World's Top Affordable Hotels
That’s why, when we asked the readers of Travel + Leisure to pick their favorite properties in our annual World’s Best Survey, we noted which spots wouldn’t break the bank. The result is a list of great-value inns, hotels, and resorts that offer appealing ambience, top-notch service, and a compelling setting. And many offer nightly rates lower than the cost of an iPhone (with no two-year commitment!).
Of course, Las Vegas is known for room prices that won’t empty your wallet (alas, the casinos do that), but even here there’s a luxury property with rates so good you’ll feel lucky even before check-in. The two-year-old Mandarin Oriental, Las Vegas is a glamorous, Asian-inspired haven in one of CityCenter’s contemporary glass towers. Its 392 rooms and suites have floor-to-ceiling windows, elegant Oriental details, and glass-paneled bathrooms with deep-soaking tubs, while its 23rd-floor Sky Lobby offers glimmering views of the Strip, including the iconic Eiffel Tower replica. And Vegas being Vegas, it’s possible to find deals that cut the great rate even more.
If actual architectural wonders are more your thing, you can sleep affordably yet chicly on the edge of Cambodia’s most-renowned World Heritage Site at the 238-room Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort in Siem Reap. When you’re not out admiring Angkor Wat’s centuries-old temples, you can retreat to the soaring lobby with its Khmer-French design elements and rooms with soothing sage and gold décor.
Another exotic property offering top value is the 79-suite Serengeti Sopa Lodge, set in the hills overlooking the southwestern plains of Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park. Bold African design in rich earth tones accented by local fabrics and artwork offers a true sense of place—especially when the view outside is of the wildebeest migration.
Closer to home, the rustic and tranquil charms of Vermont are on offer at 19-room Rabbit Hill Inn. Located in Lower Waterford and featuring rooms with fireplaces and antique canopy beds, this circa-1785, white-columned inn is ideal for a romantic couple’s getaway.
Read on for more great affordable hotels worldwide.
FourSeasons Resort Carmelo, Uruguay
20 bungalows, 24 suites, and an Asian-influenced spa on a beach nestled between a eucalyptus forest and the Rio de la Plata, all just a 3-hour trip north of Buenos Aires. Doubles from $240–$445.
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TurnberryResort, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Turnberry, Scotland
150 rooms (40 recently updated) in a massive estate on a rocky coastal bluff; 2 championship golf courses and a 19th-century lighthouse overlook the bucolic scene. Doubles from $220–$399.
Room to Book: One of the 4 suites named after the legendary golf course’s Open Championship winners: Watson, Norman, Price, and Cink. Each has unique design touches, and all face the craggy Alisa Craig island.
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Victoria House, Ambergris Caye, Belize
Relaxed island resort of 7 thatched-roof casitas (plus plantation rooms and suites) and 2 pools; the best jumping- off point for exploring the world’s second-largest barrier reef. Doubles from $185–$205.
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Domainedes Hauts de Loire, Loire Valley, France
31-room 19th-century former hunting lodge on 178 forested acres between Blois and Amboise. Doubles from $201.
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Innon Biltmore Estate, Asheville, NC
A 210-room mansion set on George Vanderbilt’s 8,000-acre Biltmore estate, surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains. Doubles from $189–$379.
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Villagio Inn & Spa, Yountville, CA
A cozy, 112-room escape close to French Laundry that offers digital wine guides and unlimited champagne at breakfast. Doubles from $250–$480, including breakfast.
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Hotel1000, Seattle
High-tech and eco-friendly property with 120 modern rooms, 4 blocks from Pike Place Market. Doubles from $209–$479.
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Rabbit Hill Inn, Lower Waterford, VT
Romantic getaway (candlelit breakfast; canopy beds) at a restored residence and tavern, both about 200 years old. Doubles from $169, including breakfast and afternoon tea.
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Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, Naples, FL
295 rooms and 2 Greg Norman–designed courses that double as an Audubon sanctuary. A complimentary shuttle brings guests to the sister Ritz-Carlton hotel for access to white-sand beaches. Doubles from $229–$499.
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SerengetiSopa Lodge, SerengetiNational Park, Tanzania
79-suite secluded hotel with African interiors (traditional masks; handcrafted wood furnishings), overlooking the plains. Doubles from $225–$480, including meals.
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FourSeasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North, Scottsdale,AZ
Pueblo-inspired property (plus a renovated pool and a soon-to-open gastropub) surrounded by the foothills of the McDowell Mountains. Doubles from $139–$719.
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TajMahal Hotel, New Delhi
11-story landmark close to the city’s diplomatic and political heart; its butlers and astrologers are favored by New Delhi’s power players. Doubles from $192–$444.
