in search of darn good digs

During our road trip this summer in the southwest U.S., we had the chance to spend three nights at Albuquerque’s newest boutique hotel, the fabulous Hotel Andaluz – as part of our search for the best independently owned hotels around the world for budget-minded travelers.

The Moorish-Palace-Inspired Lobby

We were living in luxury for close to $100 a night, but we knew their summer rates wouldn’t last forever. When we got back to Brooklyn at the end of our trip, we contacted the Andaluz management to inquire if they would give our readers a discount – to keep the typical night’s price under $150. They came back to us with an exclusive promo code that earns Darn Good Digs readers 15% off the published rate.

Hotel Andaluz Promo Code: darn

We recommend that before you use our promo code, you should first search for special deals on the Hotel Andaluz website as well as on our affiliate link. If no discount rates are available, then use our promo code.

Read our review to find out what we liked about the Hotel Andaluz so much:

What makes the Hotel Andaluz so Darn Good? We knew from the second that we walked into the gorgeous lobby at the Andaluz that we were onto something good. Darn good. The huge two-tiered space was designed to resemble a Moorish palace, and we were seduced by the shimmering fountains, private casbahs, and striking artwork.

Half of Our Room

Location: The Andaluz is just off historic Route 66 in downtown Albuquerque, which is currently undergoing an impressive multimillion dollar revitalization. We enjoyed the location, as we had a choice of several restaurants and bars that were within easy walking distance. The hotel is a ten minute drive from historic Old Town and several renowned museums, including the fascinating Pueblo Cultural Center.

Rooms: The hotel was built in 1939 by famed hotelier Conrad Hilton in the Spanish Territorial style, and has since earned a spot on the National Register of Historic Places. In 2009, a massive renovation was completed and the hotel was re-opened as the stunning and eco-friendly Andaluz. Our room, though less dramatic than the lobby, was no less impressive. Its contemporary touches such as the streamlined lime-green couch and wall-mounted flat screen tv perfectly complimented the vintage wooden furniture and Buddha statue blessing our bathroom.

The Buddha Statue in Our Bathroom

Food: The hotel has a downstairs restaurant and bar, the Lucia, and a second floor tapas bar with rooftop terrace, the Ibiza. While both restaurants looked tempting, we opted for some of the more budget options in the neighborhood. We enjoyed a delicious breakfast at the Gold Street Café one block from the hotel and dinner at the Standard Diner, a former Route 66 service station.

Vibe: The Anduluz is a stylish and inviting downtown boutique hotel. One of the many beautiful (and friendly) staff members even took a moment to hang out with our five year old boy as he checked out the fish swimming in the fountain.

Keep in Mind: For parking, we opted for a $10/day parking garage pass to self-park in the garage next door.

Room Rates: US$109-$285

Do you ever read those glossy travel magazines and think to yourself, ‘Oh, how I’d love to stay in a fabulous ice castle or undersea lodge – if only I had a gazillion dollars?’ Sometimes it’s fun to live vicariously through sleek photos, but we at Darn Good Digs have put together a list of intriguing hotels and hostels that are priced right for budget-minded travelers.   What makes these digs so special is not just that they are housed in unusual spots, but also that they are so thoughtfully designed and welcoming to guests.

Behind bars at Hostel Celica

Spend the night in prison, and then wake up to go sight-seeing: FadedGray from Austin, Texas tells us, “The Hostel Celica is a friendly, colorful converted prison that offers clean and simple cells for its guests to lay their head. Parking is included too.  The Hostel Celica is in Slovenia’s capital city of Ljubljana and within walking distance to most of the city.  The rooms are small, former prison cells and still have bars on the windows and second door. The property includes an outdoor patio/small yard and dining area.”

Af Chapman Hostel in Stockholm, Sweden

Toss and turn on a 19th century sailing ship: Mark from Travel Wonders writes, “Af Chapman is a hostel with a difference. You can stay on a 19th century rigged sailing ship close to both Gamla Stan (Stockholm’s old area) and the Royal Palace.”

