A hop from the coast and charming Alnwick, a gorgeous and supremely comfortable country escape for friends and families. Dogs welcome too

In off-the-beaten-track Tuscany, 2 peaceful apartments in a former haybarn, both carefully renovated with antique furniture

All you'd hope for, and more! Enormous rooms, marvellous beams, majestic views and wines from their vineyard

Italian style marries Californian comfort, with views over hilltop towns, vineyards and the majestic Sibillini mountains beyond

10 minutes from La Rochelle, a place of peace and style. From scrumptious breakfasts to a splash in the pool, your hosts are eager to please

A well-equipped cottage with a big beautiful garden and murmuring brook. Come for peace, wildlife, a welcome cocktail, and grand walking

5 houses near Siena to make design-lovers happy; come for the rural solitude of ancient stone farm buildings with urban interiors

Fringing Tuscany countryside and fun Montone, an authentic Umbrian mansion with Slow Food, lavender fields, apartments and pool. Pure Italy

A sustainably run 1902 farmhouse and a cottage in countryside close to a wonderfully wild stretch of the North Devon coast

A large tranquil apartment with garden and pool surrounded by Tuscan countryside, just over half an hour's drive from Siena

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