Sublime views across the Tuscan countryside, seasonal food and the kindest host. Children are welcome, oenophiles will be in heaven

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

Wisteria, clematis and roses clamber up this pretty stone barn conversion with its own big garden surrounded by mature trees and many birds

Two cottages for couples: one more traditional, the other fresh and modern, both comfortable and romantic and there's a good pub next door

Come for an exceptionally inviting 17th-century inn, a chocolate-box Cotswold village, excellent local food and ales, very comfortable rooms

Creative owners have made a gorgeous, arty space for couples or a small group of friends; good beaches and Salcombe are close

A luxurious 1920s manor house with superbly stylish rooms, secluded gardens and a heated pool; close to the Picardy coast

Deliciously comfortable, hospitable, boutique B&B - in a secluded village within easy reach of Reims and the vineyards of Champagne

A charming transformation of a once boarded-up pub in a pretty village setting, beside the river Wye in the heart of the Peak District

Bask in the warmth of the owners at this chic 'maison de maître' in off-track Provence - 12km from lovely hilltop Gordes

A small, stylish hotel lost in the country with beautiful rooms, excellent food, fine walking and a river passing directly outside

Come for sumptuous bedrooms, fine dining, colourful gardens and charming staff at this smart hotel and restaurant

Walk, ride, bike or canoe, climb a mountain, head for Hay, then return to a comfortable bar, warm bedrooms and delicious food

Ease yourself into a rather more gracious lifestyle from this sweet retreat on a historic estate with gorgeous walled gardens

A 1980s Catalan mas built in a traditional style, with garden and pool, surrounded by olive trees and vineyards near the Spanish border

Big house with bags of character and easy access to beaches, cafés and cobbled streets, coastal paths and hidden coves

Come for sea air, independent shops, great places to eat and this quirky cottage with plenty of room and a sunny walled garden

Dominating the village is this historic hotel... all frescoes, chandeliers, splendour at every turn. And a handsome pool, too