Look on the bright side - the weather might be closing in, but while the beautiful people all jet off for high season sun, the rest of the world is offering discounts. Design Hotels is launching a Winter Spaces promotion in January at 31 of its hotels, where guests will be automatically upgraded to a more luxurious room. So if you book a standard room you'll get to slink into a deluxe room, and if you pay for a deluxe category you'll end up swanking around in a suite in a variety of locations from London to Venice. Participating hotels include Kit Kemp's fabulous Soho Hotel in London - walking distance from Soho's nightlife, theatreland and department stores such as Selfridges and Liberty; Ca'Pisani in Venice - which is utterly beautiful in winter and free of tourists; and others such as the Beli Ami and Kube in Paris.

From around £145 per night room only, until May 2, 2006, subject to availability. Minimum two-night stay. designhotels.com/winterspaces.