A 200-year-old quintessential Umbrian farmhouse with pool, immersed in nature and with no immediate neighbours for lazy, peaceful days

High above the bay of Naples, this lovely B&B could be a Fellini film set. Romantic rooms are furnished with antiques, dinner is delicious

A Victorian house on a 5000 acre estate, snazzily renovated and tucked down a track with a private lake, in the quieter part of Cumbria

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

Glamour, warmth and style in a renovated wine warehouse in a cool quarter of Bordeaux - France’s most popular city after Paris

An 18th-century limestone barn, now a quiet hideaway for a group of friends or family in a very rural spot surrounded by fields and woods

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

The views take your breath away, the breakfasts are beautiful, and you feel like you're staying in the home of dear friends

Another bright, beamed and history-filled place to stay on the smart Upton Cressett estate with walks from the door and much comfort within

An exquisite Provençal home for a large party, hidden behind grand gates in a small village surrounded by the pine-scented Alpilles

Follow in Picasso’s footsteps and spin up to vibrant Sheffield for a night at this stunning hotel, where flawless bedrooms wait

Stables turned into bright, comfortable holiday homes in countryside near Battle - for couples and families, whose dogs are very welcome too

A super old place for those who love history and Thomas Hardy. Come for enjoyable gastropub food and comfortable, traditional bedrooms

Fabulous bakes and hot waffles at breakfast, green fields all around and Normandy steeped in history. Great for foodies and historians

Deliciously comfortable, hospitable, boutique B&B - in a secluded village within easy reach of Reims and the vineyards of Champagne

Blissful tranquillity - yet an easy drive from St Paul de Vence (legendary haunt of Matisse and Picasso) and 10km from the Riviera

Come for Goodwood and good fun - simple, relaxed old farmhouse style with quirky touches, a lovely garden and long views

Come to be inspired - by the buildings, the art, the concept and the rich history. You should be very comfortable too, and well fed