Families and walkers will be happy at this unfussy seaside retreat with beaches down the road and coastal paths right by your door

There’s a calm feel to this three-storey cottage, close to the centre of Bridport and the beach. Great for families, walkers and dogs

Art-filled and atmospheric, with stunning sea views and a sunny walled garden. Just moments from the beaches and charms of Lyme Regis

A bustling inn with beautiful interiors, lovely food and deep peace all around - beaches, castles and Roman palaces wait on your doorstep

Learn about local lore, taste the wines, bliss out in the garden and enjoy the company of Éric and Cathy, warm, humorous and talented hosts

A charming base in historic Beaulieu - expect delicious food, traditional country-house interiors, and walks that start from the front door

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

A spacious, luxurious family retreat, remote but close to Audierne. Watch surfers shoot the waves as seagulls wheel above

A cool pub with smart rooms, English ales and Thai-inspired food. Farringdon tube is round the corner and you can walk to the Barbican

Climb Snowdon - or take the train. Swim, cycle, visit Nat Trust houses. A deliciously quirky retreat for 2 (and babe-in-arms) near Anglesey

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

Live like a local at these rustic apartments with a shared courtyard; walk to restaurants and shops, take the ferry to the beach

A delightful mix of old and new in a conservation village with a four-acre garden that attracts all the local birds. Guests love it here

A big old house with a lovely pool, surrounded by ancient olives just 3kms from the sea and deep in the heart of Bandol wine country

Come for a holiday with extras: children’s playground, babysitting, pool, truffle hunting, vineyard, olive grove tours and more

Feel right at home in a thatched farmhouse on South Pool Creek, with cottage garden views, great breakfasts and a good local pub

Stylish barn in the Slaughters – footpaths from the door, idyllic Cotswolds villages to explore. Head home for garden drinks and barbecues

Explore country markets, churches and châteaux - return to a gite in private parkland with an artist's studio on site, and a blissful pool