Fresh Hotel; Athens
In downtown Athens, this budget boutique hotel has funky, boldly-painted lobby and 133 rooms done in cool neutrals with splashes of colour, and a thoroughly laid-back vibe. But really it’s all about one thing at Fresh Hotel: the rooftop bar. Getting a lap pool, loungers and views of the Acropolis bathed in moonlight for around £56 a night in Europe is not bad going in anyone's books.
Read ELLE's full review of Fresh Hotel
Riad Ariha, Marrakech
A 15-minute walk away from the touristy square of Djemaa el Fna, Riad Ariha is a touch of zen-like calm in the buzzy Marrakech medina. One hundred years old and spotlessly clean, this white-hued, traditionally styled riad has some of the city’s most appealing budget beds. As night falls, retreat to the jasmine-scented roof terrace and watch the sunsetting behind the distant Atlas mountains. Doubles from £72
Baan Pra Nond; Bangkok
A canary-yellow colonial villa of just nine spruced-up guestrooms, all with overhead fans, crisp white linens and four-poster beds, Baan Pra Nond gives you plenty of bang for your baht. In a city as big as Bangkok, a central location – right by Sathorn pier – counts for a lot, though, and Tasma Cotsmire (granddaughter of the original owner) will tell you all you need to know about the city. Doubles from £36
3 Nagas by Alila, Luang Prabang, Laos
On the main drag in the old quarter of Luang Prabang, the timber-framed 3 Nagas has a peaceful garden of jackfruit and mango trees, leading down to the Nam Khan River. Its 15 stylish guestrooms have wooden floors, rosewood furnishings and large beds scattered with silk ikat cushions. Doubles from around £150
1555 Malabia House, Buenos Aires
Argentina’s first boutique B&B is in the heart of the hip Palermo Soho barrio, an area peppered with designer boutiques. A former convent, it houses 15 simple, light-filled guestrooms and a shady, laid-back interior courtyard, the perfect place to rest up before another night on the town. Doubles from around £45
