Boutique hotel next to Funchal’s 15th-century cathedral, with a champagne and lobster bar, rooftop cocktail bar and an excellent restaurant

Former blacksmith’s workshop in a chocolate-box corner of the New Forest, where clematis climbs the trellis and all you hear are the birds

Enfolded in gentle Dorset hills and surrounded by trees, a perfect wooden hut for 2 near beaches, River Cottage HQ and many beautiful walks

This friendly, Scottish island B&B has the Atlantic at the end of the garden and air so clean the lichen grows like beards from the trees

A stylish retreat in the heart of St Ives offering a glimpse of the sea – with an extra double sofabed room for friends or children

A treat in any season, a place to stir your soul, yield to nature and learn how to play again - with a pretty fine roost to come home to

Friendly hosts, lovely log fires, delicious dinners, interesting antiques – and Frederick’s special tours of a WWI memorial site

Come for a quintessentially English country cottage tucked down a village path with wisteria in the garden and a short walk to a foodie pub

A scrupulously renovated dog-friendly gate lodge with garden and outdoor dining area, a five-minute drive from Mount Congreve Gardens

An 18th-century cottage in a tranquil village, formerly the bakery, now restored to perfection with oodles of space and much comfort

Charming, vivacious hosts make you feel welcome at this splendid 16th-century home. Cooking classes, wine pairing and excellent regional food

A converted barn for two, serenely comfortable and effortlessly stylish, near to North Devon's beaches and the wild beauty of Exmoor

Come to this delightful house, a marriage of old stones and modern furniture, for pure remote air, great outdoor sports and fine dining

A delight to stay in this 1880s croft house on the quieter west coast - fabulous vegetarian and vegan food, thoughtful rooms, lovely owners

Lodge and gardens – superbly designed, immaculate, fresh, eco friendly – rest in unspoilt Picardy. Anglo-French hosts take turns to cook

Glorious boutique hotel on the Sorrento Peninsula with Michelin-starred restaurant and superb cellar to explore

A lovely listed cottage, just stumbling distance from a good pub in a quiet village surrounded by spectacular walking and cycling country

Kids range free, adults recharge in these two gites on a 17th-century estate with sunny gardens and a pool. Hike, bike, swim, relax...