Dorset unfurls all around you: walk the coast path, hunt for fossils, gaze at Durdle Door, explore Weymouth from this sea-facing pub

Swim in the pool overlooking vineyards, try the wines and oil made onsite, get cosy by log fires or head to the nearby beach

An art-filled home poised above Hastings Old Town in a wonderfully private, peaceful spot and with a lush, tropical garden

A marvellous spot overlooking Rutland Water for this 1760 former hunting lodge with good seasonal British food and very comfortable bedrooms

An exquisitely restored 500-year-old inn, where the accent is very much on food, reared and grown nearby and with very comfortable rooms

Perched in gorgeous gardens and with stunning views, this 18th-century presbytery has lovely rooms and an excellent gourmet restaurant

An old pub with a new lease of life: smart buzzy eatery downstairs and two bright, spacious apartments upstairs - just minutes from the Heath

Contemporary boathouse for all the family. Find rock pools, a shingle beach and plenty of ozone in the salty Cornish air

A beautifully renovated apartment in a quiet street in central Bordeaux, with fine old features and all modernities. Ideal for couples

Light, airy rooms for couples in an Asturian villa - home-baked breads, organic dinners and lovely country walks, 40 minutes from coast

You'll feel relaxed in this big light-filled house with plunge pool and outdoor cinema; walk along the river with Portugal on the other side

A comfy cottage for two in the quiet, leafy outskirts of Aix with easy access to the city and a kind, attentive owner nearby

A converted 19th-century church in the Northumberland National Park with beautiful stained-glass windows and a restored tower

Old meets new in Benoit’s charming villa with courtyard pool, breakfasts to linger over and all the fun of La Baule on the doorstep

In the heart of the East Sussex countryside, a fun community inn, with rustic-historic bedrooms, scrumptious food, and a great welcome for dogs

Mont Blanc looms large over this alpine chalet in quiet Les Tines, a stone’s throw from Chamonix and miles of mountain trails

A fabulous country boozer, revamped in style with a buzzy atmosphere, great food and welcoming bedrooms - good walking countryside too

A birdwatchers’ paradise in heavenly valley setting with friendly hosts and delicious seasonal cooking. Explore national park from the door