A beautiful cream stone building in the grounds of a grand château, with a large and view-filled outdoor terrace for peaceful dawdling

An ancient inn, spruce and restorative, in a picture-perfect village with open fires, tasty food and stylish, comfortable bedrooms

What a surprise! Tucked into a row of tightly woven old cottages is this contemporary open-plan hideaway with huge windows and much flair

Once a shooting lodge, this stand-alone big building was part of a medieval estate and you can still see the grassy mount and dungeon tower

An artist's house imbued with an understated elegance. Stay for dinner; be charmed by the garden where fruit trees throng, hens loiter

A very special design-led garden apartment on the ground floor of an elegant 1835 house on one of the prettiest crescents in the city

A lovely big house with huge riverside gardens and an easy-going charm – a 15-minute walk from bookish Hay-on-Wye

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

Soak up Provençal peace in a charming estate in the Alpilles, with stylish ground-floor B&B rooms, olives, vines and a friendly family dog

Come for sumptuous bedrooms, fine dining, colourful gardens and charming staff at this smart hotel and restaurant

An 18th-century townhouse restored with flair by former restauranteurs: come for colour, comfort and sublime dining

Jaunty beach huts on Felpham beach with sea views, coastal walks from the door and access to the hotel. For couples, families and dog lovers

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 to stay in a lovely old house surrounded by an important garden created by three generations of brilliant women gardeners

Vibrant, artistic barn conversion in the heart of York, a five-minute walk from the Minster. Convivial place with helpful, friendly hosts

Two villas on opposite shores of a big lily-covered lake, fed with natural spring water from the Ticino river and surrounded by gardens

Find good taste, peacefulness and warm hospitality, steps away from the car-free Via Toledo, in the heart of the city

An immaculately restored 1500s palazzo, filled with history, art, antiques and books in the buzzing heart of a charming town