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

Explore the coastal paths on foot or by bike, or simply sunbathe next to the pool... Leafy gardens, comfortable rooms and excellent dinners

A beautiful cream stone building in the grounds of a grand château, with a large and view-filled outdoor terrace for peaceful dawdling

Chatty Madame is a superb cook, and her pretty house and garden in a quiet Yvelines village are equally delicious. Zip to Paris by train

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

If you need a great place in which to relax and don’t want to pay too much for it, try these excellent suites, which spoil you all the way

Flop in a hammock and be lulled by Mediterranean scents and breezes, relax in an ancient Trullo – come here for raw beauty not for frills

Your friendly hosts offer you stylish bedrooms, swims in the heated pool, and wonderful dinners and wines. Cahors is only a 10-minute drive

Two villas on opposite shores of a big lily-covered lake, fed with natural spring water from the Ticino river and surrounded by gardens

A handsome house with breath-taking mountain views: perfect for summer holidays and walking in spring and autumn

High on a hill in the Tyne Valley, undisturbed except by birds singing and the wind whistling; views swoop down to a magical landscape

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

Enjoy southern life in a charming palazzo in Trapani. Come for coastal drives and baroque basilica, hand-twirled pasta and fresh calamari

Glass-and-timber doors bathe you with light, gaze at big skies and the river Dart lapping. Sublime year round, it's one of our favourites

An important spot for this grand 19th-century château on the banks of the Loire, steeped in history and with kind, erudite owners

A peaceful, romantic village escape for couples, plus a babe-in-arms, attached to the welcoming owners' home in the Scottish Borders

Sweep along the gravel drive through lawns and specimen trees to this elegant manor house with 17th-century roots