An art-filled home poised above Hastings Old Town in a wonderfully private, peaceful spot and with a lush, tropical garden

A grand-looking stone building with fabulous views across the Derwent Valley from the terrace and garden – find quirky rooms and great food

Find beauty and tranquillity on this historic Dordogne estate for up to fourteen - plus a feast of designer colour and a fine pool to share

A gem of a house in a lovely unspoilt village with an intelligent, interesting owner who gives you delicious food and local wines

A pretty cottage in the grounds of an 18th-century house in the heart of southern Burgundy, with stunning gardens and a shared pool

Atmospheric English pub with rooms by the green with its duck ponds in a pretty village, with walking and cycling routes to join

A lovely farmhouse in Lot with acres of garden and a summer kitchen. Come ‘en famille’ for food, wine and lazy days by the pool.

Two lovely places to stay down by the shore of Clew Bay for much peace, space and modern comforts in a magical watery world

A sustainably run 1902 farmhouse and a cottage in countryside close to a wonderfully wild stretch of the North Devon coast

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

A converted 18th-century chapel in the heart of Bruton with an all-day restaurant, in-house bakery, wine store and south-facing terrace

A thatched farmhouse only just over the channel near Rouen that’s well hidden in lush gardens, but worth finding for the gourmet food alone

Chocolate-box cottages in deepest Normandy, owned by bright young things with a passion for organic cuisine and the good life

Just below the Tuscan town of Massa Marittima, an agriturismo loved by sporty types and families, with wonderful food on site

Dorset unfurls all around you: walk the coast path, hunt for fossils, gaze at Durdle Door, explore Weymouth from this sea-facing pub

Countryside and seaside all in one go – what could be more inspiring? Lovely Louisa lives down the road, on hand if you need her

Take your time here. Lucy will take you round her wonderful garden, introduce you to her donkeys, and share her laid-back approach

Traditional B&B in a beautiful château bursting with history and surrounded by formal gardens, then farmland and two fine rivers