Kids range free, adults recharge in these two gites on a 17th-century estate with sunny gardens and a pool. Hike, bike, swim, relax...

Delightful B&B on a working farm, generous hosts welcome you with tea and homemade cake. Bring a piece of furniture and give it a facelift!

The village is tiny, the bar is lively, the food is delicious. The Cotswolds are at your feet and you’re encouraged not to lift a finger

Peaceful Highland hideaway on a wooded lochside: spy dolphins and otters, stargaze, and soak up the deep silence

Come for much grace, space and inspiration in this huge-windowed, view-filled spot surrounded by gloriously untrammelled countryside

Share an authentic and unpretentious part of Sardinia with generous hosts. Stay in rooms set across three properties, enjoy memorable meals

Learn about local lore, taste the wines, bliss out in the garden and enjoy the company of Éric and Cathy, warm, humorous and talented hosts

A bit like staying with friends in a smart country house, but not having to help - an elegant refuge near Bradford-on-Avon

Elegant historic house set in acres of grounds transports you to a bygone belle époque (with all mod cons)

Remote wartime research station turned stylish retreat with knockout views, wild walks and a front-row seat to the weather

Manicured exteriors surround this 18th-century hamlet, a cluster of restored buildings with nine apartments, restaurant, pool and small spa

An architect-designed bolthole with two art galleries, a restaurant, studios and a paper mill by the seaside - a Sawday’s Community Champion

This cottage is stylish and serene, beautifully transformed from an old farm building – come for golf, beaches, walks and bird-watching

Stylish hotel with big rooms, lovely food and a pretty garden overlooking the old castle moat - don’t miss the Mappa Mundi in the cathedral

Cosy timber-framed cottages from which you can explore Alsace’s vine-striped countryside and traditional villages

In a quaint village with a bakery, brasserie and shops, a handsome gîte with a wonderful pool and fashion museum

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

An incredible living museum, dedicated to the history of Sicily and the arts. Stay in the main house or in a cottage in the fecund garden