Chic and Cheap

Acquarossa: an enchanting and unique place to stay Those who appreciate the picturesque, serenity and the unusual will find the Acquarossa a mouth-watering proposition - an enchanted place, so to speak, made up of white-painted stone building...

Adegas do Pico is a set of twelve stone built houses located in Praínha, Pico island, where the guests enjoy the hospitality of Maria and the feeling of the traditional Azorean village.

Imagine the scene. You are amongst the ancient olive trees of Liguria, three kilometers from the sea. You come to a small rural village that still lives life in the slow lane. The unique fragrances, views and history of this stunning area all c...

The Akrich is wonderfully located on a 700 metre high hill, some 20 minutes from Marrakech by the Atlas Mountains and on the outskirts of a Berber village of the same name. It’s a special little place where socialising with guests and the lov...

Looking for the perfect mix of tradition, beautiful landscapes and beaches with white sand nearby? The Aldeia da Mata Pequena, just 15 km north of the historic town of Sintra and a 15 minutes drive from the beaches of Ericeira is just that. T...

The Blackheath Lodge is a stylish guesthose in the heart of Cape Town, beneath the Signal Hill, near heaven and city center. Built 1880, the Victorian house was just recently all new renovated. Not only its big, open rooms with the high cei...

The inner courtyard of Blanco Riad dates from the XVIII century as the columns and arches sustaining a balcony (and which gives access to the bedrooms) immediately suggest. This is an historic place. The garden is filled with the soothing sou...

A great place to relax and take in the good things from a beautiful region. In our book, any excuse to go and experience fine wines, gastronomy and the delicious white truffles of northern Italy is fine by us. If we can then stay at the Cà Sa...

One of the loveliest houses in one of the Algarve's loveliest towns. Tavira is probably the Algarve’s prettiest city. It has somehow managed to beat off the hordes of tourism and keep its old market town soul. The river Gilão...

Charming bed & breakfast with panoramic views of Lisbon Staying directly below Lisbon’s emblematic St George’s castle, with glorious views of the city and the mighty River Tagus sounds a wonderful proposition in itself. That&r...

Castelo Rodrigo is a place of tremendous pastoral beauty, a medieval village, thick stonewall houses perfectly integrated in the environment and surrounded by verdant nature and hills. It is on the rustic side, of course, but a stay here does n...

The Casa da Levada brochure talks of paradise in the mountains and a stay in this old mansion (or shall one say, mini castle) certainly feels like it. Located on the Aboboreira Mountain in a very picturesque hamlet, the surrounding vistas are...

This small traditional house is right next to the Casa do Chorão. With its perfect location in the north of the Pico island, directly near the cliffs, it is ideal to regenerate while enjoying the view of the sea. The stone house has one doubl...

Caldeireiros´house is from the late 17th century, located right in the centre of the city’s historical site, which Unesco has designated as belonging to the world cultural heritage, since 1996. Casa dos Caldeireiros’s privileged location enable...

This old house (early 18th century to be exact) is bang in the middle of the historic Unesco World Heritage quarters of Porto, near the Cathedral. It has seen a lot over time, the French invasions of 1810 for a start, and for many generations w...

To cut a long story short, the Casa Gasamans is an ideal place to disconnect from the world, a compound of six country houses located some 15 minutes from Santiago de Compostela and also around 30 minutes from the wild Atlantic coast of Galicia...

Typically Galician rural house, located in the beautiful Fragas del Eume forest. This 16th century rural country house is located in perhaps the loveliest area in the whole of Galicia, the heart of the Fragas del Eume, the only Atlantic fores...

Casa Pacios is a romantic and isolated 15th century country house surrounded, as it is, by chestnut and oak woods at the foot of a valley. It is also close by to the “French Route” on the way to Santiago. The layout of the house is interestin...

Casa Paço D`Ilhas stands for traditional heritage-style with contemporary comfort. Whether you book a deluxe room or a low-key cabana, there will be no difference in the way you will feel immersed in a holistic leisure experience. In the Casa...

Wonderfully located and good value for money rural bed and breakfast. Set in the gorgeous Tuscan hills, and yet only half an hour from Florence, the Casa Palmira is one of those skillfully renovated medieval farmhouses that the Italians seem...

A fun, character filled place to stay in Madeira. Do you think of Madeira as a traditional holiday resort with stuffy accommodations? Not so! Just look at the Casa do Papagaio. Modern, bold and built with enormous glass windows to take maximu...

Our charming rural accommodation, room rental and catering, will surprise you with its combination of ancient and modern, tradition and innovation.The main building of S. XVIII is representative of the architecture of Galicia and was adap...

Alessandro and Isabella – the owners of this nice property have been chasing the dream of a life in contact with nature and the sea for many many years. Would it be Australia, Mozambique or maybe Vietnam? But they kept on staying in Milan, beca...

Wonderful rustic farmhouse in the Alentejo’s Vincentine Coast. These typical, whitewashed pair of Alentejo farmhouses are set In the Vicentine Coast Natural Park, a stunning stretch of coastline in one Europe's largest reserves. As...

Chambre Avec Vue is located in the peaceful medieval village of Saignon - five minutes from Apt and its famous market, whilst historic Avignon is some 60 km away. It has been delightfully transformed from an old and noble building in ruins into...

Enjoy the simple hospitality of an authentic Moroccan country house. You really can’t get much cuter or authentic - or better situated for that matter – than the Chez Momo. Placed snugly away by the lovely Tizi-n-Test road, en rou...

15 minutes from Marrakech there lies a place called Dar Zarraba, surrounded by a hectare of olive groves and with beautiful views of the Atlas Mountains as a backdrop. Those 15 minutes may as well be a lifetime away from the bustling city, for...

