Where to stay

Discover the best neighbourhood to base yourself in Dubai, whether you’re here for the paradise of beaches, the world-class shopping, the desert and the souqs, the cuisine? or to explore this incredible Emirate and its history. Our detailed guide has recommendations for the best neighbourhood for families, explorers, shoppers, couples, and combinations of all of the above and more!

The Hotel Guru’s guide to the neighbourhoods of Mexico City will help you decide where to stay: whether you want to be close to all the major sights - Centro Historico; to stay somewhere with a hip atmosphere and great places to eat - Roma Norte; to stay somewhere relaxed and green - Condesa...

Always bright and exciting, Hong Kong is a city of great contrasts. Frenetic with human activity and commerce, Hong Kong also has its pockets of serenity - even within the whirl of shopping and eating and exploring you’ll discover Tai Chi in the park, and time for a formal afternoon tea.

The Hotel Guru’s guide to Crete’s towns and villages will help you match your travel plans with where to stay. Whether you want to explore Crete’s history in Heraklion, stay in charming old Chania, or head for a beach resort. Check availability and book online.

Our guide to where to stay in Derbyshire aims to help you uncover the best towns or centres in Derbyshire for your ideal visit. Whether you’re here to walk the Pennine Way, or the Derwent Valley; or hike, bike, cave or climb in the Peak District; or visit one of the incredible local halls, manors or abbeys; or to just relax in one of Derbyshire’s market or spa towns, like Ashbourne or Buxton, we’ll help you find the perfect place to stay. Or the perfect combination of towns and centres to stay in.

Florence is the favourite city of many, loved for its art, architecture, cuisine, and history. Unusually for such a popular destination, the big hotel chains haven’t made huge inroads here; the Florentine accommodation scene includes numerous converted palazzo and historic villas, townhouse hotels, and other independently run conversions. There’s plenty of accommodation close to the historic centre of Florence, but it’s worth considering some of our alternative recommendations too.

The Hotel Guru’s guide to where to stay on Santorini has practical advice and recommendations about Santorini’s main towns and centres — just what you need to help you decide which one will be the perfect base for your visit to this spectacular island. Whether you’re here to admire the unique white, cubist architecture, soak up the sunsets across the caldera, spend time on black and white beaches, visit her wineries, archaeological treasures, or buzzing tavernas, or a combination of all of this and more, there will be some towns and centres offering you more than others. Plus they’re all so beautiful it’s difficult to choose on photos alone…

The Hotel Guru’s guide to the neighbourhoods of Bogotá will help you decide where to stay: from central Chapinero, to historic La Candelaria, relaxed Parque 93, or Zona Rosa - for nightlife lovers. Check availability and book online.

The Hotel Guru’s guide to the neighbourhoods of Louisville will help you decide where to stay, from Downtown where you’ll find all the best museums; to trendy, arty NuLu (New Louisville); and Germantown, which offers a relaxed setting, and many great bakeries...

Bangkok has many facets: the ancient temples and palaces; the world renowned shopping - both market and mall; the food… and then it’s all topped off with the wonderful activity of the streets and the genuine friendliness of the people. This is a city to lose yourself in, and find yourself in, and as long as you know where you’re staying you’re just a tuk-tuk ride from a nap and a change of clothes. So you can get on out there again and keep exploring.

The Hotel Guru’s Suffolk guide will help you find the perfect part of Suffolk to stay in, whatever reason you have for visiting this picturesque and gently charming part of England. We love Bury St Edmunds with its historic buildings, the races at Newmarket, Lowestoft for its beautiful sandy bay, pretty Aldeburgh and Southwold, and the incredible Broads, shared with Norfolk. But there’s a lot more to Suffolk besides.

In the last decade or so, Ibiza has reasserted itself as a dramatically beautiful and historic place to visit, as well as being a fantastic place to go to dance all night and have a good time.

The Hotel Guru’s guide to the neighbourhoods of Cusco, from the Plaza de Armas and the Centro Histórico, for major attractions; the views of San Cristobal; quiet charmer, Lucrepata; or San Blas, the artisan neighbourhood. Check availability and book online.

The Hotel Guru’s guide to Kyoto’s neighbourhoods will help you find the perfect place to stay: from historic Gion, to atmospheric Southern Higashiyama, or convenient Downtown.

Riads make for an atmospheric stay, but Marrakech has plenty of wonderful hotels too, including some fantastic converted buildings around Djemaa El Fna.  If you’re looking for luxurious, or relaxing surrounds, you might prefer going outside of the Medina to Palmeraie.  Honeymooners famously love Marrakech, but it’s an exciting family holiday too, and can be great value if you need it to be!

Gorgeously historic with its flamboyant Moorish architecture, yet super hip and lauded by foodies, Seville is a wonderful city break destination. This is a well loved destination, either plenty of variety of accommodation, and a warm and welcoming response to visitors.

Osaka is grittier, more entrepreneurial and more vibrantly fun-loving than Tokyo. It’s also a much more affordable destination, and the best place in the whole of Japan for a bar crawl. It’s got great food, and great shopping, and a reputation for friendliness. Osaka is an historic destination too, though, you probably recognise Osaka Castle? it’s one of the most famous landmarks in Japan, a vast, many-roofed building built on two rock platforms - both with moats? And Osaka also has a number of important shrines, an important history museums, several art museums and galleries, an aquarium, and an outpost of Universal Studios. Accommodation in the neighbourhoods around the castle, and the older parts of town, is a mix of ryokan, luxury and boutique hotels, and aparthotels. While the downtown neighbourhoods, with their sparkling, contemporary bars, restaurants and shopping precincts, offer more in the line of high tech. and contemporary accommodation - including capsule hotels.

This is our Hotel Guru’s guide to the neighbourhoods of Reykjavík for visitors, from Miðbær, the city centre neighbourhood; to the scenic Grandi, Old Harbour area; Vesturbær and Laugavegur, which are central, but family-friendly; green Laugardalur; and relaxed Kópavogur.

Our guide to where to stay in Berkshire is designed to help you uncover the best towns, centres and neighbourhoods in Berkshire for you. We’ll help you find the right area to stay in, whether you’re here for a horse race, to dine in Michelin starred restaurants, to visit castles and historic sites, to explore a green and pleasant part of the UK with your family, or just to relax on the river. And most especially if you’re here to do a combination of the above!

Cancún is the jewel in the white sandy crown of Quintana Roo’s beach resort majesty. It has a diverse range of accommodation, spread throughout a diverse range of neighbourhoods, from the incredible beach resorts and honeymoon hotels of the two Hotel Zones, to the boutique and affordable options in Cancún Centro, to the peaceful beach huts on unspoiled Isla Blanca, or the buzzingly hip hotels of Punta Cancún...

Sunny, romantic Dubrovnik is an orange-roofed city of charming historic architecture, set beside a sheltered harbour and emerald seas. It’s not just beautiful, it’s also inviting and ancient, and yet it is still unspoiled by the spread of its charm.