Affordable Europe: Top hotel deals

Bonus Hotel Listings

London, England
Urban loft meets country-lodge chic at the centrally located 205-room Hoxton Hotel (81 Great Eastern Street; 44-20/7550-1000), designed by its owner, Sinclair Beecham--the cofounder and co-owner of Pret A Manger. The hotel is spread out on six color-coded floors outfitted in green, red, yellow, orange, purple, or blue. Interiors combine modern features, such as monolithic fireplaces and industrial wooden flooring, with classic touches that include Louis XIV-style armchairs and taxidermy. Rooms also feature, carved into the wall, architectural drawings of famous London buildings. Guests are steps away from some of London's most famous bars, restaurants, and sights. $120

Sevilla, Spain
On one side of a central tree-lined plaza near Seville's historic Santa Cruz barrio, the Hospes Las Casas del Rey de Baeza (2 Calle Santiago on La Plaza Jesus de la Redencion; 34/954-561-496) stands tall over several whitewashed Mediterranean homes. The interiors, a fusion of European and Arabic design elements, are a reflection of the hotel's 13th-century owner, the Moorish king of Baeza, who received the dwelling as a gift for his alliance with the king of Castile in Spain's battle against the Moors. Open corridors link 41 minimalist rooms with low-set, chocolate-hued furnishings; fibrous sisal rugs dress the stone floors. There are five sun-filled courtyards, restaurant with Andalusian tapas, and a library with a grand fireplace and antique books. At sunset, station yourself at the rooftop diving pool for sprawling vistas of the city's terra-cotta tile-roofed cathedrals. $200

Alicante, Spain
One of the few high-end options in this emerging Costa Blanca town, the former Dominican monastery, now a modern boutique hotel, Hospes Amerigo (7 Rafael Altamira; 34/965-146-570) retains its neo-Gothic and classical stone-and-mortar exterior, while showing off a sleek interior: minimalist glass-and-steel furniture framed by natural colored upholstery. The 80-room hotel, which opened in the spring of 2004, has high ceilings and wrought-iron balconies. All rooms feature arrangements of fresh orchids. Should a 10-minute walk to the beach prove too far, the rooftop terrace, which overlooks nearby Santa Barbara castle, is perfect for cocktails, tapas, or a plunge in the indoor-outdoor pool.  $245

Valencia, Spain
Just 10 minutes from the city center, Casa Bosca (139 Isabel de Villena, 34/679-966-993; scheduled to open August 2007) sits on pristine Malvarrosa beach. The six-bedroom Spanish villa was transformed under the direction and keen eye of its owner, Valencia-native Vicente Bosca. The 6,000-square-foot property now has a clean, contemporary design. Cement floors and large expanses of glass create a minimal yet inviting atmosphere, and the furniture is designed by Philippe Starck and Roche-Bobois. Guests can choose from two kinds of accommodations: milky white- and sand-colored rooms or an entire villa with 24-hour service and traditional home-cooked meals prepared by Mr. Bosca himself.  $230

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