Bukhara, Uzbekistan

Lost deep in the tangle of dusty lanes radiating off the Lyabi Hauz, this little hotel occupies a traditional walled property in the old Jewish quarter. Enjoying cardamom coffee in the central courtyard, it’s easy to picture the place in its heyday three or more centuries ago, when the surrounding alleyways would have been jammed with pack animals and traders newly arrived from the desert. One hesitates to use the term ‘boutique’, which conjours a more sophisticated picture than the plainly furnished interiors deserve, but we think the traditional feel of the architecture and helpful attitude of the staff give this hotel the edge, and the location couldn’t be better.