This warm and friendly little hotel is on a mission - to give you really good food, excellent wine and a very comfortable night's sleep

A relaxed home-from-home feel at this Spanish house with old-fashioned charm, a big garden and pool and lovely views from every window

View-filled, beautifully converted and toasty warm, this old donkey shed is perfect for walkers, cyclists, peace-seekers and lovers

A converted Victorian schoolhouse with a glorious oak bar, an impressive selection of gins, hearty food and attractive bedrooms

An ancient manor from the middle ages, built against a stone cliff with extensive terraced grounds, pool and parkland filled with wildlife

Two family-friendly gites (big groups can take both) with beautiful gardens, sparkling pool, activities for children and peace for parents

A hop from St Mark’s Square, this long-standing hotel - a delightful family affair - could not be better placed for exploring Venice

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

In a chocolate-box village just an hour on the train, and a short hop in a taxi, from London is this foodie inn with pretty bedrooms

An enchanting escape immersed in nature yet only 40 minutes by train into the Eternal City for art and history-filled days

A big, rambling inn – welcoming and unpretentious with deep sofas, eclectic artwork, tasty food and exceedingly comfortable bedrooms

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

Near Vosges mountains, a happy homely hotel surrounded by woods and flower-filled meadows with friendly hosts. Deliciously peaceful

A big friendly farmhouse basking in light, with terraces, vineyards, pool and views to several horizons, good for family gatherings

An historic, moated manor house dating from the 16th-century, fully restored and with all mod cons, including an indoor heated pool

A new-build in local stone with vast windows gazing out at the meeting place of three beautiful lochs, surrounded by 12 acres of croft land

An indulging stay - exquisite decor, cosy fire, honesty bar, champagne hamper... Wellies & Barbours to borrow for yomps in Dales or Lakes