This friendly, Scottish island B&B has the Atlantic at the end of the garden and air so clean the lichen grows like beards from the trees

A cosy bolthole on a scenic estate with red kites soaring overhead and views to Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) - the walking is sublime

Walkers and wild-lifers, here is your place in the Pyrenees. Colour, character, a welcoming family, log fires and delicious home cooking

Delightful, rustic retreat for families, romantic couples and singles. Food, views and owners are lovely

Soak up Provençal peace in a charming estate in the Alpilles, with stylish ground-floor B&B rooms, olives, vines and a friendly family dog

A period manor and pretty rooms in old stables: a quiet base for Pas-de-Calais and Picardie. Madame loves the house, animals, story-telling

Attractive country barn - great for two families sharing, for river trips, for playing in the pool, for running free

A lovely old farmhouse, slate hung and elegant, in the heart of this gorgeous group of buildings hiding in lush countryside

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

A peaceful, romantic village escape for couples, plus a babe-in-arms, attached to the welcoming owners' home in the Scottish Borders

A grand yet very homely place with tasty home cooking and 200 acres to explore. Play golf, sail, cycle – wonderfully informal

A newly built house facing the sea and surrounded by acres of land – perfect for swimmers, sailors, nature lovers and peace seekers

A converted chapel - cosy and creative - right on the beach. Wander the Cornish coast, explore small towns and retreat from the everyday

Bring family or friends to this beautiful 16th-century stone manor house standing in a tiny hamlet in the heart of the Dordogne

An immaculate stable retreat surrounded by gardens near Canterbury. Two couples could spend an idyllic week here, or a family of 5

Come for sumptuous bedrooms, fine dining, colourful gardens and charming staff at this smart hotel and restaurant

Stylish barn in the Slaughters – footpaths from the door, idyllic Cotswolds villages to explore. Head home for garden drinks and barbecues

A gorgeous house, beautifully refurbished in contemporary style, with chic interiors and a swimming pool in a sublime English garden