Where else is breakfast served by candlelight in winter? Friendly staff, lovely bedrooms, off-street parking and Arthur’s Seat all wait

Come to be cossetted in this 300-year-old Burgundy farmhouse with rose garden, sheltered pool and convivial Dutch owners

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

Come on down to the farm and this wonderful eco conversion of an ancient piggery with heavily beamed ceilings and much warmth and comfort

Stay a while... lulled by lapping sea and fragrant hanging gardens - cool, light, balconied, classic, intimate, unpretentious

Stay in a lovely 18th-century townhouse in one of the prettiest villages on the Loire surrounded by unspoilt countryside

Enjoy views of the South Downs from this converted milking parlour for 2 or 4 - fill up on the breakfast hamper and head out on long walks

Immerse yourself in over ten thousand olive trees, wander through lemon and orange groves, eat wonderful food cooked by a Pugliese chef

A wall of glass frames the sea view - take drinks on the waterfront lawn in summer, or by the crackling fire in winter

Soak up Provençal peace in a charming estate in the Alpilles, with stylish ground-floor B&B rooms, olives, vines and a friendly family dog

Sun-dappled walks along the romantic avenues, big bedrooms, breakfasts inside or out, a laid-back atmosphere and great markets nearby

A beautifully converted dairy with a magical garden in a quiet village surrounded by lovely countryside

A charming gite tucked into acres of ancient parkland, with an outdoor kitchen and deer wandering by at dusk

5 minutes from the Vatican in a tall palazzo above the British school. Owners share local tips, serve bakery-fresh breakfasts on the terrace

For retreats, groups of friends, and big families: come to recharge the senses at this special and ancient house enveloped by wild gardens

Two duplex apartments filled with art and sculptures inside a beautiful 18th-century orangery, minutes from magnificent Versailles

A 200-year-old village house surrounded by vineyards. Light-filled interiors, lots of art, a garden and your own sparkling pool