Gather your favourites for a getaway in deepest France. Bike the countryside, dip in the heated pool and sprawl out in this inviting space

A large, pretty garden and cider orchards surround this neat-as-a-pin restored barn with an open-plan feel, high ceilings and exposed beams

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

A light, bright and peaceful 18th-century palazzo in a very quiet town, with a sea-view terrace, peaceful bedrooms and delicious breakfasts

A lovely 1650 Welsh longhouse, beamed and flagstoned with a verdant garden in a totally unspoilt spot in the Snowdonia National Park

A lovely old cottage in the grounds of a Provençal mas with a delightful private courtyard, use of a large pool and a magnificent garden

Gracious Florentine hospitality, elegance and comfort, gazebo breakfasts, a flower-filled garden with pool and views of olive groves

One of England's oldest coaching inns, full of history and wonky floors, on a Surrey market town's high street

Good food draws the crowds at this smart bar & restaurant with rooms in a quiet village sandwiched between Cornwall’s north and south coasts

An elegant French château brimming with antiques and surrounded by landscaped lawns. Enjoy convivial dinners with the perfect host

A 1750 one-storey former farm building, beautifully converted into a lovely hideaway for walkers, nature lovers and peace seekers

Lavender shortbread and baked peaches for breakfast at this most artistic of homes. The courtyard with magnolia and orange trees is lovely

A relaxed home-from-home feel at this Spanish house with old-fashioned charm, a big garden and pool and lovely views from every window

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

At the foot of the Cambrian Mountains, an ancient whitewashed cottage with cosy, light-flooded interiors – a perfect rural bolthole for two

You get the best of all worlds here. Delicious beds, Provençal soaps, vineyard views, fresh croissants a stroll away…

A striking 19th-century landmark deep in ancient woodland, reborn as a pub with beautifully restored rooms just a short hop from London

A 18th-century house with pool in a small town with friendly owners and a tropical garden of banana, fig and, of course, frangipani