Autumn transforms cities and the countryside. Evenings grow shorter, the light softens, and the trees turn golden. Children have gone back to school, and the summer crowds have dispersed, revealing a different, more genuine view of the city. Here are five cities The Hotel Guru recommends that are especially rewarding in the autumn months.

Cochin (Kochi), India

Autumn in Cochin is coastal Kerala as the northeast monsoon begins to ease; October and November bring warm, manageable temperatures, the backwaters are lush from the rains, and Fort Kochi's extraordinary concentration of history is at its most atmospheric. This small port town at the mouth of the Periyar River carries the layered legacy of over five centuries of trade: Portuguese cannons, Dutch architecture, British warehouses, Chinese fishing nets, a Jewish synagogue dating from 1568, and the largest collection of Vasco da Gama's maps outside Lisbon. The spice markets, the Kathakali dance performances, and the Kerala cuisine (the fish curries, the coconut-rich vegetable dishes, the prawn moilee) are all excellent.

• Le Colonial is a beautifully restored colonial property in the Fort Kochi historic district. The rooms preserve original architectural features alongside contemporary comfort, and the hotel's location in the heritage zone puts guests within walking distance of the Chinese fishing nets, the synagogue, and the fort's main attractions.
• Brunton Boatyard is a property that occupies a former 19th-century shipyard on the waterfront of Fort Kochi; the Brunton company built vessels used during the Second World War before the site was eventually abandoned and then lovingly restored. The 22 rooms and four suites have colonial-era teak furniture, maritime artefacts, antique Dutch maps, and original pankah fans hanging from the ceilings. The harbour views from the upper floors are exceptional, and all guests receive a complimentary sunset cruise on Kochi harbour.
• Forte Kochi is a boutique heritage hotel in a 16th-century Portuguese-era building in the heart of the fort, with thick whitewashed walls, terracotta-tiled floors, and cool, quiet interiors. The 14 rooms are individually designed, and the hotel's restaurant is one of the more reliable in the fort area for Kerala seafood.
• The Malabar House is one of Fort Kochi's most admired small hotels, a heritage property in a beautifully restored 18th-century colonial house with 17 rooms, a pool, and a restaurant that has been an important part of the Kerala culinary scene for over two decades. The Malabar House serves contemporary Kerala cuisine with exceptional care, and the combination of the food, the pool, the gardens, and the knowledgeable staff makes it one of the finest small hotels in southern India.

Bodrum, Turkey

Bodrum in autumn is the Turkish Aegean at its most civilised: it's still sunny and warm, but the summer's extraordinary heat has eased, the sea remains warm well into October, and the town of Bodrum, with its white-washed buildings, its ancient castle, the ruins of the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus (one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World), and its lively marina culture, can be appreciated without the summer crowds. The surrounding peninsula has some of the finest small fishing villages, coves, and olive groves in Turkey, and the local seafood is excellent at this time of year.

• Doria Hotel Bodrum is a chic, contemporary hotel perched on a hilltop overlooking Bitez Bay, with 92 rooms, most with superb Aegean Sea views from private balconies. The interiors are minimalist and elegant, with wood floors, blue accents, and works of colourful contemporary art. Two outdoor pools take full advantage of the panoramic setting, a shuttle connects guests to the private beach club, and there's a spa with a Turkish hammam. 
• Casa Nonna Bodrum is a five-star adults-only boutique hotel on the Aegean coast between Bodrum town and Bitez, with a small private beach, sea views from most rooms, and the relaxed luxury of a genuinely intimate property. The design is elegant, the service is warm, and the combination of sea access, a spa, and a kitchen serving fresh Turkish and Mediterranean produce makes it a very comfortable autumn weekend escape.
• METT Hotel Bodrum is a luxury resort on the coastline of the Bodrum Peninsula with a strong design identity and fabulous sea views. The rooms are spacious and well-appointed, the pool and beach facilities are excellent, and the restaurant and bar programme reflects the ambitions of a hotel positioned at the top of the Bodrum market.
• Casa dell'Arte is a hotel and arts residency in Bodrum that brings an unusually cultural dimension to the standard Aegean hotel experience. The property hosts exhibitions, events, and artist residencies alongside its hotel function, and the rooms feature works from the hotel's collection. For those who want the Aegean setting alongside something more intellectually engaged, it's a distinctive choice.

Tokyo, Japan

Tokyo in autumn is one of the finest seasonal experiences in Japan (in addition to springtime): the koyo (autumn foliage) season runs from October to early December, with the city's parks turning extraordinary shades of red, orange, and gold. Tokyo's food culture (the city has more Michelin-starred restaurants than any other) is in full swing; the weather is cool and crisp, and the cultural calendar of exhibitions, performances, and seasonal events is at its richest. Shibuya, Shinjuku, Harajuku, Asakusa, and the waterfront districts each offer different, equally rewarding versions of what makes Tokyo one of the most absorbing cities in the world.

