Spain

Hotels in Spain range from indulgent old-world palaces to ultraminimalist boutique accommodations, from quaint bed-and-breakfasts to grand villas. For atmosphere, you can't beat the converted convents, castles, and manor houses that dot Spain's cities and countryside, including those run by the government's Parador Hotels (www.parador.es), with period decor, picturesque settings, and restaurants with an emphasis on regional cuisine. One of the most spectacular is the Parador de Granada, located in a 15th-century convent inside the Alhambra. City centers have their share of palaces-turned-hotels, too; Madrid's Hotel Orfila retains the opulent air of a 19th-century mansion.

Standard business-style hotels are giving way to smaller and more personalized boutique hotels in Spain. Whether sleek and packed with the latest technology, like Valencia's Chill Art Hotel Jardín Botanico, or humbler family-run affairs like Barcelona's Hostal L'Antic Espai, these character-filled hotels tend to favor central locations over spacious quarters. In the most elite, gastronomy is an essential part of the experience, but many of Spain's smaller hotels skip restaurants entirely. Another popular urban trend is the destination hotel, as in Barcelona's Hotel Omm, which brings locals and tourists together with a see-and-be-seen bar, café, restaurant, nightclub, and spa.

In the Spanish countryside, casas rurales, or rural houses, are the accommodation of choice. The abandonment of many farms and country estates over the past few decades has led to a boom in rural tourism and an increase in cozy bed-and-breakfasts. There's an enormous price and quality range out there, but the best B&Bslike San Joan de Binissaida in Menorcaare small and family-run, with large rooms, inviting common areas, sunny patios, and excellent kitchens serving hearty local cuisine.