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

Eco-friendly B&B overlooking Lake Como with marvellous mountain and lake views. Heaps of space, generous hosts, a menagerie of animals

Part of the original Wensleydale creamery overlooking the river, with bustling Hawes and great walking country right on your doorstep

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

In the city of Trapani, at the foot of Mount Erice, a nobleman's villa with a warm heart and exotic gardens. A hop from the Egadi Islands

A beautifully-restored Devon bank barn at the end of a quiet lane in the glorious South Hams, just right for a couple or small family

Your own cottage on a wine estate in a very beautiful part of the South Downs, famed for world-class sparkling wines and good food

Wrapped in fields and woods, this big traditional house has crisply furnished interiors and plenty of gadgets. Terraced gardens and pool too

Throw open French windows to this sleek self-catering space, with off-street parking. Walk to the beach & the pub, visit historic Chichester

A 200-year-old village house surrounded by vineyards. Light-filled interiors, lots of art, a garden and a pool

Achingly trendy, a design-lover's dream with infinity pool, wine on the terrace, pampering spa and a sunny bay at your feet – stunning

Creative organic food, friendly young hosts and plenty of space to unwind at this hotel surrounded by woods and fields

Five tranquil apartments surrounded by Tuscan countryside just over half an hour's drive from Siena – hire them all for a group holiday

Sit back and relax at this luxuriously elegant grand manor in the heart of the Dordogne with a concierge service to take care of everything

Eat, drink and sleep extremely well at this peaceful hotel, steeped in history and with stunning river views just a short hop from Beaulieu

In the heart of a starlight reserve in a protected natural park, three authentic cottages with walks from the door for immersion in nature

Come for big skies, loch views, much wildlife, acres of forest and a charming wood-clad cottage from which to explore such a remote spot

A hop to Montpellier, but deep in the countryside: a romantic pad, with Moroccan rugs, ochre-limed walls and bikes to ride into the country