Authenticity and originality combine at this family chateau with its panelled rooms, theatrical flourishes and charming candlelit dinners

Breakfasts with sausages from home-reared rare breed pigs, a big log fire and relaxed friendly hosts. Acres of garden and woodland paths

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

A treat in any season, a place to stir your soul, yield to nature and learn how to play again - with a pretty fine roost to come home to

An elegant medieval manor in the Loire with spiral stone staircases, mullioned windows, jaunty turrets and a fairytale suite just for you

Steeped in history and romance, with a great big sleigh bed and open fires, is this 14th-century defence tower above the river Tweed

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

A newly built house facing the sea and surrounded by acres of land – perfect for swimmers, sailors, nature lovers and peace seekers

An old-world inn full of colour, with open fires, cosy rooms, local food and the magnificent Northumberland National Park all around

This cottage is stylish and serene, beautifully transformed from an old farm building – come for golf, beaches, walks and bird-watching

Charming farm cottage in a meadow next to ancient woodland and with breathtaking views. A haven for bird-watchers and walkers

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

Georgian country house with rustic charm and a home-from-home feel. In the heart of Wiltshire just outside historic town Bradford-on-Avon

A cheery farmhouse conversion for groups outside a village in a non-touristy part of Italy, close to scenic trails and medieval villages

Up and away to a truly wild Welsh experience from this ancient stone house sitting on a ridge, with stunning valley and mountain views

Picturesque cottage in the grounds of a grand manor, lovingly and creatively restored by its welcoming English owner

A 17th-century stone mansion within the ancient walls of Avignon. Walk to cafes, watch the shows at the Festival, chat with convivial hosts

A rustic haven in Vouvray wine country: bask on sun beds near the elegant pool, cosy up to the wood-burner, relax in your beautiful bedroom