Everything in this small family run hotel seems to fit in nicely together. The hosts, Imanol and Elixabet are charming and urbane, the setting of Donamaria is within an awe inspiring and little known enclave of the Navarra Pyrenees, the two hou...

This place is so special, that we should start with the downsides. If you are scared of heights you might have to think twice before coming to the Fajã dos Padres. Although it lies right on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean, the only acces...

The six cottages that make up the wonderful Montes do Telheiro started off life as workers houses where “telhas” (or tiles) were made, hence the name Telheiro. Though these are no longer produced, what remains is a beautifully res...

The Hostal La Hormiga Voladora is one of those lovely, unassuming places that seem increasingly hard to find in this day and age, so imagine our delight when we came across it in our travels. It is a beautifully situated and quirky seaside ac...

“I wandered through Venice’s far retreat Laughed in the sun, and life seemed so sweet.” Venice brings out the poet in all of us; it is simply that sort of magical place, and any stay here must be in an accommodation that does it justice. So w...

This small luxury hotel nested in the centre of Amberes has the charm and sophistication every boutique hotel boasts. Built in the 17th century, this house is classy, unique and furnished with great taste. The main goal of the Witte Lelie is to ma...

Woody hills, beautiful vistas over lush flora, surrounded within 10 hectares of tropical vegetation? You’d be hard pressed to believe that you’re only 80 km east of bustling and beautiful Rio de Janeiro. In fact, this is the &ldqu...

Active relaxation anyone? If you want to relax, see beautiful countryside and perhaps enjoy a number of activities, then may we suggest the lovely Hôtellerie La Petite Couronne, which opened its doors to the public in 2009. This is a place th...

Charming little hotel bang in the heart of old town Bilbao. Bilbao may not be the most fashionable of Spain’s cities, but it does have the titanium-clad Guggenheim and the Iturriena Ostatua, a lovely little hotel that surely must be one of th...

This cheery hotel in Arles is quite a jolly place, full of bright colours, quaint pieces of furniture, more than a bit of personality and an excellent price/quality ratio. It’s cute, rather than luxurious, and its position, adjacent to...

What makes this small, rustic and recently built hotel an attractive proposition? Is it the thoughtful and ample use of natural products such as wood and stone in its construction? The light that seems to shine in from all angles: the coquettis...

What is so wonderful about this accommodation is the affectionate way the owners cater for their clients, with attention to every detail that makes a stay here an utter enjoyable experience. The house is surrounded by woods and is a divine de...

You’ll find La Maga Rooms in the old quarter of Játiva (Xàtiva) – on the road that leads to the Castle and a stone’s throw from the centre of town. This is a venerable house that was once a pilgrim’s host...

If there’s a Madrid equivalent to Paris’s Bohemian quarters then the Plaza de Las Cortes is probably a prime candidate for the honour. Artists, funky shops, that “out of the box” atmosphere, it’s all there and the...

This is the real deal, the authentic stuff – a true masseria in Puglia, made completely out of local stone and a testimony to the ancient civilization of Apilia and Salento. Its history hasn’t precluded it from becoming today a great bed &amp...

If the push comes to the shove, we’d say this is one of our top 3 favourite hotels in Amsterdam. It’s not the most luxurious or the most expensive, but what makes it so special is the exceptional mix of style, charm and ambience cou...

A typically cute rural Alentejo house - made for relaxation This late 18th century rural house was originally used as a granary and has been in the hands of the present owner’s family for six generations. The architecture is typical Ale...

Another of those lovely, old world meet new Istanbul hotels. Dating back to the 19th century, this design hotel is centrally located in the historic Beyoğlu district, on the European side of Istanbul. It offers uniquely styled rooms where the...

Charming Posade de San José in the heart of Cuenca, a World Heritage City since 1996.. This 17th century “hanging house” really is one of those special places located in a special town. It manages to imbue atmosphere, history and peace. Situa...

Italy isn’t just about the rolling hills of Tuscany, the imperial history of Rome or the fiery Mediterranean temperament of the south. People sometimes forget it is also about utterly stunning mountain scenery more in keeping with the "Sound of...

A guest once said the following of the Quinta das Glicinias: “This is one of the loveliest places I have ever been to”. It may seem a grand boast, as the villa is neither super luxurious, adorned with the most modern gadgets, nor does it come...

The Quinta de São Vincente is an excellent choice for lovers of wine and rural retreats. This pretty rustic estate produces the bubbly “vinho verde” or green wine (which refers to its young age, not colour). Guests can visit the cellars and b...

The sun and the golden beaches, the architecture and the landscape, the sympathy of the people, the cosy and safe environment: all these ingredients seduced Isabel Vilela, owner of the Quinta dos Amigos, who decided to settle in the Algarve in...

Located in the centre of Madrid, in Plaza de las Descalzas Reales, the Laura is a new hotel mixing traditional 19th Century style with vanguard decor . The rooms are perfect for mid and long stays especially taking into consideration that it is...

The Saint Shermin is a tiny, cosy and very lovable little hotel. Unfortunately – or thank God – it is not a large all-inclusive hotel with a stocky atmosphere. This also means though, that it does not offer a 24 hour reception service and a fiv...

The Tótem hotel is situated in a beautiful historic building in the very heart of Madrid, close to the “Barrio de Salamanca” and surrounded by exclusive restaurants and the most refined boutiques. What may look like a classic and elegant building...

This particular property is located at 625 meters in the village Trebilhadouro, which is surrounded by the Sierra del Valle de Cambra. The original features of the four offered stone houses have been maintained; yet each has house has been improve...