From the delicious scented garden with its limestone pool to the cool rooms with perfect linen, this is a place for a special occasion

Perched in gorgeous gardens and with stunning views, this 18th-century presbytery has lovely rooms and an excellent gourmet restaurant

A sturdy, spacious house with stunning views over the garden and ocean, originally built in the 1800s as one of a row of Coastguard cottages

A clutch of airy properties, most with their own jasmine-scented terraces arranged around a funky pool

Four bright and warm cottages with gardens, for families and friends, plus activities for children and endless walks for you and your dog

At the foot of the Cambrian Mountains, an ancient whitewashed cottage with cosy, light-flooded interiors – a perfect rural bolthole for two

Serene retreat in the French countryside with elegant interiors and impeccable hosting from the lovely Anne-Laure

Grand and old and filled with history, the estate and such a pretty house are a tonic, as are the well-tended grounds and parkland

Remote three-bedroom cottage in Northumberland National Park, with far-reaching views over hills and valleys and walks in all directions

Sustainably built Suffolk retreat with plenty of space for friends and family to properly unwind - a steam room seals the deal

A Renaissance farmhouse in a secret Welsh valley with a stunning garden. Sleep under soaring beams, enjoy peace and warm hospitality

Farmhouse B&B with thoughtful hosts and superb breakfasts; Michelin-star dining is in the village and thermal baths are near

A sophisticated and friendly Basque beauty overlooking the Bay of Biscay, in Txakoli vineyard country – prepare to be thoroughly spoilt

A large, light-filled house sitting very much on its own in the middle of the peaceful Eden Valley with masses of space inside and out

Come for big skies, loch views, much wildlife, acres of forest and a charming wood-clad cottage from which to explore such a remote spot

Between Paris and Rouen, a handsome country house in Monet scenery. Cows graze, bedrooms soothe, friendships bud over bountiful breakfasts

A swishly renovated detached hideaway up a hill, surrounded by vineyards and with a covered deck for sweeping views just outside Beaune