - with shops, cafés and pubs a stroll away