Sleep in a bank, don’t break the bank: Sarah Christenson from The Urban Rebellion writes, “The Ramsdell Inn is a lovely, converted bank building in Manistee’s historic downtown. My husband and I were intrigued by the old woodwork, polished marble lobby, and hospitality. There is a tiny gift shop in the old brass vault, and long, elegant corridors to wander, complete with brass radiators and dark woodwork. Each room has its own decor theme, but all are comfortably shabby chic. Our room had ornate stonework right outside our window and a lovely view of the Manistee River. The Inn’s lobby is utterly gorgeous, and even has an area where the corporation of old used to hold their meetings – complete with an ancient letter of recommendation for an employee and some photos of the staff! When we left, I honestly had to shake off the feeling that I was stuck in the 1920s!”

Rikitikitavi in Kampot, Cambodia is in a renovated rice barn (used with permission from Cary Lehman)

Shack up in a Cambodian rice barn: Andrea from Queensland, Australia, writes, “Situated in a renovated wooden-framed rice barn, Rikitikitavi has well appointed rooms decorated with Khmer silks and pillows, rattan furniture, and local art. The beds are comfy and the showers are hot. But what makes Rikitikitavi so good is the service, which is simply the best we have ever come across in our travels through Southeast Asia! With their welcoming rooms, delicious food, and helpful suggestions for what to do around town, Denise, Dom, and their staff ensure that their guests are well taken care of throughout their stay. Staying at Rikitikitavi is like visiting old friends, and this is one reason the hotel is so special.

Domus Maria, housed in a former monastery in Vilnius, Lithuania

Lie down in a Monastery: Lisa Lubin from LLWorldTour, writes that the “Domus Maria, a former monastery turned hotel, is no dark, eerie place. It’s bright, clean, and peaceful right in the heart of Vilnius’s Old City.  The top floor rooms have great charming roof lines. The rooms are carpeted and painted in cheerful yellow with modern, clean-lined furnishings. There are TVs and internet cables in each room.  The walls are solid and the carpeted, bright hallways are super wide. I am staying here now and it’s super quiet…I haven’t heard another soul!”

Have you stayed anywhere original lately that you’d like to recommend as one of the best hotels for budget-minded travelers?  If yes, please visit our Nomination Page and let us know!

When Lena from Amman, Jordan stumbled upon Darn Good Digs, she noticed a gaping hole in our guide to the world’s best independently owned hotels for budget-minded travelers.  Where were all the hotels in the Middle East?  Well, thanks to Lena, we will be adding a fabulous small hotel in Damascus, Syria, the Beit Rose Hotel, in the coming days on Darn Good Digs.  We hope to add more extraordinary, locally owned hotels in the Middle East soon.  In the meantime, we’re sharing Lena’s description of the Beit Rose here, along with her own personal photographs:

The Beit Rose Hotel

Why is the Beit Rose so darn good? This charming bed and breakfast is small and intimate with amazing customer service.

Location: The location is tucked on a side alley just off Straight Street within the walled Old City of Damascus.  Thousands of years old and the capital of Syria, Damascus is a wealth of bustling markets, Roman-era walls, and the world-famous Umayyad Mosque.

Room: The Beit Rose has six rooms and one suite, and the decor throughout this small hotel is so tastefully Arabic with antiques, lanterns, and hanging plants abounding.  Beds are comfortable, bathrooms are modern, and rooms even have an inconspicuous flat screen television.

Food: We were greeted with delicious Arabic tea upon arrival. Later we enjoyed cocktails on the rooftop terrace with views of old Damascus, and savored a sumptuous Arabic breakfast by the fountain in the courtyard near the centuries old Damascene fruit tree.

Vibe: The vibe at the Beit Rose is intimate and unobtrusive, yet the staff is very helpful.

Keep in Mind: Most hotels in Syria do not allow unmarried couples to share a room; this is the only B&B that would take us, and we feel that we lucked out!

Thank you Lena for your nomination.  Please help us to continue to expand our guide by nominating your favorite hotels for budget-minded travelers on our Nomination Page.

Last week we returned from our two and a half week summer trip to the Southwest – and we already want to go back.  For all those skeptics who wondered why we were traveling to the desert in the middle of the summer, the weather couldn’t have been more perfect (except for a few oven-like days at Mesa Verde and Monument Valley).

