There's more to a travel bargain than price. In the case of city hotels, the best are a balance of style, value, and location. In 15 cities across the world, our editors prove the point with stellar finds. At a time when the buck is on a roller-coaster, these are very sure bets...

Sweden gave us affordable fashionable furniture (IKEA) and affordable fashionable fashion (H&M), and now frugal Scandinavian flair is infiltrating the lodging industry. Stockholm has several hotels that are stylish and comfortable—if rather compact—in return for not too many kronor.

The Nordic Light and Nordic Sea are fraternal twins: same genes, different looks. Since both primarily target business travelers, weekend rates are a steal and they're just steps from the rail link to the airport. The Sea may have a bar made of ice (parkas provided), but the Light is the cool one, its uncluttered, all-white interior illuminated by theatrical spotlights (46-8-50-56-30-00; nordichotels.se; doubles from $190 at the Light, from $170 at the Sea; w).

Another pair of neighboring hotels, unrelated this time, sit on Strandvaegen, with knockout water views. The spruced-up Hotel Diplomat has colorful bedrooms (and marvelous wood-and-marble bathrooms), as well as a sleek bistro serving perhaps the best weekend brunch in town (46-8-459-68-00; diplomathotel.com; doubles from $220). Next door, the emphatically unmodernized, family-run Hotel Esplanade makes a virtue of its faded charms, winning devoted guests with original 1910 interiors, friendly service, and sherry in the lounge every afternoon. 'Gandalf stays here,' says the concierge proudly. Sure enough, there it is in the compliment-stuffed guest book: 'Thank you for a perfect stay,' signed Ian McKellen (46-8-663-07-40; hotelesplanade.se; doubles from $205). A 20-minute stroll from the city center, the First Hotel Amaranten is newly refurbished, with plenty of wood and stone for a suitably Scandinavian feel. The lobby, with its cocktail bar and big red beanbags, has emerged as a local hot spot, thanks in part to the bustling restaurant scene on neighboring Scheelegatan (46-8-692-5200; firsthotels.com; doubles from $180; w).

Sources: For a simple guide to the city, pick up the pocketable A Great Weekend in Stockholm (Hachette, $13). Check konferens.se for an English-language guide to 90 of the best restaurants. Online, the best selection of hotels is at hotels-stockholm.com.

WHERE TO FIND MORE BANG FOR YOUR BUCK
For an update on the prices we give below, visit the Web sites.

CHICAGO
Rooms start at $149;
metromix.com

BARCELONA
Rooms start at $100;
bcn.es/english/ihome.htm