A stunning château with huge rooms, pretty balconies with views, peaceful garden. Super owners, excellent dinners - and child-friendly too

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

High in Ávila's unspoilt nature is this stylish, eco-brilliant family hotel: mountains, massages, pool, organic dinners... a special escape

Come for good architecture, thoughtful design and much space for relaxing: swimming, massages, hammam and sauna, beautiful bedrooms

Towering 5 storeys above lively Palermo, a gracious B&B with sunlit rooms, lovely Sicilian hosts and breakfast in fine china on the terrace

Traditional house in a rural part of the Algarve with a spectacular garden, a pool and a tennis court, and restaurants a short stroll

A cottage in a conservation village with logs in the burner, sloe gin on the table, and a good dining pub you can walk to

Woodland retreat above Loch Tummel. Silence, sunsets and star-filled skies in a 70s bungalow that blends retro charm with modern comfort

A renovated, comfy Victorian cottage behind a small village pub, a hub for the local community and with good food, ales and wine

Secluded villa with glorious views, infinity pool and lovely gardens, a three-minute walk from one of Italy’s most beautiful villages

One of England's oldest coaching inns, full of history and wonky floors, on a Surrey market town's high street

Straight out of a fairy tale, a rustic cottage by a babbling brook: a magical escape for couples, the craggy coast in easy reach

Unwind in elegant interiors and set out on long walks in beautiful countryside; Chichester and Winchester are near

A perfectly restored medieval borgo on twin Chianti hilltops, with lavender fields, honey bees and clear views to the Apennines

A charming old cottage, steeped in history and in a stunning setting, close to the Coast Path and overlooking the bustling harbour at Fowey

A newly built house facing the sea and surrounded by acres of land – perfect for swimmers, sailors, nature lovers and peace seekers

Romantic cottage within 25 acres of fields, garden and orchard with fresh veg to pick, wellies for walking and animals roaming the farm