While many of the folks on our staff would happily rest our heads wherever the wind blows us, from tiny hostel dorms to remote farm stays, we also can’t resist the allure of a good hotel. When we recommend hotels, they are often immersive, likely boutique and always unique – a little swagger and style don’t hurt either.

In no particular order, these are the hotels in Europe that we won’t stop raving about.

A bed with a white covering and pillows; a black hat and red bag are on the bed.
A hotel bar and restaurant.
Left: Brekke Fletcher's room at Grands Boulevards Experimental in Paris. Right: The courtyard restaurant. Brekke Fletcher/Lonely Planet (2)

1. Grands Boulevards Experimental

Paris, France

The hotel I won't stop recommending is in Paris: the Grands Boulevards Experimental. The company behind it has a lot of unique and affordable properties around Europe (and a few bars in New York City). It strikes the right note of design-y chic, quality and hospitality. The property has a gorgeous and delicious restaurant with a skylight ceiling, a lively rooftop bar and rooms with draped headboards and appointments that ooze charm and kitsch, all of which more than make up for the lack of space.

– Brekke Fletcher, Senior Director of Content

An armchair in front of a bookcase with interior lights on the shelves.
Left: The Killarney Park's cozy library. Right: An artful guest room at The Killarney Park. Serina Patel/Lonely Planet (2)
A bed with a white covering and round patterned pillows; the triangular headboard is beige, and the wall behind it has layered pieces of artwork.

2. The Killarney Park

Killarney, Ireland

Hands down, this five-star property is my top recommendation. The hospitality, food, attention to detail and stunning rooms made it so hard to check out on our final day. The property is family-run, with a cozy-chic vibe, and the town of Killarney is stunning and great for outdoor activities like hiking and walking along the Ring of Kerry. One of my favorite aspects is all the cute nooks you can choose from, like a library for quiet time, a billiards room for some fun or teatime by one of the many fireplaces. The spa is being redone, so you can bet I’ll be booking another flight to Ireland in 2026.

– Serina Patel, Lifecycle and Programming Lead

A two-piece bed with a white covering and pillows against a red wall with a lamp sconce.
A platter of meat, cheese, fruit, breads and spreads on a wood plank in the sunshine.
Left: Chamidae Ford's elegant room at The Vintage in Lisbon, Portugal. Right: Charcuterie on The Vintage's rooftop. Chamidae Ford/Lonely Planet (2)

3. The Vintage

Lisbon, Portugal

I really loved staying at the The Vintage in Lisbon. It's a colorful mid-century modern boutique hotel located on a quiet, dreamy street but within walking distance of all the action. It has a gorgeous rooftop where you can sip spritzes and look out over the city.

– Chamidae Ford, Digital Editor

4. Hotel Schweizerhof 

Lucerne, Switzerland

I met up with my parents at this five-star masterpiece in Lucerne after spending the summer in tiny hostels, and it was like being reborn. It's right on the lake, and the hotel's breakfast was perfection. It even has a pillow menu so you can order exactly the type of pillow that you need for the perfect sleep.

– Acacia Gabriel, Associate Editor

A tan stone building with trees and plants in front of it.
Left: Hôtel Le Pigonnet in Aix-en-Provence, France. Right: The gardens at Hôtel Le Pigonnet. Aly Yee/Lonely Planet (2)
A fountain in the center of a patio in a garden.

5. Hôtel Le Pigonnet

Aix-en-Provence, France

Hôtel Le Pigonnet delivers exactly what you would hope an escape to Provence would but located in the heart of Aix, so you are walking distance to the markets, shopping and activities. The rooms in the hotel are so artfully beautiful, and the grounds are perfectly manicured.

