A proper old-fashioned inn dating from the 1600s with beamed ceilings, low doorways and winding staircases up to comfortable bedrooms

Sweet, peaceful cottage tucked into a quiet lane and within popping distance to all of Ludlow's historical and culinary delights

A beautifully renovated getaway set in glorious countryside near the Lakes. Strike out on walks from the door, relax in the woodland garden

Music evenings, pop-up theatre nights and great food at the Sash brasserie. You’re just a stroll from shops and bars

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 stunning château with huge rooms, pretty balconies with views, peaceful garden. Super owners, excellent dinners - and child-friendly too

The North York Moors National Park is on the doorstep of this friendly B&B with glorious views, generous breakfasts and kind hosts

A comfortable and light-filled converted stone barn in the pretty Vendée, a quiet and rural spot but just half a mile from town

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

Be spoiled in this large stone house, with sumptuous bedrooms, thoughtful breakfasts and a verdant garden, just minutes from the city

A fabulous old house filled with history, treasure and stories – now a colourful, larger-than-life hotel in the arty district of Belfast

An artist's house imbued with an understated elegance. Stay for dinner; be charmed by the garden where fruit trees throng, hens loiter

Old wooden sleigh beds, check-clothed tables, log fires, a courtyard of centuries-old trees, a claw foot bath. Stacks of character

A mid 1800s converted farmhouse and a cottage in a quiet hamlet with private gardens and lovely grounds, just 15 minutes from the coast

Converted barn with the most welcoming owners – the garden and pool are all yours; explore a less touristy part of the Dordogne

Generous apartments in a 300-year-old farmhouse with beautiful grounds and a swimming pool

A large handsome 1800s manor, now a peaceful haven for free-range families and creative types on the edge of vibrant Richelieu in the Loire

Visit Florence, Arezzo, Siena… or revel in the beauty and peace of Casa Zia, surrounded by wilderness and lovely birdsong