Families can unwind at this lovely old higgledy-piggledy farmhouse in typical southern Algarve style, with a big pool and lush greenery

An 18th-century whitewashed cottage, characterful and comfortable and with a large private garden, just minutes from the coast by car

A grand spot for walkers, cyclists and nature lovers - this warm, informal B&B gives you very comfortable rooms and delicious breakfasts

Converted barn with the most welcoming owners – the garden and pool are all yours; explore a less touristy part of the Dordogne

Wow. The sort of place you long for on dreary days - inspired architecture, heavenly views, delicious home-cooked food, a lake for swimming

Round up family and friends and head for the glorious South Hams and this eco-friendly barn conversion for ten with extra cottage

A Victorian farm steading cleverly repurposed as an open-plan holiday home with bright, colourful interiors, deep in the Perthshire hills

A peaceful grown-up place circled by meadows and woodland with helpful owners next door – a superb spot to explore the south-west

A fin-de-siècle Franco-Scottish décor for this hospitable, entertaining B&B, in the heart of Edinburgh’s cultural quarter

Lavender shortbread and baked peaches for breakfast at this most artistic of homes. The courtyard with magnolia and orange trees is lovely

Like staying in a family home, only with Henri III furniture and rolling green views. Energetic hosts cook, farm, hunt, chat over champagne

A beautifully renovated traditional manor house with extensive gardens and orchard, a pool with a deck in a meadow and a terrace for dining

A classic period property right on the river, perfectly placed to explore the delights of nearby Marlborough

An L-shaped former farmhouse is now a gorgeous place to stay, just half an hour from the sea or the mountains and near interesting villages

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

A thatched farmhouse only just over the channel near Rouen that’s well hidden in lush gardens, but worth finding for the gourmet food alone

Two peaceful olive grove farmhouses, a shared pool with incredible views, hours of hiking along beautiful trails, Pisa and Lucca nearby