In a chocolate-box village just an hour on the train, and a short hop in a taxi, from London is this foodie inn with pretty bedrooms

A cottage for two on a wonderfully eco wine school and vineyard. Gaze at magnificent views from your terrace

Steeped in history and romance, with a great big sleigh bed and open fires, is this 14th-century defence tower above the river Tweed

Saint Emilion and Castillon both a hop away from a warm, wonderful barn with owners to match. Stylish, cosy and deep in organic vines

If you want to come to Venice as an open-hearted traveller rather than a tourist then this is the place for you - just walk to everything

Spoiling bedrooms, fabulous food and a lovely position lost in the hills make this Lakeland inn hard to resist - bring your walking boots

Utter peace and quiet, a pool with a view, sunsets over the Cévennes and outdoor adventures on the doorstep - a hidden gem in the Gard

A sustainably-designed small, family-run eco hotel within a nature park by the sea in stunning Basque country. Great food too

An unbelievably stunning setting for this renovated 15th-century villa with garden on a hillside overlooking the famed Florence skyline

Log fires smoulder, rooms are comfortable, the food is delicious and there's bags of character at this old village pub – once a cider house

Homely furnishings and 17th-century charm at this estate on the Severn, whose owners are mad about horses and give you fine home produce

The largest of three secluded cottages that share a gravel courtyard and a beautiful garden with cathedral views

Agriturismo at its best - delightful hosts, communal meals of superb home-grown food, homely rooms, a garden filled with fragrant flowers...

A delightful Arts & Crafts lodge house on a lovely estate sitting in a dramatic setting on the western flank of the Malvern Hills

A relaxed old countryside manor house with a huge garden to roam. It’s 2km to sandy beaches and Judith is close by if you need anything

A thoughtful conversion of an old farm barn with beautifully-beamed interiors - a flawless, rural escape for romantics and dreamers

A seaside inn on Babbacombe Bay with views of sea and sky, rooms to feel happy in, a spa and homely, hearty dining

Come for the rural charm of this cottage. Green as far as the eye can see, near a village surrounded by rivers. Wellies essential