Affordable Europe: Top hotel deals

Rome, Italy
From within the butter-hued walls of the verdant courtyard at Relais Le Clarisse (20 Via Cardinale Merry del Val; 39-06/5833-4437), the lively streets of downtown Rome seem a world away. But this remodeled former cloister in the bohemian Trastevere neighborhood is still just a short walk from the heart of the city. Blond-wood furniture and wrought-iron beds give the five rooms a warm, residential feel. While all of them flank the sun-soaked courtyard, the Rose suite has its own vestibule and tall, vaulted ceilings. In the evening, stroll through the cobblestoned streets and do as the Trastevereans do: pause for an aperitivo. $251

Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Few things come  cheap around the chic Oud Zuid neighborhood--not the chunky gold baubles at Bulgari on the venerated P.C. Hoofstraat, nor the escargots perdus at brasserie Le Garage. So a room with double-height windows, Burberry throws, and a soaring corniced ceiling at an affordable price is a find indeed. Spread over six adjacent 19th-century town houses, the discreetly marked Hotel Vondel (26 Vondelstraat; 31-20/612-0120) fits right in with the neighboring residences. The restaurant is stylishly decorated with framed python skins and vintage Indonesian  prints, while the tranquil garden is perfect for evening drinks. $195

Porto, Portugal
With just seven rooms  and a prime spot in the Foz district, Porto's toniest seaside neighborhood, Casa do Poema (245 Rua Pero do Covilha; 351-22/617-0656) feels more like the house of an in-the-know friend than a hotel. Built in the 1950's by architect Viana de Lima, the funky little building has white marble floors and curving staircases, and is chockablock with 18th- and 19th-century antiques and Turkish carpets. You can pick your style of room, from grandiose Empire to pared-down Modernist; there are also four suites that overlook the ocean. Porto's medieval center and the riverside Ribeira district are a 20-minute drive away, but the city's best shopping and restaurants are right next door. $140

Madrid, Spain
In the minimalist white-travertine lobby of Room Mate Alicia (2 Calle Prado; 34/91-389-6095), a curlicue staircase rises through the compact space like a  3-D Brice Marden painting spun out of silvery metal. The entrance says it all: high style, intimate scale. With interiors by Spain's star designer Pascua Ortega, the 34 pastel-colored rooms are reminiscent of an ocean liner's: spare furnishings with clever space-saving built-ins, like reading lamps attached to headboards. If you're willing to splurge, the two duplex suites are decadent retreats complete with private plunge pools that overlook the 19th-century Plaza de Santa Ana. $118

Marbella, Spain
The glitter, yachts, and pounding nightclubs of nearby Puerto Banus fade like an old memory at the gloriously unpretentious Town House (7 Calle Alderete, Plaza Tetuan; 34/95-290-1791), a nine-room hotel tucked into a hidden corner of Old Town. Nothing is overdone in this whitewashed find. Four-poster beds are covered in crisp white linens; bathrooms have Molton Brown products. And then there's Eva and Maria, the effusive Swedish hostesses, who will gladly arrange your dinner reservations and map out a walking tour. Breakfast is served in the Moorish-style bar, but we prefer to take our coffee to the sundrenched rooftop terrace. $144

Seville, Spain
Don't let the gritty-looking street or imposing double-height wooden doors deter you: Casa Romana Hotel Boutique (15 Calle Trajano; 34/95-491-5170) is a most welcoming hideaway, from the complimentary glass of Manzanilla that greets you upon check-in to the rooftop solarium and its low-slung chairs. The 19th-century town house's beige-colored guest rooms may be a little sedate, but bright-red accents and sky-high ceilings brighten the mood, as does the interior courtyard. Only a short walk from the Alcazar, the hotel is also steps from a slew of new restaurants and hip watering holes. $230

Soller, Mallorca
The newly opened  L'Avenida Hotel (9 Avda. de Gran Via; 34/69-923-5239), in the quiet village of Soller, is ratcheting up the style quotient in this mountain town on the northwest coast of Mallorca. Housed in a 19th-century mansion, the first floor of the eight-room hotel has a dramatic mix of zebra-patterned chairs and splashes of purple. Upstairs, rooms are decorated in soothing shades of chocolate brown and slate blue, with canopy beds and pedestal tubs. While the beaches are a 10-minute drive away, the hotel's lovely pool will make you want to stay all day. $230

Tarifa, Spain
Tarifa's low-key but high-octane vibe is palpable at Posada La Sacristia (8 San Donato; 34/95-668-1759). The lobby's palm-studded, arcaded patio is perpetually occupied by the sort of tanned adventurous types that you'd expect to find in this kiteboarding and windsurfing capital. The 10 rooms, with burnished-plaster walls and whitewashed beams, are set in the main 17th-century building. And a sumptuous new suite, "La Capilla" is housed in a former convent next door. $151

Stockholm, Sweden
This design-minded city has added another star player to its roster: the Hotel Hellsten (68 Luntmakargatan; 46-8/661-8600). Set in what was once a 19th-century bordello, the labyrinthine retreat (narrow, winding hallways; sloped ceilings) is a mix of classic and modern Stockholm. The 78 rooms have original dark-wood paneling, some with traditional kakelugnar (porcelain chimneys), but they maintain a sleek Scandinavian look, with austere bed frames and crisp linens. Tossed into the mix is the owner's collection of rare antiques: African masks, Asian cabinets, and exquisite Persian carpets.  $198

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