Once a lofty edifice for music recitals, now an original place to stay - with stained-glass windows, a bed on a stage and wild gardens

Grand and old and filled with history, the estate and such a pretty house are a tonic, as are the well-tended grounds and parkland

Artistic souls will like it here, and those who enjoy shared meals & getting to know other people in dramatic countryside; Arezzo is 40 km

A magical chateau set in the forested hills of Burgundy with lovely rooms, peaceful walks, home cooking and a merry welcome

A small, quirky country house hotel with lovely staff, pretty rooms and heavenly food served in a pillared dining room

A magnificent Arts and Crafts house set in thirty acres by the river Frome. The North Wing and the South Wing may also be booked separately

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

A smart B&B in the heart of Beaune sitting quietly in half a hectare of gorgeous gardens; you're well looked after by your charming hosts

An enormous picture window gives you views over fields of sheep and the Cheviots, beaches are nearby. Return to huge comfort and warmth

Refined palazzo with a rooftop terrace near the historic centre of Ostuni. The Valle d’Itria region and the coast is on your doorstep

An island of oyster farms, salt pans and white beaches, woolly donkeys, countless push-bikes and the odd celeb – we love the Ile de Ré!

Three family friendly cottages on this gorgeous eco farm with private gardens and organised outdoor activities if you like joining in

Fine contemporary interiors within this half-timbered hillside villa, built with natural materials and with a beautiful pool and jacuzzi

Sink into the folds of a secret Umbrian valley fringed with young vines and olives. Discover an ancient church and farmhouse, transformed...

Families can unwind at this lovely old higgledy-piggledy farmhouse in typical southern Algarve style, with a big pool and lush greenery

Stay in a lovely 18th-century townhouse in one of the prettiest villages on the Loire surrounded by unspoilt countryside

A smooth, contemporary space with far-reaching views, plenty of light and high ceilings for nature lovers, walkers, artists and dreamers

On its own wooded estate, a special manor house of character. Art on the walls, maps and wellies to borrow, gardens to romp in, super views