– Aly Yee, Vice President

A building's white facade.
A bed with a white covering and four white pillows; lamps are on the bedside tables, and the wall behind the bed is lavender.
A vertical pink neon sign on a building reads "Amour."
A pink claw-foot tub in a room with veined marble walls.
Clockwise from top left: Hotel Amour in Paris. Room 11 at Hotel Amour. A pink tub in room 6. The hotel's iconic pink neon sign. PionPhotographie, via Hotel Amour (4)

6. Hotel Amour

Paris, France

I love this funky and cool hotel in the 9th arrondissement. Each room is beautifully decorated and entirely unique. It’s reasonably priced and has a nice little courtyard, which is rare for Paris. 

– Alexis Bowen, Vice President of Lonely Planet Journeys

7. Palacio de Villapanés Hotel

Seville, Spain 

A paradise-on-earth hotel, this restored grand old house on the outskirts of Seville's old town dates back to the 1700s, when it was home to an Andalusian admiral. Picture a beautiful open air courtyard with Andalusian tiles and a trickling fountain providing respite from the heat of the summer. All of the rooms are different (one of which is in the cupola of the house), and there's a beautiful Patio de los Naranjos bar where you can sit under the shade of orange trees sipping something cool.

– Matthew Dickie-Cross, Sales and Marketing Director

A large white building surrounded by palm trees faces the sea.
Left: Gran Hotel Miramar in Málaga, Spain. No-Mad/Shutterstock Right: Melinda Anderson at the Gran Hotel Miramar. Melinda Anderson/Lonely Planet
A person on a walkway between empty lounge chairs; a white building lit up at night is in the background.

8. Gran Hotel Miramar

Málaga, Spain

Throughout its 100-year history, the palatial Gran Hotel Miramar in Málaga has also been a hospital and municipal building. A recent top-to-bottom renovation returned it to its original purpose as an upscale seaside haven. The luxurious and almost entirely white decor is dotted with glittery mirrors and sparkling Moorish touches. Per the recommendation of Lonely Planet Journeys, we stayed here and all felt like movie stars. With its two pools, multiple dining options, spa and seaside views for days, we might never have checked out of our rooms had the pull of Barcelona not been so strong.

– Melinda Anderson, Guidebook Development Senior Editor

A record player and speakers are on a shelf; six albums are displayed on two shelves above.
A chair in a corner by narrow shelves on the wall; a dark wooden table with leaves down is by the wall.
Left: Records at The Stop, a B&B in Galway, Ireland. Right: The Stop's cozy living area. Josephine Boulware/Lonely Planet (2)

9. The Stop

Galway, Ireland

I love this boutique B&B in Galway: The Stop. It feels very relaxed and cozy, everyone there is friendly, and the breakfast was amazing. 

– Josephine Boulware, Email Analyst

A bed with a white covering has a plaid blanket laid on top and decorative black pillows. The triangular headboard is golden fabric, the bedside tables have lamps, and the walls are gray.
Left: A more traditionally decorated room at Cameron House on Scotland's Loch Lomond. Right: Cameron House's castle-like entrance. Ann Douglas Lott/Lonely Planet (2)
A driveway curves around a fountain in front of a hotel in a historic building.

10. Cameron House

Loch Lomond, Scotland

It's peak lakeside luxury but at a more accessible price than similar accommodations I've stayed in across Europe. The hotel has a mix of posh rooms with traditional, stylish Scottish decor and other rooms with a more artful, modern twist. It overlooks Scotland's largest lake – on which you can book plenty of fabulous experiences, like seaplane excursions, lake cruises and 4x4 adventures. It also has plenty of self-catering options in separate lodges if that's more your speed.

– Ann Douglas Lott, Digital Editor

A pool surrounded by lounge chairs and tables and chairs under umbrellas; there is a large tree to one side, and the ocean is in the distance.
Boats in a harbor; red tiled roofs are in the foreground.
Left: The pool at Hotel Espléndido de Sóller in Mallorca. Right: The hotel's ocean views. Aly Yee/Lonely Planet (2)

11. Hotel Espléndido de Sóller

Port de Sóller, Mallorca

I adore this property in Port de Sóller, which is already so cute and feels far from the hustle of Palma but is reasonably close to many other attractions, like the beach in Deiá. The hotel has fantastic rooms, which are quite spacious, as well as a lovely rooftop pool where you can relax and look out on the ocean.

