A comfortable and characterful 1775 gatekeeper's lodge on the Mount Congreve Estate with access to the magnificent gardens

Gather family in this big, beautiful barn for treks on hidden trails and picnics in the wildflower meadow. Set your watch by the wildlife

A handsome château filled with intrigue and interest on the edge of a Bastide town in Landes. Your charming host looks after you with aplomb

Stylish interiors, beautiful rooms, lovely staff and wonderful food – all this in the Forest of Dean with great walking and cycling trails

An elegant manor house with pretty bedrooms, pool and large grounds. Nathalie looks after you with ease and sets you up with big breakfasts

Historic buildings by a turreted manor house, beautifully renovated to welcome large parties with grounds to roam and dreamy river views

A 300-year-old cottage and a secluded, magical setting next to the longest sea loch in the UK, for walkers, dreamers and nature lovers

The farm is up its own track with wake-up Cheviot views over pine forests and fields of sheep. Luxurious bedrooms, large airy living space

An inviting B&B on a terraced Fulham street: greats hosts, a big, tranquil suite and continental breakfast in the courtyard on sunny days

A 18th-century house with pool in a small town with friendly owners and a tropical garden of banana, fig and, of course, frangipani

Three beautiful apartments (one with a pool) within a stunning Tavira townhouse, designed by Manuel Aires Mateus and with gorgeous landscaping

A 15th-century courtyard hides a petite contemporary apartment – a fabulous base from which to explore the city and all its treasures

A fortified castle in parkland, built mostly in the 1300s on the Montbazens plateau, near to the stunning Averyon gorges

Rooms are good value, breakfast is taken overlooking the garden and there's superb veggie food next door - a Sawday's Community Champion

No-nonsense farm conversions with open, airy rooms and good big showers sharing a pool, a playground and fabulous views. Great walks, too

In a mellowstone village with a jolly pub, a super raftered barn with generous touches. Friendly owners next door know the Cotswolds well...

Deep in undulating countryside, three pretty stone cottages with a shared, family-friendly saltwater pool and charming, generous owners

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