1 Bodrum

Just 15 minutes from the crowded beaches and discos of Bodrum is the lavish Casa Dell'Arte, a hotel-cum-gallery with its own private beachfront. The 12 suites are individually decorated and original works by Turkish painters adorn every corner.

· Rooms from €375; casadellartebodrum.com.

2 Rome

In a city where accommodation is notoriously overpriced, Villa Laetitia is a boon. Each of the 15 rooms has an individual twist: a mixture of art deco and funky modern design. With private terraces, a garden of palms and orange and lemon trees plus attentive service, it's a calm oasis in the middle of the city.

· Rooms from €150; villalaetitia.com.

3 Gothenburg

The 101-room Avalon Hotel, which opened last week, has a lodge-like feel thanks to its Nordic design. Twenty-four rooms have their own mini-spa and three have a mini-gym.

· Rooms from £95; avalonhotel.se, part of the Design Hotels group (designhotels.com).

4 Palermo

The boutique B&B is a smart idea - it means you get all the style at around half the price of a hotel. The six-bedroom BB22 has a bold contemporary design and it's close to the historical centre and the seafront.

· Rooms from €115; i-escape.com/bb22.php.

5 Harrogate

The once stuffy Balmoral Hotel reopens next month with a groovy-grand make over: sumptuous red-furnishings, chandeliers, Victorian fireplaces, four-posters, Louis XV-style armchairs, leather chesterfields and gilt-edged mirrors.

· Doubles from £110, balmoralhotel.co.uk.