A smart stone house with huge gardens and a barrel sauna nestled in a valley between mountains and sea - perfect for lovers of the outdoors

Tranquil couple’s getaway with a shared pool, wonderful views, and lavender plants in every direction. The delightful owners are next door

A truly authentic place to stay on a Sicilian working farm with roaming hens, wheat fields, wild flowers and a distant view of the sea

Walkers, bikers, families and nature fans will love staying with ever-helpful Joan and Montse in this secluded but not too remote valley

Two cottages for couples: one more traditional, the other fresh and modern, both comfortable and romantic and there's a good pub next door

On the site of an old sawmill in the mountains of the Jura, a guesthouse of warmth and charm - with table d'hôtes, a pool and a spa

A pleasure to stay in such a dreamy château surrounded by a beautiful terrace, elegant gardens and parkland, a lake, river and waterfall

Sublime views across the Tuscan countryside, seasonal food and the kindest host. Children are welcome, oenophiles will be in heaven

A sprint from London: a Cotswolds pub modernised with sympathy and care. Happy staff, organic ales and food, gorgeous rooms

Gorgeous rooms and splendid breakfasts – for sybarites, history-lovers, cyclists and canoeists - bang in the middle of ancient Long Melford

Heart-soaring Pyrenean views, animals roaming, natural materials in simple rural rooms, organic food: it’s a superbly welcoming eco-lodge

25 sleek cabins by a shimmering lake, a clubhouse with rooms, restaurants, gym, pool and activities galore around these 1000 acres of wild nature

Come for history, wildlife and a stunning garden estate with acres to roam. Bring children and dogs too. Fabulous

Swing off the main road through the village, up into the hills along a narrow track and through a gate, observed by curious sheep

A perfectly renovated farmhouse in the grounds of a delightful château deep in the Normandy countryside, with a lovely walled garden

Pretty, thatched, perfectly round: a romantic village bolthole with retro touches. Grab flip-flops, leads and run the dogs on Pendower beach

Elegant Victorian townhouse just between Kings road and Fulham Road. Chatty breakfasts with a friendly host - Suzie has the latest info on all things arty

Cosy and comfortable eco cottages near to sleepy Sidmouth, where grown-ups can relax and children can play safely in the gardens