An enchanting and relaxed château and vineyard by the river Cher in the exquisite Loire Valley - you're looked after by gracious hosts

Elegant house with sprawling gardens and space for family and friends, within walking distance of the coast

Simply furnished, tasteful rooms - perfect for a country getaway! Enjoy coastal views at breakfast or explore the village.

An old farm worker's cottage, niftily done up and nicely remote, with walking and fishing on the doorstep, four miles from Hadrian's Wall

Warm family hospitality, magnificent surroundings, bedroom breakfasts, candlelit dinners and elegant windows overlooking the park

A Victorian house on a 5000 acre estate, snazzily renovated and tucked down a track with a private lake, in the quieter part of Cumbria

An elegant townhouse, built in 1830 and once the sous-préfecture for Rochefort, with spacious, light-filled rooms and a garden with pool

A family retreat high above the river Dordogne and deep in woodland - with heated pool, games room and village restaurants a stroll away

Charmingly rambling, inside and out: blazing fires, riotous patterns, oak panelling, a prolific garden and comfortable antique beds

B&B rooms, some with kitchenettes, in a lush garden setting with a river running behind. The pretty village is on your doorstep

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

Comfortable bolthole for 2–6 in the heart of the city. Shops and restaurants on the doorstep, a short drive from the coast and South Downs

A cluster of traditional farm buildings making up three holiday cottages in very attractive grounds with fruit trees, meadows and woodland

Farmhouse B&B with thoughtful hosts and superb breakfasts; Michelin-star dining is in the village and thermal baths are near

Hike the Wild Boar Fells, get cosy at home with books, games and DVDs, and meet the farm’s hens, cows and sheep

A modern take on an Iron Age roundhouse with stunning sea views in Scotland’s wild west, perfect for couples

Flop in a hammock and be lulled by Mediterranean scents and breezes, relax in an ancient Trullo – come here for raw beauty not for frills