Escape your cares here, move from terrace to terrace tracking the sun's progress and dive into the sea from your own swimming platform

A lovely 1910 village house, deep in sleepy countryside, with delightful owners, delicious home cooking and a pretty garden for lazy days

A handsome Georgian townhouse pub in Newbury, with a name steeped in local lore and Donnington Castle just up the road

Near lively Lyon, this handsome family house is perfect for a Zen-like escape with delicious vegetarian meals and well-travelled hosts

High in the Tuscan hills, at the end of an avenue of cypresses, surrounded by parkland and acres of olives... a 13th-century dream

Rural French heaven at this lovely farm within four hectares. Natural materials, neutral colours and a lavender-lined pool all to yourselves

Ideal for families: pool, tennis and golf at the hotel with beach and yachting nearby. Comfortable bedrooms and a terrace for outdoor dining

Relaxed, friendly bistro in the heart of Frome with boutique bedrooms above. Open all day - continental breakfasts and a classic French menu

A truly authentic place to stay on a Sicilian working farm with roaming hens, wheat fields, wild flowers and a distant view of the sea

Proper village pub with much-praised food and cosy rooms; country walks lead from the door and Oxford is half an hour away

Character and quirk in old and new design and furnishing – private terraces, a shared pool, great walking, cycling and wine-tasting

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

Designed with style and comfort, peaceful, sophisticated and serene with countryside views. And you have your own lovely pool

Cuisine reigns supreme at this historic B&B. Play world-class golf, trek the Giant’s Causeway, plunder National Trust treasures

Come to recharge in the lovely Loire valley at this fine château surrounded by mature gardens and green countryside

Food grown, foraged and prepared with care, a carefully curated wine list, roaring fires and very comfortable bedrooms to sink into

Charming 15th-century farmhouse near Montrésor and Loches with immense lawns, orchards and a fabulous pool

Comfortable, understated, spotless and authentic – a modest family hideaway on Brittany’s stunning Crozon Peninsula (think Land’s End...)