Serious art, lovely lighting, great sound system and a fat wood-burner belting out the heat at this super place for families or friends

Once a coach house, now a split-level place to stay – you can walk to the river and it's just a short hop to central London

Step through a door in an old wooden gate to discover a courtyard garden on the edge of town close to golden sands

Two lovely cottages, packed with atmosphere, character and comfort in a magical timeless valley surrounded by nature

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

Gaze on Umbrian hills as the children play, watch the fireflies dance at night. Dine fabulously in Gubbio - or here. Sociable-family bliss

A special little house, renovated with huge style, filled with beautiful objects and with a delightfully quiet and secluded private garden

Come for a quintessentially English country cottage tucked down a village path with wisteria in the garden and a short walk to a foodie pub

Great gulps of ozone will engulf you at this architect-designed 1960s beach house - light, bright and sparkling, just like the ocean

A lovely little bolthole to return to after days out exploring pretty Cotswold villages and walking in an AONB straight from the door

A hideaway for two on an old farm, gifted to The National Trust for Jersey, with a pretty walled garden and circled by verdant countryside

A taste of old Italy in this off-the-beaten-track rustic house on three levels, exquisitely restored and with elegant designer furnishings

Airy, spacious, sunny. This Lot gîte is a delight: linen curtains, oak stair, sunny pool. Sarlat and painted caves are an easy venture away

Perched in gorgeous gardens and with stunning views, this 18th-century presbytery has lovely rooms and an excellent gourmet restaurant

Log fires smoulder, rooms are comfortable, the food is delicious and there's bags of character at this old village pub – once a cider house

A dog-friendly cottage in a tranquil village, formerly the bakery, now restored to perfection with oodles of space and much comfort

The Dordogne flows through the gastronomic heart of France, where stunning villages cling to rock faces and historic riches are in store