'Pinch me' views over Lake Como, a stony beach below, Varenna on your doorstep... these chic apartments are in an idyllic spot

A real treat to stay in this elegant 18th-century house with pampering bedrooms, gorgeous home-cooked food and stunning gardens with pool

Towering 5 storeys above lively Palermo, a gracious B&B with sunlit rooms, lovely Sicilian hosts and breakfast in fine china on the terrace

Secluded place with home-grown food, much peace and walks by the river for a couple (or small family). Courses and solo retreats too

Elegant country château with a family feel, for big groups with or without children, and those who seek inspiration

A lovely spot in an AONB for this bright and airy converted barn, one of four round a gravelled courtyard on a 600-acre estate

Elegantly restored mariner’s cottage with tasteful interiors and sweeping, uninterrupted views over the ever-changing estuary

An 18th-century cottage for four on a working sheep farm: walk the Pentland Hills, get the bus to Edinburgh for culture

A treat in any season, a place to stir your soul, yield to nature and learn how to play again - with a pretty fine roost to come home to

An immaculate restoration, a peaceful green setting, a lovely serene bedroom and historic Holt a stroll away... all set for a romantic stay!

A unique opportunity to switch off and unwind in a simple, historic cottage with a terraced, bucolic garden surrounded by wooded hills

A delightful home-from-home village house with large gardens and walks from the door – perfect for families

Superbly comfortable house with beamed rooms, lovely views, club-like morning room, antiques, terrace, pool, fitness centre and lily pond

In a quaint village with a bakery, brasserie and shops, a handsome gîte with a wonderful pool and fashion museum

Throw open French windows to this sleek self-catering space, with off-street parking. Walk to the beach & the pub, visit historic Chichester

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

White-painted beams, wonky white walls and your own parking spot fairly nearby. You're near the harbour and subtropical gardens

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