We checked hotel rates across the world to find luxury hotels in 77 countries with prices that may surprise you.
For instance, a hotel with a temple-like entrance in Siem Reap, Cambodia, provides suites, deep-soak baths, robes and slippers as standard. It’s £49 a night.
A Bucharest hotel, filled with furniture from former aristocratic residences, plus a spa, bakery, and bellboy to boot, is £87.
To find these bargains we trawled Hotels.com to look for the cheapest five-star accommodation. We excluded anywhere with a lower customer rating than eight out of 10 or properties in especially hard to reach locations. Even after all these checks, we had to cut some properties.
There is no single definition of a five-star hotel; official classifications are inconsistent and the hotel booking site where we found our data allows properties to upload their official star rating, but carries out spot checks for accuracy.
Still, we removed any lodgings that didn’t seem luxurious enough, plus hotels that only offer all-inclusive stays – the latter is why you won’t find many Caribbean listings.
The cheapest five star hotels in the UK
Our Which? undercover inspectors visited the cheap five-star-rated hotels found across the UK to review them anonymously.
Cheap five star hotel in England: The Roseate, Reading, £135
A red carpet lines the steps up to the Queen Anne-style property, and the opulence continues inside with vaulted ceilings, columns and plush, heavy drapes. The Roseate has the hallmarks of a five-star hotel, with its small sauna and steam room. However, scuffed walls, sagging lobby sofas and pleasant yet inattentive staff mean it falls short of a true five-star experience.
RoomsDiningVerdictCheap five star hotel in Northern Ireland: Grand Central Hotel, Belfast, £189
In many ways, this former 23-storey office building towering above Belfast’s skyline reflects the growing swagger of the Northern Irish capital. From the roped-off lift where the concierge whisks guests up to the luxury cocktail bar on the top floor, to the all-day dining in front of dramatic double-height floor-to-ceiling windows in the lounge bistro, you could almost be in New York.
RoomsDiningVerdictCheap five star hotel in Scotland: The Marcliffe, Aberdeen, £205
It’s been many years since our undercover inspectors felt a UK hotel deserved our highest rating; The Marcliffe changed that. From the moment you climb the sweeping drive of this Victorian manor house on the outskirts of Aberdeen, to the waistcoated staff who swing open the doors and usher you into a reception warmed by a blazing fire, every minute here feels special. There is no bling; no gold wallpaper or cocktail-snapping influencers, not even a hot tub in the small spa. The tartan carpets, high tea in the drawing room and impeccable service feel almost old-fashioned. But it’s this elegance that appeals and keeps minor royals who can’t fit into nearby Balmoral coming back.
Cheap five star hotel in Wales: Voco St David's, Cardiff, £301
In 1998 St David’s Spa, Wales’ first five-star hotel, opened on Cardiff docks. Looking like a cruise liner jutting into the bay, it was hailed as the latest addition to ‘Cool Cymru’. Almost 30 years later, renamed Voco and now owned by InterContinental, it’s sleekly luxurious rather than hip. We prefer it this way. Everything works. There’s no trendy lighting or confusing app. The staff are friendly, without acting like they’ll be fired if they forget to smile. We love the lobby, flooded with light by its seven-storey atrium, and the spa with its 15-metre swimming pool. Even better are the views across the bay towards the undulating roof of the Welsh Senedd.
RoomsFood and drinkVerdict:The cheapest five star hotels in Europe
Note: Unlike with the UK hotels, we have not personally reviewed the following hotels.
Grand Continental Bucharest, Romania, £87
This central hotel has a turn-down service and a concierge to book tickets and recommend restaurants. There’s a hot tub, sauna and gym, plus a fine-dining restaurant – think silverware, candelabras, baroque furniture and waistcoated waiters. It was a meeting point for aristocracy in its former life in the 19th century. As Bucharest is easy to get to from the UK, a five-star weekend is possible.
art’otel Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia, £159
Although owned by the company that runs Park Plaza hotels, there are just seven art’otels in the world. Each iteration showcases a chosen artist. Here, Zagreb-born Boris Bućan’s art and graphic designs give minimalist bedrooms a pop of colour and originality, while a pillow menu and changeable mood lighting are luxurious extras. Downstairs, you’ll find an uplit indoor pool, sauna, steam room and gym. Perfect for a city break.
The cheapest five star hotels - rest of world
Angkor Miracle Resort, Siem Reap, Cambodia, £49
It’s almost unbelievable that this luxurious hotel is the second cheapest five-star we found (The Emerald Bay in Vietnam was a little cheaper, but not as nice). The enormous rooms feature traditional Cambodian decor, with dark wood floors and carved furniture. Outside is even better, with an infinity pool surrounded by cushioned loungers and tropical greenery.
Riad Jona, Marrakech, Morocco, £79
Intimate, family-run Riads are really the best way to experience Morocco, but often lack facilities. Here you get a heated plunge pool and hot tub on the rooftop, as well as sun loungers on which to unwind from the chaos of the Medina (and its bustling markets) round the corner. There are 14 luxury rooms dressed in soothing whites and rich fabrics set around a traditional storied courtyard with a small fountain filled with rose petals.
The William Inglis Hotel, Sydney, Australia, £123
Sitting on a farm and horse auction facility 35 minutes from Sydney, this hotel is, perhaps unsurprisingly, equine-themed. Each room has nods to the racehorse it’s named after, plus blackout blinds, Egyptian cotton sheets and sleek brass fittings. The pool area overlooks a race course, so you might see galloping horses from your cabana.
Heritage Telfair Resort, Mauritius, £231
Mauritius is an expensive place, so while £231 is by no means cheap, this is a bargain for the country. You get a huge balcony suite with a pillow menu and turndown service, a (shared) outdoor pool overlooking the beach, and complimentary use of kayaks, paddleboards and one of the two golf courses. There’s even a (paid-for) champagne bar for fancy evening drinks.
Research notesGet more travel advice and recommendations you can trust from the experts with our freesource https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/the-worlds-cheapest-five-star-hotels-aKGo97U9APP9