In the gardens of a laid-back country house, a barn with books, games, faded rugs and a grand piano – a treat for convivial families

Come for a huge dollop of peace and quiet in gorgeous countryside. Take long walks, enjoy the views, return to much comfort and space

A striking 200-year-old coaching inn in a sleepy village with a classic, traditional pub feel, superb food and wines, pretty bedrooms

Loved by estate-workers, visitors, well-heeled locals, and walkers, this spruced-up pub is a friendly launchpad for Chatsworth

Good restaurants, beach walks, a grand welcome for dogs: that’s Whitstable. Bring friends and stay in this smart house close to it all

Heaps to do on-site: organic farm shop & café, cookery & cheese-making courses, farm tours. A brilliant base for exploring the Cotswolds too

A lovely little bolthole for two on a gorgeous estate with restaurant, deli and superb gardens, sculpture walk and wildflower meadows

Surrounded by delightful gardens, these gîtes are serene retreats from which you can discover the Dordogne, or gently unwind

For wine lovers and foodies discovering the 'Tuscany of Bordeaux'. Elegance, serenity, history, and a delightfully epicurean hostess

A country house, elegant and unstuffy, at the heart of a working Lazio olive farm. Lunch by the pool or unwind at the hot spring spa

A lovely house set in 20 hectares with a park, two ponds, paths winding through and a pretty river. Delicious locally-sourced meals too

A pretty little cottage in a holiday hamlet surrounded by fields, just a stone's throw from the coast and Binic for happy escapes

A wonderfully simple and modern studio with stunning sea views in an almost Jurassic landscape, dotted with the owner's sculptures

Irresistible for art, design and heritage-lovers, bird-watchers and those who love to explore Norfolk's wide open spaces

Old beams and rich history: a dramatic setting for fireside chats, superb breakfasts (home-reared, baked, grown) - and Midsomer Murders

Traditional B&B in a beautiful château bursting with history and surrounded by formal gardens, then farmland and two fine rivers

Blissful views to vineyards and mountains from this faithful reproduction of a 16th-century manor. Eat well, hike, bike, sauna and swim

Elegant, calm, charming B&B in a 12th-century house surrounded by fields, quiet country roads and vibrant little villages