Charming half-timbered house at the start of the Alsace wine route, with spacious rooms, tempting breakfast and a swimming pool

Beautifully restored house with a literary history, no neighbours and private access to a sandy bay beyond the pines

A smart village local with original timber frames, a lively bar, elegant rooms and delicious food from the fields around you

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

An 18th-century listed cottage in a pretty terrace with a private courtyard garden and pond, just a short walk from the high street

Charming cottage in the Peak District National Park for hill walking, cycling and bird watching, or simply unwinding amid much beauty

Fall in love with this riverside village, lost in a valley in lower Normandy, and this sunny house for couples or families

An incredible living museum, dedicated to the history of Sicily and the arts. Stay in the main house or in a cottage in the fecund garden

A sweet little gîte for two in the centre of a dreamy medieval village. Happily private but with loads to explore from your door

A lovely old cottage in the cliffside village of St Lawrence. Watch boats sail by from the terrace, soak in an antique bath with sea views…

Inspiring scenery for this lavender farm near a Provençal village. Rustic eco-friendly cottages, a hump-backed bridge, a hammock by the pool

Get the full-English bucolic countryside experience at this boutique inn right in the heart of a quintessentially pretty Cotswold village

A small and stylish townhouse retreat in leafy Folkestone with excellent bedrooms and a terrace for breakfast in summer

Manor house in the grounds of a quintessential 18th-century French château with pretty gardens and lots of space just 3kms from Bayeux

Once a lofty edifice for music recitals, now an original place to stay - with stained-glass windows, a bed on a stage and wild gardens

Three very special places to stay on one glorious estate. Gather those whose company you enjoy and immerse yourselves in beauty and history

Come for wide open countryside criss-crossed by a myriad of footpaths and this very comfortable, stylish and roomy retreat

A magical Scottish Baronial-style house with stunning valley views; stroll to good restaurants, explore the spectacular Borders