– Aly Yee

12. La Co(o)rniche 

Pyla-sur-Mer, France 

Probably the nicest, swankiest, most stunning, incredibly aspirational, how-can-I-become-an-ethical-billionaire-so-I-can-live-like-this hotel where I've ever had the pleasure of partying poolside, eating endless brunch oysters, drinking bottomless rosé all day and watching the sunset from the sexiest perch on the planet. I highly recommend this stay in southern France whenever your lucky numbers come in. I truly, truly felt like a movie star.

– Melinda Anderson

Snow on mountains with evergreen trees; a peaked roof and bare trees are in the foreground.
Left: Snowy views from Hotel Berner in Zell am See, Austria. Right: The hotel's bright yellow facade. Melissa Yeager/Lonely Planet (2)
A yellow building with a ramp leading to a porch.

13. Hotel Berner 

Zell am See, Austria 

A charming ski in, ski out hotel in the Austrian Alps – with a great half pension (for North Americans, that means your meals are included). My family spent Christmas here, and to this day, we agree it was our most memorable Christmas, filled with sleigh rides, Christmas markets and caroling.

– Melissa Yeager, Destination Editor for the Western USA and Canada

  • A cobblestone patio has wooden chairs, a few terra-cotta planters, and a bush; on the other side of a low wall is green grass.
  • A green vineyard; a path is visible in the middle ground near a structure with trees to one side and behind it.
  • Vineyard views from the hotel.
  • The hotel's tree-lined driveway.
  • An outdoor seating area on the hotel patio.
  • Strolling through the hotel's vineyard.

Monverde Hotel in Teloẽs, Portugal. Bridget FitzGibbons/Lonely Planet

14. Monverde Hotel

Teloẽs, Portugal

I love this hotel so much that it became my wedding venue. A “wine experience” hotel in the vino verde wine region of Portugal, it’s nestled in a vineyard surrounded by rolling hills of vines, just an hour from Porto to the west and with the famed Douro Valley to the east. The quaint and charming Amarante is the closest town to the hotel and is totally worth a visit.

The architecture blends rustic and modern styles to intentionally mesh with the surroundings; it has an on-site restaurant and spa; and the house wines (and tastings) are excellent. It’s so hard to leave the property itself, and the staff makes you feel at home your entire stay.

– Bridget FitzGibbons, Brand Marketing Director

15. Vocabolo Moscatelli

Umbria, Italy

My husband and I stayed at Vocabolo Moscatelli in Umbria before our wedding. It’s a very remote boutique hotel owned and run by the nicest people you’ll ever meet. When they heard we were in Italy to get married, they immediately upgraded our room.

The most special experience was a ceramic workshop arranged by the hotel with the artist Elena, who makes the pottery for the property. Her designs were beautiful and earthy – not your average china patterns. We visited Elena’s studio in Perugia, and she later shipped our creations to us in the US.

– Melissa Killian, Vice President of Integrated Marketing

A staircase leads up the side of a tan building with green shutters. A cobblestone patio surrounds the building, and there are distant views of the countryside.
A cobblestone walkway has a low stone wall to one side; a tan building with green shutters is ahead on the left side of the wall.
A single bed in a simple narrow room with a window.
The hotel's views of Siena.
Clockwise from top left: Hotel Palazzo di Valli in Siena, Italy. The hotel grounds. The hotel's views of Siena. Melissa Yeager's single room. Melissa Yeager/Lonely Planet (2)

16. Hotel Palazzo di Valli 

Siena, Italy 

A gorgeous family-owned property with sweeping views, it has olive trees on the property and makes its own olive oil. For single travelers, it has affordable single rooms too.

– Melissa Yeager

  • An long infinity pool; below are lounge chairs set in grass with umbrellas looking out at a forested area.
  • A bridge over dense vegetation in a ravine; a low stone building is on the bridge, and several larger buildings are on the other side.
  • Empty square wood tables, each set with a card, folded napkin and two or three chairs and a stool, in a long room.
  • Lounger chairs in grass with umbrellas face a forested area; stone buildings are in the distance.
  • A gravel path with tall grasses on either side; green hills are in the distance.

