Vilnius
Staying at luxurious Pacai, in a restored 17th-century palace, you slumber beneath the same timber beams as past nobles – except nowadays there's modern…
Must-see hotels in Eastern Europe
Belgrade
This evocative two-room guesthouse offers more than a comfortable bed; it's also a vessel for time travel. Billed as a 'stayover museum', Yugodom (dom…
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North Macedonia
It's worth detouring from the tourist trail just to stay at this utterly lovely village hotel, which offers four rooms in a chalet-style house and lip…
Belgrade
This brilliant B&B is all early-1900s charm out the front and nouveau-Savamala graffiti-murals out the back. As hip as you'd expect from its location in…
Belgrade
Art nouveau icon and proud symbol of the best of Belgrade, the majestic 123-room Moskva has been wowing guests – including Albert Einstein, Indira Gandhi…
Belgrade
Guests at the modern, brightly painted and meticulously maintained Bongo can take their pick: plunge into the tonnes of attractions, bars and restaurants…
Belgrade
Bend-over-backwards staff, a homey atmosphere and super location make this award-winner popular for all the right reasons. Dorm beds are all floor level …
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North Macedonia
A remarkable guesthouse, Villa Dihovo comprises three traditionally decorated rooms in a historic house that's home to former professional footballer…
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Moldova
Located in southwest Moldova just 12km from the Oancea/Cahul border crossing with Romania, this is a wonderful place to experience countryside living…
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Pristina
Pristina's best hostel is run by a group of well-travelled locals who took a derelict house into their care, painted the tree in the courtyard white and…
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Serbia
Regional Serbia's best hostel gets a thumbs-up for being environmentally conscious, with furniture made of recycled material, solar-energy panels, waste…
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Bulgaria
This friendly campground snoozes among green meadows in Dragizhevo village, a 15km drive east of Veliko Târnovo. Efficiently run by cheerful British…
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Bulgaria
In a quiet residential area 500m east of Shipka village square, this friendly, family-run guesthouse has attractive, modern rooms with great views of…
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Sighişoara
This dazzling boutique hotel is hived out of an old burgher's house at the northern end of the citadel. The restoration left period details like wood…
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Western Estonia & the Islands
Built in 1905, the Villa Ammende is an art nouveau masterpiece, and now one of Pärnu's best hotels. Original stylistic touches such as colourful tiles and…
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Northern Dalmatia
Now here's something really special. This beautiful sandstone compound, first built 370 years ago, is like an ancient caravanserai (inn) and is one of the…
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North Macedonia
Sensitively designed in the image of a traditional Macedonian (Ottoman) house, Hotel Teatar is without doubt one of the loveliest hotels in the country…
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Transylvania
Brimming with charm and colour, this former barn has been transformed into a welcoming guesthouse with unique hand-painted decoration, firm beds and…
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Skopje
In a converted residential house with a sociable front garden for summer lounging, Urban is an excellent budget option on the outskirts of the leafy Debar…
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North Macedonia
In Demir Kapija village, this is North Macedonia's most aesthetically pleasing winery, with great views over vineyards and the village's gorge. It has the…
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Zagorje
This rural inn has a scenic location in the village of Škarićevo, 4km from Krapinske Toplice. The five traditional cottages (featuring rooms and suites)…
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St Petersburg
Soul Kitchen blends boho hipness and boutique-hotel comfort, scoring perfect 10s in many key categories: private rooms (chic), dorm beds (double-width…
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Belgrade
Belgrade is just the seventh city worldwide to receive one of Philippe Starck's whimsical designer Mama Shelter hotels – the city's hottest – this one…
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Gjirokastra
This hostel is a fantastic conversion of an Old Town house, created and run by Dutchman Walter. The attention to detail and respect for traditional…
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Ohrid
By far the most charming place to stay in Ohrid, this 1856 mansion offers nine rooms in the heart of the Old Town. There are old-world furnishings, creaky…
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Western Estonia & the Islands
If money’s no object, here’s where to part with it. This manicured bayside estate encompasses the restored manor house (14 rooms and a fine-dining…
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Tirana
Albania's first-ever hostel continues to go from strength to strength. Housed in a charmingly decorated house, with a 1970s air of hazy hippy backpacker…
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Lviv
Lviv’s first real boutique hotel is a delightfully intimate 29-room place, accessed through an inconspicuous entrance in the historical centre. Rooms ooze…
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Kyiv
Kyiv's most happening hostel is this gleaming 100-bed affair superbly located at the bottom of Andriyivsky uzviz. An attached cafe-bar, a basement kitchen…
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Skopje
Accessed through an alley just off the main square, this is a stylish, beautifully designed place, with modern and elegantly decorated rooms, and an…
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Cluj-Napoca
A labour-of-love restoration project has transformed a 1920 building, abandoned for a decade, into something between a hostel and an ecotourism retreat…
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Ohrid
This property has two studio apartments, both of which sleep four, set in the heart of the Old Town. Each is well equipped and comes with a shady balcony…
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Braşov
Less than five minutes' walk from Piața Sfatului, these individually decorated apartments allow you to live like the most glamorous of Braşov locals…
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Novi Sad
The super-central designer digs at Narator do indeed tell a story; four of them, in fact, one for every themed, individually decorated apartment. With…
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Bay of Kotor
Tucked away on a 300-year-old olive farm with views to the Adriatic, this gorgeous B&B is one of Montenegro's most romantic getaways. The spick-and-span…
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Southern Latvia
Live like Duke Ernst Johann and stay at Mežotne Palace, about 2km north of Rundāle, on the far bank of the Lielupe River. The palace was built in a…
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Moldova
As well as creating some of Moldova's finest vintages, Purcari winery offers luxurious accommodation in its eight-room boutique hotel overlooking a small…
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Vladivostok
It's quite a leap to believe you're in a 'traditional Russian hostel' given Izba's location in a thoroughly Soviet tower block, but the charming staff at…
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Lviv
One of the historical centre’s finest places to catch some Zs. Every guest room in this 18th-century edifice is different, but all have a well-stocked…
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Ohrid
This excellent hostel is a bustling hub for backpackers. Though it could be more spacious, nobody cares because they have such a good time here. The…
