5 houses near Siena to make design-lovers happy; come for the rural solitude of ancient stone farm buildings with urban interiors

A bright comfortable retreat in an enviable spot - riverside walks, Botanic Gardens and all the hip eateries of Stockbridge on your doorstep

From the delicious scented garden with its limestone pool to the cool rooms with perfect linen, this is a place for a special occasion

Nestled next to the main house, this feels part cottage and part townhouse, making a cosy retreat just a couple of miles from the coast

Stylish seaside inn with stunning salt marsh views from a decked terrace, delicious food, wine and ales and sea-breezy modern bedrooms

This grand house on the river Derwent oozes old-fashioned comfort – find traditional bedrooms, delicious food and an open fire

Come for the utter silence and the rare beauty of this far north-westerly landscape, teeming with wildlife. An antidote to city life

Enjoy warmth, comfort and some jolly good food at this family-run village inn with inviting bedrooms – a haven for weary walkers

A sylvan hideaway tucked into the hills of the Southern Alps, full of Provençal charm inside and out – Saint-Cézaire and the coast are close

Remote barn in the middle of Northumberland National Park with views for miles, wonderful walking trails and clear starry skies

A trulli hamlet immersed in nature, on the wilder side of Puglia with visits to white-washed hilltop towns and cooking with Nonna Maria

It's steeped in history and a joy to visit. Explore the vast pistes of Les Portes du Soleil... return to log fires and house-party dinners

An 18th-century watermill with millrace and pond, now a smart B&B with a swimming pool and pretty gardens, run by charming English hosts

Smart cottage perched on a hill above Broadway with a music room and a hot tub in the pretty Cotswolds

A serene riverside retreat on the Lot, with manicured gardens and a shared pool, tennis court and children's playground for socialising

A family-run 1700s thatched Inn in a rural hamlet with super food, a grand team to look after you and picnic benches in a pretty garden

Come on down to this working farm for delicious organic food, an on-site sourdough bakery and crisp bedrooms in a pretty farmhouse