Wow. The sort of place you long for on dreary days - inspired architecture, heavenly views, delicious home-cooked food, a lake for swimming

Cosy Lakeland stone barn in acres of peaceful countryside for walkers, wildlife lovers and those wishing for a retreat

A romantic and very comfortable retreat in a smartly converted dairy with a pretty garden, close to the South Downs

Take up residence in central London, surrounded by good places to eat. You have your own vast open-plan living space, light and lovely

Come for an exceptionally inviting 17th-century inn, a chocolate-box Cotswold village, excellent local food and ales, very comfortable rooms

A cosy, beautifully refurbished flat in a Georgian house bang in the middle of the unspoilt town with its pretty streets and houses

A lovely villa with masses of space, filled with modern art and near to walking trails, beaches, shops and restaurants

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

A 1930s riverside cabin circled by lush gardens; cosy inside with underfloor heating, glowing wood-burner and gorgeous decor

A gorgeous big old house on a farm in a very quiet part of Wiltshire - the undiscovered North Wessex Downs, filled with wildlife and an AONB

A charming white-washed house with a pool & lovely hillside views from the terrace: sleep out here under a star-studded sky on warm evenings

Small country hotel in a riverside setting near Giverny, with a superb restaurant and a charming village a few minutes’ walk away

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

A traditional croft house with far-reaching views to the Luskentyre estuary and Taransay for beaches, walks, wildlife and exploring

An old farm worker's cottage, niftily done up and nicely remote, with walking and fishing on the doorstep, four miles from Hadrian's Wall

Landscaped gardens, orchard and potager blend into Normandy countryside. Return from rural walks to a log fire and comfortable armchairs

You get the best of all worlds here. Delicious beds, Provençal soaps, vineyard views, fresh croissants a stroll away…

A warm and convivial place steeped in French history with an interesting, kind host who really looks after you. Under an hour from Paris too