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

Your friendly hosts offer you stylish bedrooms, swims in the heated pool, and wonderful dinners and wines. Cahors is only a 10-minute drive

A real treat to stay in this elegant 18th-century house with pampering bedrooms, gorgeous home-cooked food and stunning gardens with pool

What do you do with a down-at-heel roadside inn? You get Mhor to come and turn it into a quirky base with their funky style and lovely food

An organic farm near coast, village and Etna – super for families, done in simple good taste. Laze in the hammock, visit the coast...

Stables turned into bright, comfortable holiday homes in countryside near Battle - for couples and families, whose dogs are very welcome too

This hidden valley is the dreamiest part of South Devon. Catch the ferry across the Dart; gaze on the hills; snuggle up by the wood-burner

Breakfasts with sausages from home-reared rare breed pigs, a big log fire and relaxed friendly hosts. Acres of garden and woodland paths

A smartly renovated village pub with rooms welcoming locals, visitors, families and dogs on a Staffordshire country estate

Taste the wine, plunge into the granite pool, play billiards in the library, linger outdoors as swallows swoop – eat delicious local dishes

Next to a glorious National Trust estate, an exceptional barn renovation, a honeymooners’ dream – and Marsden a stroll downhill

The cottage looks down over Lough Swilly, idyllic for boats and safe swims... and the neighbours are friendly, just sheep and cows

A rustic-chic bolthole with bird's eye views to gaze at from your bedroom and the beautiful garden, tucked in a quaint hamlet in Maremma

In the foothills of the Pyrenees, a rambling, romantic garden to lose yourself in, a large swimming pool, wildlife and vineyards all around

There's a lovely relaxed feel to this rather grand house, garden, ponds and orangery. Ashley and Amanda are easy-going hosts

A beautifully designed B&B for foodies, cyclists and walkers in a village surrounded by trees just 15 minutes from the coast

Lovely rooms in this characterful villa, perfect for exploring Burgundy’s Grand Crus, walking to vineyards or sipping wine by the pool

A beguiling retreat for a couple or a family of four – feel cosy and secluded in a thatched cottage close to the coast