EUROPE
Hotel One Hundred, Cardiff, Wales
"Small is beautiful" is the philosophy of the family that runs this city-centre B&B, and they're right. Opened in 2009 in a converted 1890s townhouse, it has seven stunning doubles with bespoke, locally made beds, feature wallpaper and ornate mirrors over original fireplaces. The guest lounge has daily newspapers, books, flatscreen TV, DVD player and a well-stocked honesty bar.
• 029 2048 2379, hotelonehundred.com; from £50 B&B
Bed & Breakfast Marjan Degraeve, Bruges, Belgium
"Expect the unexpected" say the eccentric owners of this B&B a short walk from Markt square. It has two kitsch en suite rooms (one double, one triple) crammed with dolls, mannequins, paintings and artworks from around the world. They are also generously stocked with beer from the couple's own brewery.
• +32 5034 5711, bedandbreakfast marjandegraeve.be; doubles from ¤60 per night B&B. Eurostar (eurostar.com) returns from London St Pancras to Bruges cost from £80
Les Cigognes, Normandy, France
This charming thatched house is in the heart of Normandy's Boucles de la Seine Normande regional park. It has four rooms with lime-washed walls, exposed wood beams and eclectic furniture, from antique chests to wrought-iron tailor's dummies. Ask the friendly owners about bike and picnic basket hire (complete with fresh farm produce) – perfect for a day cycling through the park.
• +33 6 6803 3939, 211bis.fr; doubles from ¤49 B&B. Brittany Ferries (brittany-ferries.co.uk) sails from Portsmouth to Caen from £69pp return
Le Sénéchal, Ile de Ré, France
This gem, in the village of Ars en Ré, is one of the most beautiful and affordable hotels on the Ile de Ré. Its 27 rooms and suites, all different shapes and sizes, have exposed brick walls, wooden floors and rustic furniture; some have open fires, freestanding baths and ocean views. Wake up with a dip in the heated pool, before coffee and croissants on the sunny patio.
• +33 5 4629 4042, hotel-le-senechal.com; doubles from ¤60 room only. Travel by rail from London to La Rochelle from £111 return with Rail Europe (raileurope.co.uk). Buses run regularly from La Rochelle to Ile de Ré
The Praktik, Barcelona, Spain
Cheap, cool and a short hop from the fashionable Passeig de Gràcia, this hotel is in a historic art nouveau building. Its 43 rooms have original mouldings and mosaics, big beds and modern artwork, alongside flatscreen tellies and free Wi-Fi. Slap-up breakfasts are served in the Tapa Tapa restaurant nearby.
• +34 93 467 3115; praktikhotels.com; from ¤50 room only. EasyJet (easyjet.com) flies from Bristol, Gatwick, Liverpool, Luton, Stansted or Newcastle to Barcelona
Hotel Acta del Carmen, Valencia, Spain
This newly renovated four-star in the trendy El Carmen neighbourhood is a bargain. It's stylish too, with 25 doubles decorated in orange, blue, red or black, featuring exposed wood floors, funky lighting, plasma TVs, striking modern artwork and plush en suite bathrooms. But the pièce de résistance has to be the rooftop terrace with its heated Jacuzzi and sweeping city views.
• +34 96 205 77 00, hotel-carmen valencia.com; doubles from ¤60 room only. Ryanair flies from Bristol, East Midlands or Stansted to Valencia
Cerca do Sul, São Teotónio, Portugal
This family-run B&B on Portugal's Costa Vicentina has views of the ocean one way and picturesque Monchique the other. Its seven doubles have white walls, terracotta-tiled floors and bold striped prints, all with flatscreen TVs. There are also communal living and dining rooms, a chill-out room packed with games and an outdoor pool. Speak to the owners about bike hire, surfing lessons and horse riding.
• +351 93 110 5167, cercadosul.com; doubles from ¤60 B&B. TAP (flytap.com) flies from Aberdeen, Belfast, Birmingham, Manchester, Gatwick or Heathrow to Lisbon
Ekes Konvents, Riga, Latvia
Smack in the centre of the Old Town, this charming guesthouse occupies two stories of the building that was Riga's first guesthouse – opened in 1435 and later used as a sanctuary for widows of the city's craftsmen. It has 11 cosy doubles, some facing St Peter's church, others a quiet courtyard. All have wooden floors, handwoven bedspreads and small bathrooms in what were once the widows' closets.
• +371 6735 8393, ekeskonvents.lv; doubles from ¤50 B&B. Ryanair (ryanair.com) flies from Bristol, Glasgow, East Midlands, Liverpool or Stansted to Riga
Dahlia Inn, Prague, Czech Republic
Only £25 for a double in the centre of this popular city? It's true. The Dahlia Inn is stylish too: eight funky purple and lime green doubles have Plexiglas chairs, huge flower prints on the walls, king-size beds, flatscreen TVs and mini-bars. Breakfast is extra (€4), but there are lots of cafes on Wenceslas Square, five minutes away.
• +420 222 517 518, dahliainn.com; doubles from ¤29 room only. EasyJet (easyjet.com) flies from Bristol, Gatwick or Stansted to Prague
Tempi Hotel, Athens, Greece
This quiet, family-friendly hotel is right under the mighty Acropolis and has 24 doubles and twins – half of them en suite, all with satellite TV, free Wi-Fi and even a notebook computer. Buy food at the nearby market for breakfast in the communal kitchen, and browse the books in the small library.
