Boutique hotel is a term popularized in US and the UK to describe hotels which often contain luxury facilities of varying size in unique or intimate settings with full service accommodations. Sometimes known as "design hotels" or "lifestyle hotels", boutique hotels began appearing in the 1980s in major cities like Lodon, New York and San Francisco. Typically boutique hotels are furnished in a themed, stylish and/or aspirational manner. Boutique hotels are often individual and focused on offering their services in a comfortable, intimate, and welcoming setting, so they are therefore extremely unlikely to be found amongst the homogeneity of large hotel. Guest rooms and suites may be fitted with telephone and Wi-Fi Internet, air-conditioning, honesty bars and often cable/pay TV, but equally may have none of these, focusing on quiet and comfort rather than gadgetry. Guest services are often attended to by 24-hour hotel staff. Many boutique hotels have on-site dining facilities, and the majority offer bars and lounges that may also be open to the general public. Despite this definition, the popularity of the boutique term and concept has led to some confusion about the term. Boutique hotels have typically been unique properties operated by individuals or companies with a small collection. However, their successes have prompted multi-national hotel companies to try to establish their own brands in order to capture a market share.

Redefining the idea of budget travel, a new generation of hostels are shaking up their image and becoming viable options for travellers who don't want to sacrifice style for price. Take a look below for the best boutique hostels around the world, from Singapore to Valencia.

 

Kex, Reykjavik
Housed in a former biscuit factory the Kex is full of Icelandic character and reflects Reykjavik's unique sense of style in a mash-up of the vintage and the industrial. Artfully battered armchairs, angle-poise lamps, Persian rugs and a pared back, Nordic colour palette create a hipster's home-from-home vibe. There's a great bar too, which is as much for locals as it is residents. There's a number of room and price options meaning you can get cosy in a dorm (for around £16) or go private with your own double room and en suite (for around £100). 

CPH Downtown, Copenhagen
Slap-bang in the heart of Downtown Copenhagen, CPH is a little gem for bargain-hunters. The heart of the hostel is the cafe-bar, where global travellers sink beers, elbow-to-elbow at long wooden communal tables, shoot some pool or play a bit of backgammon outside on the street. The cafe-bar is a paintbox of colours, bringing an outdoorsy feel inside, with reclaimed wooden palettes used as day beds, and large-scale digital nature prints and oversize maps hanging on the wall. The rooms are more minimal and functional, but have a crisp, contemporary Scandi edge to them. Guests can chose to stay in either mixed or single-sex dorms (from around £25) or private rooms (from around £68). 

Leblon Spot, Rio de Janeiro
In the heart of one of Leblon, one of Rio's more upscale shopping neighbourhoods, is this unexpected bargain. Styled as Rio's first design hostel, the Leblon Spot is in walking distance to the area's great boutiques, bars and, of course, the beach, meaning you can dip your toe into the world of Rio scenesters, without breaking the bank. The hostel has gone for a simple and sophisticated look, with exposed brickwork and warm wooden panelling contrasting with a mostly crisp, white decor with pops of orange and green. Room prices range from around £20 for a shared dorm up to around £100 for a luxury private suite with bathroom. 

Matchbox, Singapore
Modern, colourful and hi-tech, the Matchbox ticks all the boxes for contemporary hotel design but has the added bonus of being a bargain. Dorms are ergonomically designed to maximise space and privacy, so each sleeping area is more like a private pod, with your own reading lamp and storage space. There's an entertainment loft strewn with colourful, over-stuffed beanbags, where you can take advantage of the complimentary wifi on one of the complimentary computers while eating from the complimentary all-day breakfast. Room rates range from around £22-£45. 

Rooms Deluxe, Valencia
With 28 individually-themed rooms, the Deluxe feels more boutique than budget. While the decor can err on the cartoonish side, it's bold and fun none the less, and a blown-up Marilyn Monroe Pop Art print beats a grotty dog-eared tourist map, any day of the week. Guests can chose from rooms inspired by a 2001: Space Odyssey, East Berlin, New York or a Moroccan raid, among many others. A private double room with en suite can cost from around £55. 

Goli & Bosi, Split
White, yellow and black are the dominant colours in this vibrant, futuristic hotel that feels more like a West End cocktail bar than grungey hostel. Goli & Bosi is located in Split's old town, in the walls of a 4th century Roman Palace and is just a hop, skip and a jump away from the waterfront. The dorms are modelled on Japanese pod hotels, with little sleep capsules inside shared rooms at least adding an element of privacy. Alternatively you can book a private room from around £75 during the High Season. 

Superbube, Hamburg
One of the leaders of the new gen of designer hostels, the Superbude has two locations in Hamburg, both of which carry their idiosyncratic brand of design. The St Georg. location, set in a former printing house, puts a lot of emphasis on the communal areas, which are bright, spacious and full of character. Sofas are reupholstered with upcycled fabrics and the old copper water pipes have been repurposed as shelves. We love the Kitchen Club, which looks like some kind of stylish cookery school, and the Superbude Cinema where you can kick-back and watch a film with friends. A private room will set you back abound £60. 

The Fort, York
The Fort has really put the effort it to create a unique hostel experience for it's guests, inviting young creatives from around the UK to design each of the rooms. Among the offering are Andrew Norton's digital retelling of historic York, Matt Sypien's UV light infused showpiece and Steven Haygarth's cosy log cabin. A private room will set you back around £30 a night. 

Travellers House, Lisbon
Portugal seems to be heads and shoulders above the rest of the world when it comes to understanding the hip-hostel concept. The Travellers House is a multi-award winning hostel set in Lisbon's old town, in the neighbourhood of Baixa. The house is run by a well-travelled, design-savvy group of friends who've created a homely atmosphere with lots of space to lounge around on colourful beanbags, watch DVDs, use the free wifi or chill-out in the music room. The recently renovated studios offer more private sleeping arrangements, and are bright, modern and minimalist. Prices start from around £17 for a shared dorm. 

Lub*d Silom, Thailand
The Lub*d is a beacon of bright colours and cleanliness in Thailand's somewhat over crowded hostel market. Literally translating to 'sleep well', the Lub d is a hub of well-designed shared and private rooms, decked out in bold primary colours, with utilitarian furniture, polished concrete floors and moulded storage spaces. The Yellow Donut is the hostel's cool cafe-bar where you can top up on free popcorn any time of the day or night. 

 

 

 

 

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