An 18th-century cottage for four on a working sheep farm: walk the Pentland Hills, get the bus to Edinburgh for culture

A cosy bolthole near Paris's best museums, monuments and churches. A peaceful sleep and simple buffet breakfast set you up for sightseeing

Big house with bags of character and easy access to beaches, cafés and cobbled streets, coastal paths and hidden coves

Gorgeous off-grid suites invite you to slow down surrounded by nature with long views and good food

An art-filled home poised above Hastings Old Town in a wonderfully private, peaceful spot and with a lush, tropical garden

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

An enviable hideaway on a cobbled street high on a hill, with stunning views next to Galileo's house, the Villa Bardini and gardens

A magical medieval castello, gloriously gothic with tower, moat and ghost, fit for a Shakespearian play.

On the edge of the South Downs, this smartly renovated pub with contemporary rooms serves seasonal home cooked food and a warm welcome

A short stroll from the centre of historic Wimborne, a big Georgian house with beautiful interiors, original features and a lovely garden

Welcoming Julia fans passions for Arlesienne cuisine and culture in her art-stuffed Provence home where everything catches the eye!

A relaxed hilltop escape with good food, a pretty garden and fine views of the Dales and the river Wharfe – bring your dog too

Two restored mill buildings in the serene French countryside, with river views and artful interiors – a peaceful self-catering escape

Two lovely places to stay down by the shore of Clew Bay for much peace, space and modern comforts in a magical watery world

A grand spot with superb Peak District views for this secluded, immaculate conversion of a handsome stable block - spacious and light

A big, comfortable house with heated outdoor pool in 17 acres of gardens. Mountains, river swimming, hiking nearby; coast within the hour

Come to the wild Cévennes to hike, ride, kayak down the Hérault river – or just revel in your pretty, generous house, pool and garden space

Modern, timber-clad building attached to a Georgian stable block, for smooth lines, high ceilings and lots of light in glorious countryside