A large tranquil apartment with garden and pool surrounded by Tuscan countryside, just over half an hour's drive from Siena

A romantic and very comfortable retreat in a smartly converted dairy with a pretty garden, close to the South Downs

A lake to fish, a terrace for evening sun and a choice of two spaces with a shared pool and games room, a short hop from pretty Auvillar

Top-notch apartments in the heart of old Jérez for couples and families on the bodega trail. A daily market in town and fab beaches near by

Lovely old house with award-winning restaurant and indoor swimming pool. Sleeps up to 18 so just the ticket for a big family gathering

Glorious views of Derwentwater and Skiddaw from this comfortable house. Art dotted about, a big table for chatty meals and a pretty garden

Two homely gîtes sleeping 4 and 2 in rural farm country. Walk to the bakery; drive 15 minutes to Saint-Malo and riverside restaurants

Between Penzance & Helston, close to Praa Sands, is a beautiful bolthole for 6. Good for garden lovers & peace-seekers – dog-friendly too

Serious art, lovely lighting, great sound system and a fat wood-burner belting out the heat at this super place for families or friends

History, tranquillity and genuine warmth in a beautifully restored medieval château, deep in the heart of the countryside

A converted 19th-century church in the Northumberland National Park with beautiful stained-glass windows and a restored tower

A thoughtful cottage, full of warmth and cheer with lovely art and delicious pops of colour. Come for beautiful walks and much wildlife

A pleasing (not very little) place to stay in the heart of a wood within the unspoilt countryside of the South Downs National Park

Log fires smoulder, rooms are comfortable, the food is delicious and there's bags of character at this old village pub – once a cider house

Romantics will love this small converted hut-on-a-hillside surrounded by pines and olives with stunning views over the old town and the sea

A stylish, canal-side inn – you get Sunday lunch, tow paths that lead into Edinburgh, then a pretty garden and cute rooms

Restored stone barn on a farm in the Lake District National Park, with views of fields and woods and an excellent pub nearby

A chalet-with-everything: great mountain style, space and comfort with views of Mont Blanc, a sauna and bubbling hot tub