Charming B&B with lovely hosts, beautiful food, and hiking and cycling routes galore – plus balloon rides over stunning volcanic scenery

A vibrant open-plan space with a wild garden, river for swimming, splashing or fishing and the chance to spot kingfishers and red squirrels

A romantic creekside cottage down a web of narrow lanes in a tumbling green valley – mess about on the water to your heart’s content

A Renaissance farmhouse in a secret Welsh valley with a stunning garden. Sleep under soaring beams, enjoy peace and warm hospitality

Characterful and family-friendly apartments on this lovely wine-country estate: great hosts, glorious grounds and pool, home-grown food

A small, quirky country house hotel with lovely staff, pretty rooms and heavenly food served in a pillared dining room

A 17th-century traditional Welsh longhouse in a very sheltered spot facing south and with a pretty garden surrounded by fields and meadows

For escapists, wannabe writers and lovers of rural bliss: two boho hideaways for two (four at a squeeze) in this lush corner of Galicia

A cluster of traditional farm buildings making up three holiday cottages in very attractive grounds with fruit trees, meadows and woodland

A cool converted barn on an organic farm near Brittany’s loveliest beaches, with a kitchen garden and play area, perfect for foodie families

Countryside and seaside all in one go – what could be more inspiring? Lovely Louisa lives down the road, on hand if you need her

Spotless and thoughtful B&B overlooking St Michael's Mount with delicious breakfasts, warm owners and plenty of space to yourselves

A serene retreat basking above the Algarve with sea views from the garden and pool, and charming Moorish details

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

An elegant hotel that feels like a well-kept secret, with charming staff, understated rooms and great restaurants a short walk away

Escape your cares here, move from terrace to terrace tracking the sun's progress and dive into the sea from your own swimming platform

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

Log fires smoulder, rooms are comfortable, the food is delicious and there's bags of character at this old village pub – once a cider house