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MandarinOriental, Las Vegas
Asian-inspired interiors by Adam D. Tihany and the first U.S. restaurant by French chef Pierre Gagnaire in a non-gaming hotel in CityCenter. Doubles from $255.
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SofitelAngkor Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort, Siem Reap, Cambodia
A regal retreat (antique ceiling fans; Cambodia’s largest swimming pool) on Siem Reap’s tranquil periphery. Doubles from $170–$225.
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TheHomestead, Hot Springs, VA
1766 grand red-brick National Historic Landmark (157 rooms; archery; off-roading) on 3,000 Allegheny Mountain acres. Doubles from $185–$325.
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Arizona Inn, Tucson
Historic, 95-room pink-tinged adobe-style estate, piano bar, and pristine gardens. Doubles from $169–$329.
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Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort & Spa, Orange County, CA
Expansive Mediterranean-style resort with waterslides, surf instructors, and all 517 rooms
redone in 2011. Doubles from $179–$499.
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Hotel Monaco, Denver
After a 2011 renovation, the 189 eclectic rooms at this business-oriented hotel—walking distance from the Colorado Convention Center—match the bold colors in the public spaces. Doubles from $149–$349.
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Sofitel Washington DC Lafayette Square
Art Deco–style hotel updated by Pierre-Yves Rochon, but retaining some original details (black marble floors; gold-leaf accents). Doubles from $195–$340.
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One Ocean Resort & Spa, Jacksonville, FL
193-room resort (butler service; northeast Florida’s only waterfront spa) on a 254-foot stretch of sand. Doubles from $139–$229.
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Mansion on Forsyth Park, Savannah, GA
Over-the-top 125-room hotel (grand piano; cheetah-print chairs) in an exquisitely restored 1888 mansion that also houses a cooking school and art gallery. Doubles from $169–$299.
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Fairmont Orchid, Big Island, HI
A recently refreshed 540-room hotel with lanais and hidden dining spots on 32 acres on the Kohala Coast. Doubles from $239–$335.
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21c Museum Hotel, Louisville, KY
A trendsetting spot: 90 spare-but-polished rooms and a collection of works by living artists, all set in a complex of 19th-century warehouses. Doubles from $225–$325.
T+L Insider Tip: Pick up a map at the Louisville Visitors Center and head out on the Urban Bourbon Trail to taste more than 50 bourbons. The trail stops at 21c’s Proof on Main.
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Roosevelt Hotel New Orleans, a Waldorf Astoria Hotel
Grand 19th-century hotel adjacent to the French Quarter, featuring the iconic Sazerac Bar and Domenica, by Next Iron Chef’s John Besh. Doubles from $159–$499.
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Harbor View Hotel & Resort, Martha's Vineyard, MA
1891 mansion and cottages overlooking Chappaquiddick Island, suffused with Yankee beach style (gingham prints; teak rockers). Doubles from $119–$365.
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Wynn, Las Vegas
The flagship property from developer Steve Wynn has 2,716 rooms, gardens, and 14 restaurants, including the new wine-focused La Cave. Doubles from $169.
Room to Book: One of the rooms in the Tower Suites, where you’ll get VIP check-in, exclusive concierge service, and access to a terrace with private pools.
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Sagamore Resort, Adirondacks, NY
381-room resort, fresh from a $20 million renovation that added a pool, on a private, 70-acre Lake George island. Doubles from $169–$299.
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Snake River Lodge & Spa, Jackson Hole, WY
A 123-room Teton Village lodge by Rock-Resorts, plus Wyoming’s largest spa. Doubles from $144–$404.
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Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, Quebec City
1893 castle-style building with views of the St. Lawrence River. Doubles from $170–$379.
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Hotel Eisenhut, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
78 rooms in a series of 15th- and 16th-century mansions in the Bavarian town’s medieval walled center; traditional Franconian dishes are served on the terrace and in the beer garden. Doubles from $135–$275.
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Ashford Castle, County Mayo, Ireland
Medieval crenellated castle on 350 acres along the banks of Lough Corrib. A newly added 50-room country house (pillow-top mattresses; heated bathroom floors) debuted in July. Doubles from $240–$460, including breakfast.
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San Clemente Palace, Venice
Venetian history meets resort charms at this converted 18th-century monastery with an outdoor pool and 2 tennis courts on San Clemente Island. Doubles from $247–$289, including breakfast.
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Westin Bund Center, Shanghai
Two streamlined towers, a stylish lobby, and a Banyan Tree Spa, just a 5-minute walk from the historic Bund. Doubles from $203–$360.
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Pangkor Laut Resort, Perak, Malaysia
43 overwater villas on a private isle off the western coast of Malaysia—a lush, undiscovered hideaway. Doubles from $243–$371, including breakfast.