A grand old Georgian building with a big old welcoming atmosphere, roaring fires, delicious food, ales and wine, warm and calming bedrooms

Former hunting lodge with a swimming pool on a 700-acre wine estate in the Valdera surrounded by vineyards and authentic villages

1800s coastal watchtower meets organic farm at a small hotel with a proud restaurateur and sea views from high mezzanine rooms

A handsome château filled with intrigue and interest on the edge of a Bastide town in Landes. Your charming host looks after you with aplomb

High in the Beaujolais is this wonderful B&B - vast views, a big pool in a half-wild garden, and the best cuisine for miles

A lovely gîte with cool lines and its own shady terrace plus pool, gardens, fountain and a relaxed family-friendly feel

A characterful coaching inn in a lively market town surrounded by manicured countryside - Chester's mighty Roman walls are close

A very pretty old coach house in a south London garden – perfect for a couple or a family. Friendly owners live across the courtyard

An elegant home with an easy atmosphere – Andrea is a great host. Comfortable bedrooms with window seats overlook the pretty walled gardens

An elegant 1892 building, once the village school, now a very comfortable, colourful B&B with warm owners and delicious breakfasts

Just below the Tuscan town of Massa Marittima, an agriturismo loved by sporty types and families, with wonderful food on site

Glass-and-timber doors bathe you with light, gaze at big skies and the river Dart lapping. Sublime year round, it's one of our favourites

Provençale-meets-English country house to great effect – cycle Mont Ventoux, walk to the monastery, visit Roman towns and vineyards

Charming cottage surrounded by acres of wildflower meadows: drive to Newport in 15 minutes, walk the Pembrokeshire coastline

Immersed in vines and valleys, a glorious Girondine villa in which to gather close to Saint-Émilion – come together, walk, read, reconnect

An 1820s beach house just 50 metres from the pretty sands and a first-floor deck for al fresco meals with stunning views over the water

In the heart of the East Sussex countryside, a fun community inn, with rustic-historic bedrooms, scrumptious food, and a great welcome for dogs

Charming trulli apartments promise rustic comfort and panoramic views (horses too). Perfectly placed for exploring the area