A very tastefully restored old stone stable on a gloriously rural estate with woodland gardens, lake and a deer park

A lovely old cottage in the cliffside village of St Lawrence. Watch boats sail by from the terrace, soak in an antique bath with sea views…

Glorious boutique hotel on the Sorrento Peninsula with Michelin-starred restaurant and superb cellar to explore

An elegant manor house with pretty bedrooms, pool and large grounds. Nathalie looks after you with ease and sets you up with big breakfasts

An elegant, historical building in the heart of Catania - an intimate hotel, yet grand with gorgeous architecture and a wonderful welcome

A wonderful surprise inside this 1590 house sitting in a beautiful walled garden full of fruit trees, just off the High Street

A spacious farmhouse with a pool in the grounds of a stately château. Wander the walled garden, explore the countryside and pretty villages

An elegant solution to a hotel - no rooms, but 13 charming villas in the heart of the maquis, nearly all with a private pool

A charming base in historic Beaulieu - expect delicious food, traditional country-house interiors, and walks that start from the front door

Swim with frogs in the freshwater pool, breakfast in the sunshine, play boules by moonlight. Châteaux don't get much more rural

Your own wing of an impressive 1700 baronial castle, restored with authenticity and with a lovely garden, wildlife and a little river

Spacious farmhouse with annexe, great for gatherings with family and friends. Fabulous walks and endless views over the Eglwysbach valley

Stylish B&B rooms in a peaceful little château, amongst rolling hills, woods and farmland - bikes and boules to borrow, lovely pool to share

Light-and-colour filled cottage with gardens and sea views on the UNESCO World Heritage Jurassic Coast, a short stroll from Chesil Beach

An 18th-century coaching inn right in the heart of an old Welsh drovers' town, with award-winning food and the Brecon Beacons rising behind

A truly special barn conversion, flooded with light and with its own decked outdoor space surrounded by bucolic countryside

A Cotswolds hideaway in a cottage on a farm, with space to roam for children, and glorious valley views

A lovingly restored 19th-century farmhouse sitting between the Galtees and Ballyhouras, with a hot tub waiting at day's end