In a hamlet in the Loire countryside is a friendly estate with a family-sized gite, a shared saltwater pool and heaps of old-world charm

Up in the hills, an amazing family holiday with Lorna and Lee. Weekly paella nights, great pool, lovely walking. Beauty therapies, too...

Dating back to 1892 and once the home of the town's mayor, this fine house sits in the centre of a pretty Andalusian town with much to offer

Three gîtes in the Dordogne with panoramic countryside views and a swimming pool – book individually or together for a group holiday

Magnificent house with old-fashioned charm and gardens leading down to the Beaulieu River – take the footpath to Beaulieu or Bucklers Hard

A newly-renovated barn in a picturesque Cotswold village with an enclosed front garden and the river Eye at the bottom of the drive

Friendly inn in the middle of Sedbergh. Lots of bedrooms to choose from, suntrap picnic area, walks in the Yorkshire Dales on the doorstep

Old beams and rich history: a dramatic setting for fireside chats, superb breakfasts (home-reared, baked, grown) - and Midsomer Murders

Vineyards, fruit trees and immaculate gardens, amazing food and wine, a sense of seclusion and sweeping views of the Tuscan hills

A sweet cottage on the estate of celebrated artist Sir Sidney Nolan's former home with 250 acres to explore - a Sawday's Community Champion

A tempting trio of retreats with unlimited access to exceptional gardens, and a welcome homemade cream tea. Come as a pair, or a small group

Comfortable home with wood fires, gracious bedrooms and convivial living rooms. The drive is full of blossom and daffodils in spring

A cool pub with smart rooms, English ales and Thai-inspired food. Farringdon tube is round the corner and you can walk to the Barbican

In four acres of garden and woodland (a child’s dream) a house and interlinking barn for 10 guests. Secluded but close to everything

A 17th-century traditional Welsh longhouse in a very sheltered spot facing south and with a pretty garden surrounded by fields and meadows

Mesmerising sea views from this big comfortable hillside house near Deià with a big pool, verdant gardens and sun-trapping terraces

Refurbished pub in a village high in the hills of the North York Moors, with stylish rooms and unpretentious food using quality ingredients

Come for the utter silence and the rare beauty of this far north-westerly landscape, teeming with wildlife. An antidote to city life