An elegant solution to a hotel - no rooms, but 13 charming villas in the heart of the maquis, nearly all with a private pool

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

You're only a whisper away from history in this family-run château, where rose gardens, sumptuous bedrooms and generous breakfasts wait

Come to stay in a fine old townhouse with elegant proportions, high ceilings and a rambling, English-style garden close to Mont Saint-Michel

Settle into an unhurried pace of life on the coast. Comfortable houses and an eco-friendly garden; yoga, massages and riding can be arranged

Nestled in Stockbridge between Winchester, Salisbury and the south coast, this equally lovely foodie inn with rooms is a winner

Come to recharge in the lovely Loire valley at this fine château surrounded by mature gardens and green countryside

An oh-so-special B&B in Palermo's ancient heart. This city at the edge of Europe, with its Arab-Norman-Byzantine heritage, is fascinating

A super old place for those who love history and Thomas Hardy. Come for enjoyable gastropub food and comfortable, traditional bedrooms

Splash under the Elephant Arch, take a boat to the caves, set off for Tunisia! Then it’s back to a super-private room by the sea

Tradition and comfort on the border with Wales, a welcoming country-house hotel with warm rooms, pretty gardens and delicious food

Walkers and wild-lifers, here is your place in the Pyrenees. Colour, character, a welcoming family, log fires and delicious home cooking

A lovely spot in an AONB for this bright and airy converted barn, one of four round a gravelled courtyard on a 600-acre estate

Books, meadow flowers, a rocking chair by a cosy fire at this treasure-trove cottage of beautiful things - down tiny lanes in west Cork

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

In a quaint village with a bakery, brasserie and shops, a handsome gîte with a wonderful pool and fashion museum

Come on down to the farm and this wonderful eco conversion of an ancient piggery with heavily beamed ceilings and much warmth and comfort