The views are green, both cottages are homely and comfortable and the gardens have direct access to the riverbank footpath for walks

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

Come for peace and quiet down a long lane, pretty buildings and big, beautifully-kept gardens with a secluded outdoor pool

Enjoy convivial gatherings from this Georgian country house with acres of land, gardens and woodlands just a short hop from Durham

This fine old Dordogne house is run by well-travelled owners, has superb views and is a luscious mix of old charm and contemporary design

Grand Scottish home with stunning views & a tea-and-shortbread welcome. Historic castles, local festivals, golf, East Lothian beaches abound

Cool, airy villa with Lake Como glistening below. Beautiful terraces and garden, plunge pool - and chilled prosecco and cake to welcome you

A renovated, comfy Victorian cottage behind a small village pub, a hub for the local community and with good food, ales and wine

Choose between airy bedrooms up an elegant stair, or magnificent rooms at garden-level with private terraces. Find sweetness and warmth

Lavender shortbread and baked peaches for breakfast at this most artistic of homes. The courtyard with magnolia and orange trees is lovely

A treat to stay in one half of this unique Grade I listed arch sitting at the estate entrance, just a short walk from the Beckford Arms

A friendly rural town pub with smart rooms, locally inspired menus and Cheshire and north Wales to explore – bring the dog too

Tucked at the bottom of a long track and surrounded by a gorgeous natural landscape, is this generous end-slice of a 17th-century stone farm

On the outskirts of Marazion, this timber clad house perched above the sea is a super pad for romantic couples

Everything you’d want of a lovely country inn – pretty rooms, tasty food, local ales in a beamed bar and fabulous walking

Eschew the crowds for your own slice of bliss in this ancient hamlet with village green - self-catering with a hotel feel and dreamy pool

A romantic creekside cottage down a web of narrow lanes in a tumbling green valley – mess about on the water to your heart’s content

Pluck grapes, splash in the child-shallow pool and explore the ‘Yorkshire of Italy’ with rolling green hills and conical trulli