• +30 210 321 3175, tempihotel.gr; doubles from ¤40 room only. British Airways (ba.com) flies from Heathrow to Athens from £130 return
Dalya Life, Fethiye, Turkey
Perched on a stream and surrounded by trees, this hotel is set in a seriously serene location. Each of its eight bijoux villas has a double bedroom, paintings by Turkish artist Devrim Erbil in the sitting area, a mini-bar and bathroom. Have breakfast (eggs from Dalya Life chickens, fruit from the garden) on your private veranda, kick back by the pool and enjoy a pre-dinner cocktail at the riverside bar.
• 020-3397 0085, chicretreats.com; doubles from ¤60 B&B. Monarch (monarch.co.uk) flies from Birmingham or Luton to Dalaman from £188 return
LONG-HAUL
El Balcón, Cusco, Peru
A few streets from Plaza de Armas, El Balcón is housed in a 17th-century building with beautiful long balconies. It has 16 rooms, all en suite, with beds piled with thick alpaca blankets (it's cold here in winter), TVs and free Wi-Fi. The garden is just the place to relax before or after you conquer the Inca Trail, and its restaurant serves top-notch Peruvian food.
• +51 84 236738, balconcusco.com; doubles from £39 B&B. Iberia (iberia.com) flies from Heathrow to Cusco from £835 return
Riad Arabia, Marrakech, Morocco
The Red City has its share of gorgeous riads, but this one, opened last month, is in the heart of the medina and has four bedrooms in traditional style with stone walls, tiled floors and bright throws. After a day hunting for bargains, have a dip in the heated pool in the inner courtyard before watching the sunset from the roof terrace.
• 020-7193 2461, specialistmorocco.com; doubles from £50 B&B. EasyJet (easyjet.com) flies from Gatwick or Manchester to Marrakech from £75 return
Kendwa Rocks, Kendwa, Zanzibar
The name says it all. This laid-back beachfront guesthouse is one of the coolest on the island (though it's actually named after the coral rocks behind the beach). Its 28 suites, bungalows and bandas (wooden huts) have carved wooden four-posters and bright fabrics, with hammocks on the terrace. The beach comes alive every evening as travellers flock to the simple bars, and there's a monthly full moon party.
• 0117-942 8476, i-escape.com; doubles from £40 per night B&B. Kenya Airways (kenya-airways.com) flies from Heathrow to Zanzibar from £507
Villa Jacaranda, Kerala, India
This charming guesthouse is in the mellow beach town of Varkala. It has four en suite doubles filled with items from the owner's travels (Tuscan armoires, Byzantine-style chandeliers, Thai Buddha statues), each with its own veranda. There is also a shaded garden with a lily pond.
• 0117-942 8476, i-escape.com; doubles from £49 B&B. Virgin Atlantic (virgin-atlantic.com) flies from Heathrow to New Delhi from £427 return, and IndiGo (goindigo.in) flies from New Delhi to Trivandrum from £113 return
Panjim Inn and Panjim Pousada, Goa, India
Hidden among the narrow lanes of the Latin Quarter in Panaji, the capital of Goa, this grand colonial townhouse dates from the early 1800s and is still owned by the original Goan family. Each of its 24 rooms has a wonderful old-world charm, with period furniture, sepia family photos and (in some) carved four-poster beds. The same family runs the beautiful Panjim Pousada across the road, an old Hindu house with nine rooms.
• +91 832 222 6523, panjiminn.com; doubles from £35 B&B. Monarch (monarch.co.uk) flies from Gatwick or Manchester to Goa from £371 return
Luxx XL, Bangkok, Thailand
Following the successful 2006 launch of the 13-room Luxx hotel in Bangkok's Central Business District, 2009 saw the opening of Luxx XL on Langsuan Road, near Lumpini Park. You guessed it, it is larger, with 51 rooms, but equally chic, mixing gleaming teak, slate and stainless steel with local handcrafted furniture and minimalist bathrooms. It also has an infinity pool and garden, overlooked by a New York-style glass bar. Mai Tai cocktail, anyone?
• +66 2684 1111, staywithluxx.com; doubles from £49, room only. British Airways (ba.com) flies from Heathrow to Bangkok from £598 return
The Apsara, Luang Prabang, Laos
This stunning former rice warehouse on the banks of the Nam Khan (the quieter side of town) is now a chic hotel. Its 13 doubles across two houses mix shuttered windows and big comfy beds with local art, voile curtains and glass Buddha statues. There's a sleek bar (great cocktails) and its restaurant is excellent.
• +856 71 254 670, theapsara.com; doubles from £50 B&B. British Airways (ba.com) flies from Heathrow to Bangkok from £598 return. Bangkok Airways (bangkokair.com) flies from Bangkok to Laos (Luang Prabang) from £245 return
Mystères & Mekong, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
This colonial-style villa was converted into a guesthouse in 2009, and despite being in the heart of the capital, feels wonderfully secluded in its lush gardens. The 18 en suite doubles combine bright floor tiles and patterned silk throws with four-poster beds, full-length windows and private terraces – perfect for alfresco breakfasts. There is also a new outdoor pool.
• 0845 123 2844, symbiosis-travel.com; doubles from £45 B&B. Malaysia Airlines (malaysiaairlines.com) flies from Heathrow to Phnom Penh from £687 return
Puri Mas Boutique Resort & Spa, Lombok, Indonesia
It may be just a sandal's throw from busy Senggigi beach, but this place is as idyllic as they come. Owned by a ballroom dancer from the Netherlands, it has 20 rooms and suites along the beach and in the jungle, with antiques, king-size four-posters and Balinese bathrooms. Chill by the infinity pool or book a dance lesson with the owner.
• 0845 034 0700, mrandmrssmith.com; doubles from £47 B&B. Malaysia Airlines (malaysiaairlines.com) flies from Heathrow to Bali from £529
