Between mountains and coast: come for peace and serenity at this small hotel framed by fragrant gardens and the mighty Sierra Nevada peaks

Fresh, inviting bedrooms with leafy garden views and a pretty church next door. Moffat's spectacular Grey Mare's Tail waterfall nearby

Spacious farmhouse with annexe, great for gatherings with family and friends. Fabulous walks and endless views over the Eglwysbach valley

Explore the coastal paths on foot or by bike, or simply sunbathe next to the pool... Leafy gardens, comfortable rooms and excellent dinners

A large handsome 1800s manor, now a peaceful haven for free-range families and creative types on the edge of vibrant Richelieu in the Loire

Wonderful views over medieval Gubbio from this rural stone farmhouse with pool, cottages and apartments sitting in lush gardens

A very peaceful, family-run hotel on the shores of Lake Garda with rose and jasmine-scented gardens for summer dinners by candlelight

High in the Tuscan hills, at the end of an avenue of cypresses, surrounded by parkland and acres of olives... a 13th-century dream

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

A classic French beauty of a place; home to an engaging young family who love to entertain and look after you with great care

Two lovely cottages, packed with atmosphere, character and comfort in a magical timeless valley surrounded by nature

Welcome to a cosy, country-rustic bolthole for four, in a friendly, community village inn, with some of the best food in Shropshire

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

Lovely small hotel in quirky market town surrounded by miles of stunning country – pretty rooms, tasty food and fine ales wait

Wisteria, clematis and roses clamber up this pretty stone barn conversion with its own big garden surrounded by mature trees and many birds

A delightful holiday home for a big family or group of close friends. Children and dogs can charge about safely, you can unwind completely

Swim with frogs in the freshwater pool, breakfast in the sunshine, play boules by moonlight. Châteaux don't get much more rural

Grand and old and filled with history, the estate and such a pretty house are a tonic, as are the well-tended grounds and parkland