From classic riads to an eco-lodge lit by candles, Africa and the Middle East have plenty of boutique hotel bargains.
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AFRICA
Palais Oumensour, Taroudant, Morocco
What makes Oumensour unique – besides the reasonable prices – is that it is run entirely by women. Led by the charming Meri, the small team serve Moroccan home-cooking for supper at this elegant six-room riad with a lovely courtyard garden in the heart of Taroudant. The rooms are traditionally styled with tadelakt bathrooms and carved-wood furniture, there's a small pool for cooling off and the obligatory roof terrace for sundowners and snoozy afternoons.
• +212 528 550 215, hotel-taroudant-maisondhotes-maroc-hotes.com. Doubles from £60
Schoone Oordt, Western Cape, South Africa
A restored country house in historic Swellendam, Western Cape (a two-hour drive from Cape Town), this five-room hotel features luxurious rooms, pretty rose gardens and fabulous food and wine. The grounds were given national monument status in 1983.
•+ 27 028 514 1248, schooneoordt.co.za. Doubles from £77
Villa Margherita, Swakopmund, Namibia
Swakopmund, with its windswept beaches and Bavarian churches, is something of an African oddity, feeling more like a north European beach town than the gateway to the Namib desert. Hip guesthouse Villa Margherita, or simply "The Charming House", as its Swiss owners call it, is an excellent base for exploring. The renovated colonial villa has eight rooms, complemented by the building's many original features, such as elaborate staircases and panelling, with vibrant colours and pop-art canvasses.
• No phone, i-escape.com. Doubles from £99
Hotel Dar Dhiafa, Djerba, Tunisia
Beds tucked away in curved alcoves, patterned rugs, lanterns and glass wear, tiny courtyards and bougainvillea, staff in tunics and fez, heavy studded wooden doors … Traditional Tunisian features combine within old village houses that have been converted into the atmospheric Dar Dhaifa. The hotel's restaurant is introduced so on the website: "The pleasures of the table are honored to offer you a greedy stay, and our promising young chef will enjoy you with his talents for a moment of delight." Never mind, it's great!
•No phone, hoteldardhiafa.com. Doubles from £76
Riad Chi Chi, Marrakech, Morocco
A modern take on the classic riad, with whites and creams replacing the typical busy colourful patterns and tiles of most. Four rooms and a suite surround a central courtyard with archways. A few lanterns, tasseled lampshades and lattice work remind guests where they are. Breakfast is served on the roof terrace, and dinners such as lamb and prune tagine are available.
• i-escape.com, Doubles from £80
12 Decades Hotel, Johannesburg, South Africa
You'll find this eclectic hotel in the Maboneng Precinct, a mixed-use creative development that has transformed a dilapidated area in the eastern part of Johannesburg. Its 12 rooms have all been decorated by a different designer to reflect the influence of a particular decade, such as the gold rush in the late 1800s and early 1900s, or the Bantu theatre movement that was curbed at the beginning of apartheid.
• +27 011 026 5601, 12decadeshotel.co.za. Doubles from £58
MIDDLE EAST
Feynan Ecolodge, Wadi Feynan, Jordan
One of the most magical places to stay in Jordan, the Feynan Ecolodge lies at the bottom of the Wadi Feynan in the Dana Biosphere Reserve, surrounded by desert. Guests can spend a wonderful day hiking down to reach it if they don't want to arrive by road. From the outside it looks like it has risen straight from the desert floor. Inside, candles illuminate simple interiors at night, making the 26 stone rooms, library and communal dining area romantic and glamorous. A rooftop terrace for stargazing, a craft shop and handicraft workshops, add interest.
• +962 6464 5580, feynan.com. Doubles from £80
Ahmedia Heritage Guest House, Dubai
The Ahmedia feels more Marrakech riad than Dubai bling-buster. Inside, simple coral stone buildings, rooms with wooden roofs and antique furniture cluster around peaceful central courtyards. Persian rugs, red and gold drapes and dark-wood double doors add a sense of place, while the upper level sundeck is prime lie-back-with-a-book territory.
• + 971 4 225 0085. ahmediaguesthouse.com. Doubles from £51