A friendly, generous, big old house with not an ounce of pretension. Big families will adore gathering here to have fun and unwind

An 18th-century townhouse on a quiet Arles street with a traditional feel and kind hosts - you'll be the only guests at this Provençal home

A handsome house with breath-taking mountain views: perfect for summer holidays and walking in spring and autumn

A relaxed hilltop escape with good food, a pretty garden and fine views of the Dales and the river Wharfe – bring your dog too

Beautiful Noto is 4 miles from the Ionian Sea, and this creative renovation, with lush garden, stands above the throng. Heaven in Sicily

Vibrant, artistic barn conversion in the heart of York, a five-minute walk from the Minster. Convivial place with helpful, friendly hosts

Peaceful Highland hideaway on a wooded lochside: spy dolphins and otters, stargaze, and soak up the deep silence

Creative owners have made a gorgeous, arty space for couples or a small group of friends; good beaches and Salcombe are close

Sumptuous bedrooms and delicious breakfasts at these two magnificent wings in glorious gardens and grounds next to the castle

An absolutely charming former cart shed, with a magnificent view of the moated château and the park, with private sauna and shared pool

A thatched farmhouse only just over the channel near Rouen that’s well hidden in lush gardens, but worth finding for the gourmet food alone

A recently renovated and very comfortable stand-alone limestone cottage with fabulous views on the edge of the Easton Walled Gardens

A gorgeously tranquil place to escape to and fall in love with the Périgord's medieval villages, valleys, wines, markets and artisan farms

Two comfortably converted farm buildings, with a shared pool on a gentle south-east sloping vineyard with wonderful views

Imperious old coaching inn lost in deep country with a river to fish, five-mile views, delicious rooms and some very tasty food

Immerse yourself, luxuriously, in beautiful rural Picardy – mirabelle jam, peaceful parkland, walking in the hills – near historic Amiens

A cracking spot for this thatched and beamed 17th-century village inn with lovely gardens, just a half-mile stroll from Lulworth Cove

A fin-de-siècle Franco-Scottish décor for this hospitable, entertaining B&B, in the heart of Edinburgh’s cultural quarter