Rescuing the hotel industry from the vortex of bland sameness, these boutique places - handpicked by Been there travellers - turn staying over into something of an artform.

If you have a tip for a great boutique hotel, you can post it here.



The bathroom at Anna Hotel, Munich


Cesar House, Rome
Posted by LynnB
This small boutique hotel near the Forum is ideally situated for exploring central Rome. The owner and staff are very friendly and go out of their way to make your stay special. They recommended excellent restaurants for us that we would never have found on our own. We felt as if we were dining like real Romans in places of real style and character.

Via Cavour, around the corner from the Forum and around 1km from the railway station
http://www.caesarhouse.com/
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Hotel V, Amsterdam
Posted by SuperParadise
Cool, chic, stylish boutique hotel tucked away well off the beaten path out at Victorieplein, a 15-minute tram ride or fascinating 30-minute urban stroll from the city centre. The fantastic buffet breakfast, balcony overlooking residential Amsterdam and painfully hip but friendly staff more than make up for the bleary-eyed trek back in the wee small hours.

Victorieplein 42, Amsterdam 1078 PH
tel: 20 662 32 33; www.hotelv.nl
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Nordic Sea Hotel, Stockholm
Posted by CaroF
This maritime-themed boutique hotel is chic, has fabulously comfortable beds and is suitcase-dragging distance from the railway station. It also has its own ice bar, where you can don yeti-style fur coats and slurp back vodka from ice glasses. The restaurant serves up a mean rhubarb pie, too.

Nordic Sea Hotel Stockholm
Vasaplan 4
Stockholm, 10137
Sweden
http://www.nordicseahotel.se/
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Fresh Hotel, Athens
Posted by traveltart
Usually I look at design or boutique hotels, salivate wildly, and then can't afford them - especially as I'm often travelling alone. My room at the Fresh Hotel was only 100 euro - spacious, stylish, with a balcony and particularly comfortable bed. The whole place is beautiful and glamorous. My only regret was that the rooftop swimming pool was closed in February so I'll have to go back in the summer. It’s also a good, central location and easy for the metro from the airport.

26 Sophocleous St
www.freshhotel.gr;
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Hotel Rialto, Warsaw
Posted by bRob
A boutique 5* hotel, centrally located, around 5 minutes away from the Centralna railway station. This old townhouse now features a cigar room complete with dvd and cd library, a fitness suite, sauna, plunge pool and steam room. Each art deco or nouveau bedroom has its own flatscreen TV, cd player, dvd player, wireless internet access, antique furniture, marbled and tiled bathroom with 'rainforest' style shower and all are, of course, fully air conditioned. The doors are massive, the service excellent and the rooms impeccable. This will be one of the few times you can experience such luxury so cheaply.

Street name: Wilcza (follow road down away from the central train station and Marriott Hotel towards the Warsaw Polytech.)
www.hotelrialto.com.pl
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Ca Na Xini Rural Hotel, Menorca
Posted by D0nna
A boutique hotel which opened in 2008 set in the countryside near Ferreries. Rooms are ultra-modern with wooden floors and a white theme decoration. There are only about 12 rooms and it feels very private and secluded. They make cheese and wine on site which is excellent. A great choice for anyone looking for somewhere relaxing and away from the hustle and bustle.

Just off the main road from Mahon to Ciudadela at Ferreries. www.CaNaXini.com
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Chambres d'Ami(e)s, Ghent
Posted by southboroughelaine
A most charming bed and breakfast on a quiet street away from the town centre, but near an efficient bus line. For nine years, the owners have been perfecting the art of discrete care with attention to detail being their USP. The house (over 100 years old) is fascinating and the rooms decorated with antiques, bric a brac and souveniers. Breakfast is on a long table with an open kitchen, providing good coffee, breads, cheeses, meats and fruit salad. The crockery and cutlery are part of an extensive collection of Victoriana, so you can dream of a golden age as you sip your morning caffeine. The owners also provide hints and tips on what to see and do and where to eat. They also speak good English, being regular visitors to the UK, to buy the antiques!

www.chambresdamies.be/index.html
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Alef Hotel, Kazimierz, Karakow
Posted by presquerien
This unassumingly boutique Hotel on Sw Agnieszki in Kazimierz (two minutes from Wawel Castle), is an expression of the Polish Romance. It used to be an old schoolhouse, and if you look hard the signs are still there to see.

I must start with the breakfast room, with its walls full of tableaux, tasteful bric-a-bric, with the whiff of a bohemian salon has more character and imagination than a thousand chain or 'specialty' hotels. They lay the table with lace cloths specially for you - none of this pile 'em high buffet nonsense - and bring fresh juice and coffee and the meats and cheeses are delectable.
If there was a failing, it was that my single room was too cramped (perhaps the old detention chambers) and the noises of early breakfast begin to echo around the building around 7am. At €61-79 per night, a jewel worth a higher price.

"Alef" Hotel,Świętej Agnieszki 5 Street, 31-071 Kraków
www.alef.pl/index_e.php
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Hotel Portixol, Mallorca
Posted by karl1969

A beautiful hotel about 20 - 25 minutes stroll along the coast from the cathedral (and a 5 minute bus ride into town).

Modern but not cold or boring (Scando style).
Lovely sized rooms (enough room for a big bed and sofa). Discreet TV hifi combo, with a free DVD and CD library (good selection too).

Beautiful coastal views (amazing for the sunset).
A good bar, great breakfast, great burgers (on room service - in fact the room service food is better than the main restaurant which was a bit nouvelle).

Wonderful staff, just really super helpful.

Calle Sirena, Portixol Bay
+34 971 27 50 25
www.portixol.com
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Hotel Fox, Copenhagen
Posted by mkadavies
Great boutique hotel near centre of town. Conceived as promotional project for VW, 21 international designers and urban artists were briefed to design unique rooms. Result is a strange and otherworldy experience. Highly recommended, staff are helpful and breakfasts terrific - served on day beds/sofas in funky foyer. Click onto website to see all the rooms. Even if you don't choose to stay, you must try the cocktails in the ground floor bar/restaurant which is open to all.

Address: Hotel FOX, Jarmers Plads 3, DK-1551, Copenhagen V, Denmark
Telephone Reservation: +45 33 95 77 55
Web: www.hotelfox.dk/home.html