A lovely old house and rambling garden in a medieval village with a monumental château, 12th-century church and a good local restaurant

Friendly inn in the middle of Sedbergh. Lots of bedrooms to choose from, suntrap picnic area, walks in the Yorkshire Dales on the doorstep

A fabulous Belle Epoque château with much wow factor set in vast grounds with lawns and lakes, circled by a dense forest

Beautiful architecture, amazing wine cellars, great food, and hosts with an infectious enthusiasm for classical music. Lovely French B&B

In wine country, a beautifully revived 16th-century manor and hospitable B&B. Visit Angers’ cathedral, cruise along the Loire to Saumur

Traditional beamed cottage, tucked in the hills, with views to distant beaches plus colourful gardens and a pool

Charming manor house B&B, packed with character, interest and history, sitting in extensive gardens and with elegant bedrooms

Family-friendly hotel on Ullswater with a pool and a variety of bedrooms, some super-cool - swim in the lake, walk in the hills, eat well

Friendly Maki and Clive's higgledy-piggledy home is a charming, special place. Rooms are cosy, Clive's cookery courses are fun and delicious

A beautiful little house in a corner of the garden: walk for miles or just to the local pub, barbecue on the deck with its rural views

A lodge house in magnificent gardens, which are all yours when visitors leave. A sweet retreat for anyone, but gardeners will adore it

The view is pure Canaletto, the vibe is modern and laid back. Just minutes from all Venice’s best bits, but with far fewer tourists

A stylish, canal-side inn – you get Sunday lunch, tow paths that lead into Edinburgh, then a pretty garden and cute rooms

Anouk & Gilles have fine-tuned their welcome. Lounge by the pool and dine exquisitely within their landscaped park

Bask in the beautiful Basque country at this friendly B&B in the village, with family-run restaurant for delicious suppers

Superb, all-organic agriturismo built of straw bales and offering wonderful home-grown natural food, a delightful family, great walking

A bright and spacious cottage set against a backdrop of woodland for days spent happily reading by the wood-burner or lunch on the sun deck

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