Great design along with much comfort and warmth an hour from Inverness airport, but a world away from the city and with stunning views

Comfortable home with wood fires, gracious bedrooms and convivial living rooms. The drive is full of blossom and daffodils in spring

Cosy and comfortable eco cottages near to sleepy Sidmouth, where grown-ups can relax and children can play safely in the gardens

A beguiling retreat for a couple or a family of four – feel cosy and secluded in a thatched cottage close to the coast

A niftily converted old cricket pavilion on the Norfolk/Suffolk border surrounded by a garden and mature trees, now a romantic retreat

Perched on a hillside between mountains and sea is this charming house in a modern Spanish style, engulfed by a beautiful garden with views

Gracious Florentine hospitality, elegance and comfort, gazebo breakfasts, a flower-filled garden with pool and views of olive groves

Shady spots in the garden, a pool overlooked by tall palms, a bar nook stocked with drinks and a new spa in the Serra do Açor

Fine contemporary interiors within this half-timbered hillside villa, built with natural materials and with a beautiful pool and jacuzzi

A light, bright, art-filled space with private garden on a quiet residential street just a short walk from shops, markets and good food

A fabulous Belle Epoque château with much wow factor set in vast grounds with lawns and lakes, circled by a dense forest

Bring friends or family for a rural escape in a smart and cosy house near rugged coast, breathtaking beaches and the wilds of Bodmin Moor

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

A picture-perfect thatched cottage down a narrow track on a private estate with woodland walks, a big garden and a communal barbecue

An elegant French château brimming with antiques and surrounded by landscaped lawns. Enjoy convivial dinners with the perfect host

A gorgeous house with oodles of original features, a lovely garden and the owners' pub, farm shop, brewery and spa a short walk

On the outskirts of Marazion, this timber clad house perched above the sea is a super pad for romantic couples