Just because you’re not a member of the 1% doesn’t mean you can’t travel like you are. Below, we’ve handpicked 10 hotels around the globe that boast five star-worthy amenities – think infinity pools, Instagrammable views, plush beds and exceptional service – and are surprisingly affordable.
In fact, you can book a room at any one of these unforgettable hotels for $200 a night or less! (Excluding taxes and fees.)
You’re welcome.
H?tel des Grands Boulevards, Paris
Opened in January 2018, this boutique hotel is centrally located in the buzzy 2nd arrondissement, yet tucked discreetly in an alley off the main drag, allowing it to feel hidden and ultra-private.
Its 50 rooms pair flashy Louis XVI furniture (think silk-draped four poster beds and jewel-toned velvet settees) with sleek modern touches, and boast all the amenities you’d expect from a top hotel, from plush Egyptian cotton sheets to organic bath products.
But the main draw, of course, is the price. Room rates start at just $160 in summer and $200 in spring – unusually affordable for a hotel of this style and caliber in the heart of Paris.
H?tel des Grands Boulevards; 17 Boulevard Poissonnière, 75002 Paris, France; +33 1 85 73 33 33
Casa Cook Kos, Greece
This adults-only beachfront retreat on the Greek island of Kos offers the luxury of any five-star resort on nearby Santorini or Mykonos, at a fraction of the price.
Its boho-chic rooms, set in low-slung, whitewashed adobe villas, start at just $175 during shoulder season, from April to early June. (Suites with shared or private pools start at $250).
Other hotel highlights include a spa with a hammam and sauna, a farm-to-table Mediterranean restaurant and a communal pool with a thatched-roof bar and lounge, where local DJs spin tunes nightly.
Casa Cook Kos; Marmari, 85300 Kos, Greece; +49 234-9610-3-8606
The House Hotel Karak?y, Istanbul
Located in hip Karak?y, The House Hotel is steps from the city’s hottest bars, galleries and restaurants and is within easy walking distance of all of the Old City attractions.
Its 68 gorgeous rooms boast soaring ceilings, parquet floors and Carrera marble bathrooms, and can be booked for as low as $140 during peak season, from June through September.
If you’re traveling with friends and family, you might actually be better off booking the penthouse – seriously. At 900 square feet, it sleeps four comfortably, and can be booked for a shockingly affordable $310 during peak season.
The House Hotel Karak?y, Bankalar Caddesi No:5 Karakoy Beyoglu, Istanbul, 34421; +90 212 244 64 34
Munduk Moding Plantation Hotel, Bali
Perched high in the mist-shrouded mountains of northern Bali, the Munduk Moding Plantation Hotel isn’t your typical island escape.
As its name suggests, it’s nestled inside a 12-acre organic coffee plantation, surrounded by lush jungles and rice fields.
Its 12 villas and suites – starting from $160 – are as beautiful as their surroundings, decorated with tropical hardwood furniture, Balinese textiles and local art.
The hotel’s pièce de résistance, however, is its infinity pool, which juts out towards the jungle and boasts show-stopping views over the mountains and coastline in the distance.
Munduk Moding Plantation Hotel; Jalan Raya Asah Gobleg, Gobleg, Banjar, Gobleg, Banjar, Kabupaten Buleleng, Bali 81152; +62 811 3810 123
The Old Clare Hotel, Sydney
Set in a beautifully restored brewery five minutes from the city center, this design-driven boutique hotel makes for the perfect urban retreat.
Its 62 loft-style rooms, starting at $160, feature chic industrial vibes and are luxuriously appointed with king-sized beds, marble bathrooms and standalone tubs.
Hotel highlights include three terrific restaurants (the standout is its contemporary Australian restaurant, Automata), a cocktail bar and a rooftop pool with seriously Instagrammable skyline views.
The Old Clare Hotel; 1 Kensington St, Chippendale, New South Wales, 2008; +61 2 8277 8277
The Village Coconut Island, Phuket
With two infinity pools, a private stretch of unspoiled beachfront and a traditional Thai spa, you’ll never want to leave this idyllic island resort once you’ve checked in.
Deluxe suites with terraces and kitchenettes start at just $107 in the summer, while one-bedroom villas – with private plunge pools! – start at $197.
Added bonus: you can bring your kids, too (if you want). Waterslides, a kid’s club, free bikes and an endless menu of water sports make the resort family-friendly to boot.
The Village Coconut Island; 51/7 Moo 6 Koh Keaw, Amphoe Mueang Phuket, Phuket 83000; 00 66 89 866 3701
Arlo SoHo, New York City
If you’re looking for a Manhattan hotel that’s luxe and budget-friendly, the Arlo SoHo – and its sister property in NoMad – are hard to beat.
Though the rooms are small, they’re stylish and thoughtfully designed, with plush alcove beds, convertible flip-down desks and iPad-controlled blackout shades and lighting.
Common spaces cater to every kind of traveler, from the cozy, quiet library to the buzzy rooftop, where you’ll find daily Happy Hour deals and sweeping Hudson River views.
Currently, you can score rooms as low as $125 during winter and $185 in summer (the best deals can be found in early July).
Arlo SoHo; 231 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10013; +1 212 342 7000
Ashnil Mara Camp, Masai Mara, Kenya
With nightly rates from $112, this luxury tented camp in Kenya proves that going on an African safari doesn’t need to break the bank.
You’ll have to travel during low season from April through June, but the Masai Mara boasts excellent wildlife-viewing all year round (plus, you’ll avoid the peak season crowds and game-viewing traffic jams).
The camp itself is as stunning as its surroundings, comprising of 50 glamping-style tents decorated with stately four-poster beds, colorful embroidered rugs and rustic furniture.
Other hotel highlights include a swimming pool, buffet restaurant and a luxurious sunset-facing bar and lounge.
Ashnil Mara Camp; Masai Mara National Reserve, Narok, 00100, Kenya; +254 20 4971 200
Karoo Lodge, Samara Private Game Reserve, South Africa
With the average price of an African safari ranging from $800 to $1,000 per night, seeing the “Big Five” is simply out of reach for most travelers – but it doesn’t have to be.
At the Karoo Lodge in in South Africa, you can book a stay for just $197 per night during low season (May through August), inclusive of all meals.
Don’t let the price fool you: Suites are large and luxurious, outfitted with fireplaces, sun decks and spacious ensuites with deep-soak tubs.
Not that you’ll spend much time inside. The Samara, dubbed the “Serengeti of the South,” teems with resident game like zebra, rhino, gemsbok and cheetah, which you’re bound to see on your daily game drives, included in the nightly rate.
Karoo Lodge; Samara Private Game Reserve Eastern Cape, 6280; +27 31 262 0324
Bayud Boutique Resort, Siargao Island, Philippines
Sandwiched between a pristine beachfront and a dense palm tree forest, this dreamy resort on Siargao – one of the Philippines’ best islands – is the perfect island hideaway.
Its 11 rooms are housed in villas modeled after traditional, thatched-roof nipa huts, while interiors are decidedly sleek, modern and minimalist.
Though you’ll be tempted to do nothing besides lounge by the pool all day, the resort also offers plenty of fun and affordable diversions, from island-hopping ($50) to surf lessons ($20). Room rates themselves are a steal, starting from $180 during peak season, now through to March.
Bayud Boutique Resort; Malinao, General Luna, Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte, Philippines; +63 945 617 5307