Get away from it all in 'old' France, where melons taste like melons & hikes start from the door. This rural bolthole is a serious treat

Peaceful escape for couples in the grounds of a stately Tudor manor house; watch the wildlife from your garden, explore the nearby coast

Serious art, lovely lighting, great sound system and a fat wood-burner belting out the heat at this super place for families or friends

Between Penzance & Helston, close to Praa Sands, is a beautiful bolthole for 6. Good for garden lovers & peace-seekers – dog-friendly too

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

In a small village on the borders, a Jacobean farmhouse luxuriously restored with lovely touches; the Brecon Beacons are close by

Immerse yourself, luxuriously, in beautiful rural Picardy – mirabelle jam, peaceful parkland, walking in the hills – near historic Amiens

A pub with rooms in the epicentre of London on trendy Westbourne Grove, a ten-minute stroll from Notting Hill

Two lovely cottages with a fresh, modern style, private terrace, tranquil communal gardens with an orchard and pool

A traditional croft house with far-reaching views to the Luskentyre estuary and Taransay for beaches, walks, wildlife and exploring

A lovely old stone cottage in a group round a pretty courtyard, with your own private patio and seating area, on the Pink Granite Coast

Family-run B&B in an authentic and informal home. Stay for delicious dinners, walk along the river, explore Umbria’s heritage

Traditional and modern, verging on the opulent. Find a stone-flagged tap room for walkers, top modern food and Chatsworth-perfect bedrooms

Two family-friendly gites with gardens and a big pool, surrounded by corn fields and sunflowers, ideal for a larger family to take together

Great taste – in decor and food – and a delicious heated pool. Views swoop over field and valley; trails, villages, wineries tempt

Up the winding road to stillness, nature and a magical view. There’s glorious Gubbio to explore, and a log fire to come home to

Spacious house with a big garden, a swimming pool and all home comforts; the beach and good restaurants are less than 10 minutes away

A 300-year-old cottage and a secluded, magical setting next to the longest sea loch in the UK, for walkers, dreamers and nature lovers