Converted stables in the grounds of a manor house in a peaceful village just outside Banbury with lovely walking in the Cherwell Valley

Gite retreats in château grounds - welcoming and wonderful for young families. Build castles in the sandpit, make friends around the pool

An impressive manor house set in gentle rolling countryside ten miles from Oxford with a delightful garden, warm hosts and organic breakfast

A tranquil and tucked-away feel for this terraced cottage with private patio, communal garden and plenty of room for six

Walkers, bikers, families and nature fans will love staying with ever-helpful Joan and Montse in this secluded but not too remote valley

Three family friendly cottages on this gorgeous eco farm with private gardens and organised outdoor activities if you like joining in

From the delicious scented garden with its limestone pool to the cool rooms with perfect linen, this is a place for a special occasion

Warm interiors, pretty bedrooms and excellent breakfasts – good value in a very handy central spot

A roomy, stylish barn conversion in Devon's rolling hills with wonderful walks from the door and panoramic views of the Exe valley

Simple but stylishly furnished village house, terrific hill-top views, low-impact design, organic cooking and a hot tub; utterly peaceful

Come for dreamy river views, a lovely garden and this bolthole for two, beautifully renovated inside and out and with a private hot tub

Sleek, smart apartments on the first floor of a 19th-century building in Verona's most fashionable residential/commercial neighbourhood

A real gem set back from the hustle and bustle but perfectly placed to explore the city's many charms

A cottage for two on a wonderfully eco wine school and vineyard. Gaze at magnificent views from your terrace

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

A very comfortable and attractive 1820 gate lodge surrounded by mature trees on a family estate, in gently rolling countryside

Ease into a slower way of life from this beautiful Tuscan farmhouse surrounded by vineyards in the valley below medieval Montepulciano

Up in the hills, with Hay Bluff towering beside, this old stone house is sheltered in the valley with the brook rushing past to a waterfall