• The Knot Tokyo Shinjuku is a well-designed boutique hotel in the Shinjuku district with a strong aesthetic identity and a location that puts guests at the heart of one of Tokyo's most dynamic and entertaining neighbourhoods. The rooms are compact and intelligent (very Japanese in their efficiency), and the hotel's bar and communal spaces are convivial.
• One@Tokyo is a boutique hotel in the Taito Ward neighbourhood of East Tokyo, near the Senso-ji temple district of Asakusa, with a design inspired by traditional Japanese aesthetics. The 60 rooms are individually conceived, the rooftop terrace offers views of the Tokyo skyline, and its location in the older, more traditional part of the city offers a very different perspective on Tokyo than hotels in Shinjuku.
• Onsen Ryokan Yuen Shinjuku brings the traditional Japanese ryokan experience into the heart of Shinjuku, with tatami rooms, natural hot spring baths drawn from a source 1,500 metres underground, and kaiseki-style meals. It's the hotel for those who want to experience Japan's traditional hospitality culture without leaving the centre of Tokyo's most exciting neighbourhood.
• Hotel Hisoca is a small boutique hotel in the Ushigome-Yanagicho area near Shinjuku, designed with a warm minimalist aesthetic that reflects the best of contemporary Japanese design. The rooms are simple, beautiful, and very comfortable, and the hotel's quiet character offers a genuine contrast to Shinjuku's intensity.

Warsaw, Poland

If you're willing to look beyond the guidebook and tourist trail, then Warsaw is a fantastic city to visit in the autumn. The capital of Poland is one of Central Europe's most historically complex and dramatically rebuilt cities. It was almost entirely destroyed in the Second World War, rebuilt with a combination of Communist-era architecture and meticulous restoration of the historic centre, and the resulting layers of history, trauma, and resilience give it a depth that more conventionally preserved cities can't match. The Old Town (reconstructed from 18th-century paintings after its destruction in 1944), the Warsaw Uprising Museum, the Jewish Historical Institute, the Chopin Museum, and the extraordinary Łazienki Palace on the Lake all deserve time. The restaurant and bar scene has developed rapidly and is now genuinely excellent.

• Hotel Bellotto is a five-star boutique hotel in a historic building in the New Town, with views of the Bellotto paintings that gave it its name; the 18th-century Venetian painter Bernardo Bellotto documented Warsaw so precisely that his paintings served as blueprints for post-war reconstruction. The rooms are well-appointed, and the hotel's central location makes it an excellent base for the historic districts.
• Nobu Warsaw is the Nobu hotel brand's Warsaw property, set in a striking contemporary building with the group's signature blend of design and Japanese-influenced hospitality. The on-site Nobu restaurant is one of Warsaw's more celebrated dining experiences.
• Teatro Hotel is a boutique hotel in a beautifully converted theatre building in the Śródmieście district, with rooms that reflect the building's history in their design and a warm atmosphere that sets it apart from the city's larger hotels.
• H15 Boutique Hotel is a thoughtfully designed small hotel in the Śródmieście district with individually designed rooms, excellent service, and a genuine commitment to the guest experience that is apparent from arrival. The hotel has developed a strong reputation among those who visit Warsaw regularly and know that the best stays in the city tend to be in the smaller, more personally run properties.

Milan, Italy

Milan in autumn is the city at its most purposeful and most fashionable, though Milan is fashionable all year round! Fashion Week in September sets the tone, but October and November bring the city's genuine pleasures into focus: the Last Supper (book months in advance), the Pinacoteca di Brera and Pinacoteca Ambrosiana with their extraordinary painting collections, the Quadrilatero della Moda shopping district, and the restaurant and aperitivo culture that makes an early evening in Milan one of the more pleasurable European urban experiences. The Navigli canal district is excellent on a warm autumn evening. Milan reveals itself slowly, especially to those who give it time.

• Urban Hive Milano is a design hotel in the Porta Venezia neighbourhood, one of Milan's most interesting and increasingly creative districts, with rooms that reflect the neighbourhood's cosmopolitan character and a strong commitment to sustainable design. The hotel has a genuine sense of its surroundings and neighbourhood, and draws as many locals as international guests.
• Savona 18 Suites is a boutique hotel in the Navigli district (Milan's canal quarter, now one of the city's most animated neighbourhoods for restaurants, bars, and design studios), with 16 suites individually designed with contemporary Italian furnishings and a very personal character. The location puts guests close to the best of Milan's after-work and evening culture.
• Rosa Grand is a five-star hotel in an elegant building very close to the Duomo and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, in the most central and historic part of the city. The rooms are classically appointed, the service is professional, and the location, for those who want to be in the absolute centre of Milan, is unrivalled.

Still not sure? 

• Browse through our full list of accommodation options in Rome
• Refine your search to include our recommendations for the 20 Best Istanbul Hotels with Pools or the 10 Best Hotels in Sultanahmet,
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