The pool at Il Borro, a hotel in Tuscany, Italy. Aly Yee/Lonely Planet

17. Il Borro

Tuscany, Italy

This Relais & Chateau property is a dream. The owner bought an entire village and transformed it into a resort. It's well situated in Tuscany near Montepulciano and Siena. Overall, the property, the shops and dining, and the activities available are really stunning. There are cooking classes, horseback riding and vineyards, to name a few. Expert tip: if you book one of the farmhouses, the nightly rate is much less expensive; the rooms are true apartments that could suit long-term stays, and you still get privileges across the property.

– Aly Yee

The Stables at Bellinter House in County Meath, Ireland.
The front driveway of Bellinter House.
Drawing room at Bellinter House.
Bellinter House's thermal suite.
Clockwise from top left: The stables at Bellinter House in County Meath, Ireland. The front driveway. The thermal suite. The drawing room. Bellinter House (4)

18. Bellinter House

County Meath, Ireland

I live in Dublin, and my favorite nearby escape is Bellinter House, just a 40-minute drive from the city but a world away once you arrive. It’s an 18th-century Georgian mansion set on the banks of the River Boyne, close to the ancient Hill of Tara.  We bring our dog and stay in a room in the converted dog-friendly stables. 

Bellinter is very chilled. There’s no pressure to dress up for dinner if you just want to slouch for the evening. We usually eat in the drawing room, on a comfy couch in front of the open fire, and then head back to our room to watch a movie. The spa is the real pull, though. Bellinter has an outdoor heated pool overlooking the River Boyne, three saunas and a massage therapist who works miracles on tight muscles (ask for Rachel). We organize our stay around getting appointments with her.

– Fionnuala McCarthy, Editorial Director

A green valley with small houses surrounded by grass and trees; a cloud bank hovers at the far end.
Views of Germany's Black Forest from the Hotel Traube Tonbach. Melissa Yeager/Lonely Planet

19. Hotel Traube Tonbach 

Baiersbronn, Germany

This family-owned resort in the Black Forest dates back to the 1700s and is a bit more spendy but known for being in a foodie area with a high concentration of restaurants with Michelin stars. This is where you come for great hiking (and a hiking concierge when I was there) and great food (five on-site restaurants). We did the half pension and ate so well.

– Melissa Yeager

Budget picks

20. Generator

Venice, Italy

It's not a hotel but a hostel: Generator in Venice. Why? It’s in an old warehouse on Giudecca, one vaporetto ride from Piazza San Marco. The interior is a mix of industrial with plush Venetian decor vibes (and if you’re lucky, you can get a bunk with a water view). The downstairs cafe-bar is pretty sociable, but there are also sofas to sink into with a book or your phone for some solitude. And on Guidecca, you’re away from the center, which means eating at more local restaurants and wandering semideserted lanes where you might stumble across produce traders selling from a boat or an artists collective in a former convent. I’m staying there again this summer for the Biennale. I wish I could move in.

– Tasmin Waby, Copy Editor

21. CitizenM

Paris, London and Rome

I don't like spending money on hotels when I'm in Europe because I'm usually running around doing fun things, not hanging out at the hotel. The CitizenM chain (which was recently acquired by Marriott) is usually budget-priced and has great locations. The beds are super comfy, the showers are excellent, there are good places to work and relax in the lobby, and the cappuccinos are always well made. I've stayed in several, including in Paris, London, Rome and several of its US locations.

– Caroline Trefler, Destination Editor for the Eastern USA and Canada

22. Motel One

Various locations

My secret budget hotel chain to tell people about in Europe is Motel One. For Americans, the name might initially get side-eye, but this German-owned chain is actually quite nice and affordable. I love that on some reservations you can reserve without a credit card, which makes it nice if you'd like to hold a room

– Melissa Yeager

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