Three family friendly gites with a contemporary feel, a saltwater pool, national trails to wander and wellness retreats on offer

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

Elegant, charming home in leafy, peaceful garden - pâtisserie courses and good dinners. Champagne vineyards and historic Provins are nearby

A beautiful little house in a corner of the garden: walk for miles or just to the local pub, barbecue on the deck with its rural views

A lovely, rambling old house for family gatherings with an extra cottage for bigger groups, a gorgeous garden and hilltop villages nearby

Once a lofty edifice for music recitals, now an original place to stay - with stained-glass windows, a bed on a stage and wild gardens

Charming gardens for you and your dog in a barn conversion in rural Norfolk half an hour from coast

A lovely gîte, once a hunting lodge, with two private terraces overlooking the manicured gardens of an 1830s manor house

In a hamlet in the Loire countryside is a friendly estate with a family-sized gite, a shared saltwater pool and heaps of old-world charm

Rural Andalusian retreat with bags of boho style promises wide-open skies, mountain vistas and fabulous meals prepared by your host

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

Green and serene, a striking array of eco cottages on a family farm where style and comfort reign, close to the coast but far from the crowd

Four pretty apartments perfect for groups. A natural swimming pool, animals roaming and walking distance from a summer boat to the beaches!

A 1980s Catalan mas built in a traditional style, with garden and pool, surrounded by olive trees and vineyards near the Spanish border

A cosy cottage on a farm down a long winding track, wonderfully rural with footpaths across fields or along the canal

An elegantly renovated coaching inn with inspired design, beautifully simple pub food, tempting ales and gloriously comfortable bedrooms

Come for a pretty village in fabulous walking country, delicious estate-sourced food, friendly staff and very comfortable bedrooms

Elegant B&B tucked down a quiet alleyway close to St Mark’s Square, with friendly hosts and a rooftop offering spectacular views of the city