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

Independent B&B in an ancient hamlet with modern interiors, immaculate bedrooms and a pleasant wooden terrace for sunny days

A stylish, refined 17th-century house off a quiet street with its own garden and lots of generous surprises, a short hop to everything

Delightful little antique-filled cottage with large walled garden and an allotment near Versailles. Gardeners will be happy

Peace, space and sophisticated living at a serene villa-apartment in the hills above Cannes

Come for sublime Highland scenery, birds and wildlife, long walks and complete peace and tranquillity

Remote and rural, this cosy cottage is a slice of Welsh heaven, with plenty to do and see just a short drive away

This old stone building, a former olive warehouse, is beautifully restored and sits on its own – a simple bolthole for rest and recuperation

Unwind and feel part of the family in beautiful rural Yorkshire. The farmhouse is rambling and peaceful, rooms are comfy, breakfast generous

Between Florence and Siena, stay in one of five stylish apartments on a family-run agriturismo; they delight in sharing this slice of heaven

Grand and old and filled with history, the estate and such a pretty house are a tonic, as are the well-tended grounds and parkland

Fire up the BBQ, watch the sunsets, stroll to one of the best stretches of coastline in the world. Bliss for walkers, birders and escapees

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

A perfectly romantic and gorgeously restored bothy in a garden on a hillside by the sea, with grand views over the mountains of Skye

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

In a profoundly peaceful spot between arty St Ives and stunning Marazion, a hideaway for two surrounded by gardens and parkland

Achingly trendy, a design-lover's dream with infinity pool, wine on the terrace, pampering spa and a sunny bay at your feet – stunning

Charming cottage in a vast garden with a swimming pool and boule; walk to the nearest village, drive to Côte d'Azur in less than an hour