Two family and dog friendly retreats for lovers of the countryside, birdwatchers and those wishing to escape the crowds

Fall asleep to the sound of the sea in your dreamy thatched cottage, one of 6, right on the beach for those head-clearing walks...

You'll feel at home in this immaculate yet cosy 1800s brick and pantile cottage with a pretty patio and stunning views across the Lincolnshire Wolds

Great value country inn with friendly staff and a superb restaurant. Sleep in comfortable rooms, play boules in the pretty gardens

Comfortable home with wood fires, gracious bedrooms and convivial living rooms. The drive is full of blossom and daffodils in spring

An ever-changing interior for this stunning pod, commissioned by a different artist each year. Creative, fun - a Sawday's Community Champion

Philippe and Stéphanie give you delicious food and comfortable, colourful bedrooms in their ancient château with gardens and pool

Well-positioned winery for the whole of the Bordeaux region. Or stay put and learn about the Duhamels’ super organic Cotes de Bourg wines

Retreat to a classically styled, elegant apartment for four - private and peaceful - in a characterful, super-central area of Rome

Laze under the loggia, drink in superb, sweeping Umbrian views and wine from the vines beyond the pool; sleep peacefully in grand style

5 houses near Siena to make design-lovers happy; come for the rural solitude of ancient stone farm buildings with urban interiors

Gather family in this big, beautiful barn for treks on hidden trails and picnics in the wildflower meadow. Set your watch by the wildlife

A monastic grange full of grandeur with luxurious interiors to keep you comfortable. Enjoy a pool, gardens and Margate on the doorstep

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

Traditional B&B in a beautiful château bursting with history and surrounded by formal gardens, then farmland and two fine rivers

Rare as a bird, a proper old fashioned French inn on the side of the road in a sleepy village, a restoration project for the new owners

In the heel of Italy’s boot, a spacious converted village mill, surrounded by citrus groves. Culture abounds & you’re close to the coast

Take in the stunning views, explore the narrow medieval lanes and soak up the old-world charm of one of France’s most beautiful villages