Smart, spacious house for 12 with great views over the family vineyard - arrange a tasting, walk the Cotswold Way, cycle the canal towpath

In wine country, a beautifully revived 16th-century manor and hospitable B&B. Visit Angers’ cathedral, cruise along the Loire to Saumur

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

If you need a great place in which to relax and don’t want to pay too much for it, try these excellent suites, which spoil you all the way

A super old place for those who love history and Thomas Hardy. Come for enjoyable gastropub food and comfortable, traditional bedrooms

Beautiful B&B in idyllic setting, with natural salt water pool and plenty of relaxed communal spaces

Step back in time at this wonderfully authentic château, loved deeply by its owners - 25km from Beaune and the Route des Grands Crus

A relaxed hilltop escape with good food, a pretty garden and fine views of the Dales and the river Wharfe – bring your dog too

Sweep along the gravel drive through lawns and specimen trees to this elegant manor house with 17th-century roots

Grand stone house set in tranquil parkland with a pool, potager and plenty of space for groups. Chickens and charm included

Stylish barn in the Slaughters – footpaths from the door, idyllic Cotswolds villages to explore. Head home for garden drinks and barbecues

Restored stone barn on the edge of Radnor Forest, with walking trails, glorious countryside views and lots of wildlife

Cottages, rooms and apartments on an historic 18th-century family estate with gorgeous gardens, a shared pool and a view-filled terrace

Perched on a hilltop in a nature reserve - this renovated farmhouse is a delight. Hike and beach-hop all day before relaxing in the pool

Traditional house in a rural part of the Algarve with a spectacular garden, a pool and a tennis court, and restaurants a short stroll

Vineyards, fruit trees and immaculate gardens, amazing food and wine, a sense of seclusion and sweeping views of the Tuscan hills

Your very own love nest: frolic in the outdoor rolltop, hunker by the wood-burner, bask in the gardens... near Lakes and Dales

An idyllic hotel-restaurant in a postcard-pretty medieval village. Warm interiors, a varied menu of local produce, masses to see and do...