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

Step into a place full of life, colour, texture and clever design surrounded by beautiful gardens and lakes

Eschew the crowds for your own slice of bliss in this ancient hamlet with village green - self-catering with a hotel feel and dreamy pool

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

Independent B&B with your own converted spaces sitting in a lovely garden with pool. Breakfast is served in the main house or on the terrace

Peaceful Basque farmhouse turned smart country B&B, only 20 minutes from restaurants and museums in Bilbao and unspoiled sandy beaches

Come for big skies, grand walking and hilly cycling. Style and comfort abound in this cottage set on the hillside with views to North Uist

Charming, laid-back B&B in the foothills of the Algarve. All you hear are the birds, yet the beaches are a ten-minute drive

Elegance and ease mark this gentle group of Loire-Valley buildings, with soft-textured interiors and the owners’ fine hospitality and food

Escape your cares here, move from terrace to terrace tracking the sun's progress and dive into the sea from your own swimming platform

Rustic farmhouse with two and a half acres of landscaped gardens, a swimming pool and views over the Pyrenees – the sunrises are amazing

Come for Tudor beams, a sunny roof terrace and the bustle of Lewes in this beautifully restored coaching inn

Escape to your own barn. Brimming with beams and natural colours - surrounded by peaceful lavender-filled gardens and corn fields

A super upside-down house perched on a cliff in bustling Saundersfoot with glorious views over the beach and the Atlantic

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

Minutes from old Ajaccio (a scenic cycle ride) is a charming small hotel with a stunning bay setting, and majestic mountains behind

Close to sandy beaches between Penzance and Helston, three places to stay with characterful interiors and freshly baked scones waiting

Treat yourselves to a stay on one of the oldest wine estates in Provence and a family house from the 1740s, complete with antiques