Ice Cream Bus at Rio Grande Gorge

Here is our itinerary:

Winslow, AZ: La Posada Hotel (1 night) – Darn Good Digs
Albuquerque, NM: Hotel Andaluz (3 nights) – Darn Good Digs
Santa Fe, NM: Santa Fe Inn and Motel (2 nights)
Taos, NM: Taos Valley RV Park (2 nights)
Durango, CO: Nobody’s Inn (2 nights)
Ouray, CO: 4J+1+1 RV Park (1 night)
Telluride, CO: Telluride Town Park Campground (1 night)
Delores, CO: Lebanon School House (2 nights) – Darn Good Digs
Monument Valley, AZ: The View Hotel (1 night)
Grand Canyon Village, AZ: Mather Campground (1 night)
Tempe, AZ: Char’s House (1 night)

La Posada Hotel Sign

Winslow, an old Route 66 town immortalized by the Eagles song, “Take It Easy”, doesn’t have too much going for it in the way of tourist attractions besides a park tribute to “Standing on the Corner” and a couple of small museums.  But it does house the fabulous La Posada Hotel, a 1930’s Fred Harvey railroad hotel designed by Mary Colter, which was reason enough for us to spend the night.  The husband and wife team, Allan Affeldt and artist Tina Mion, saved the hotel in the late 90’s after it was slated for demolition and resuscitated it back to its former glory – with contemporary touches.  Surrounded by Colter’s southwest inspired architecture and Mion’s colorful art, we loved the hotel – and we’ll be writing it up soon as a Darn Good Digs.  Our five year old son loved watching the trains go out back and wandering through the waist-high hay labyrinth in the garden.  For our first dinner we splurged on the award winning Turquoise Room restaurant. The hotel does not have a swimming pool, but we headed a few miles south of Winslow to Clear Creek Canyon where we cooled down with the locals in the river.

Painted Desert

The next morning we made stops in the Petrified Forest National Park and the Painted Desert, and we saw plenty of petrified wood along the Crystal Forest trail   We meant to visit Acoma Pueblo afterward, but we lost an hour when we crossed into New Mexico and arrived too late.  Next time we’ll take more care to plan ahead!

The completely renovated  Hotel Andaluz in downtown Albuquerque was a real treat –  our luxurious Spanish-Moorish-inspired room and  the hip Casbah-themed lobby felt luxurious yet we got an unbeatable “summer special”.  We  enjoyed being right in the center of Albuquerque, where we found a few excellent eating spots within walking distance, like the Gold Street Caffe.   Albuquerque highlights included the Pueblo Cultural Center, the Natural History Museum, Old Town, and Nob Hill.  If we didn’t have a five year old boy with us, we definitely would have hit the Art and History museums as well.

Taos Pueblo

We drove along the Turquoise Trail on our way to Santa Fe, stopping at the quirky Tinkertown Museum and Madrid art galleries along the way.  Peacocks strutted outside our window as we lunched at the San Marcos Feed Store.  We particularly liked the southwest-style tile floor and wall in our hotel bathroom at the Santa Fe Inn and Motel, and we also appreciated the hearty breakfast buffet.  The brand new New Mexico History Museum behind the Palace of the Governors was a Santa Fe highlight, and helped frame the fascinating history of this entire region for our whole trip.  Another highlight was having dinner with Cousin Sue at the Cowgirl BBQ!

Hiking along the Rim of Rio Grande Gorge

From Santa Fe we drove along the High Road to Taos and enjoyed the scenery of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.  We stopped at the old Church in Chumayo and picnicked at a road stop along a mountain crest.  In Taos we set up our tent at the Taos Valley RV Park, within a short drive to Taos town.  Benjamin loved playing in the yard at Twirl toy store.  We took a guided tour of Taos Pueblo  and hiked along the Rio Grande Gorge.

Soon we’ll post the second part of our trip, beginning with our drive from Taos to Durango, Colorado.

After reading Arthur Frommer’s blog post about Darn Good Digs, Kathy from Ankara, Turkey decided to nominate her favorite digs in Chiang Mai, Thailand.  Kathy spent one month at the Sri Pat Guest House with her daughter, and she could not more highly recommend the Sri Pat or its friendly staff.  We just published Kathy’s review of the Sri Pat as a “Traveler Favorite” on Darn Good Digs.  You can read here review here or visit our Thailand section.

Why is the Sri Pat so darn good? “These digs, in this neighborhood, are luxurious for a relatively small price. Other places were bare-boned, concrete boxes with a shower head in the middle of another box called the bathroom. It is very easy to see that some effort, thought, and love had gone into the Sri Pat. The owners understand what weary travelers need and want, and they go the extra mile to deliver. My daughter and I stayed at Sri Pat for one month and had a great time.”

Location: “The location is close to the famous night bazaar as well as some fabulous restaurants… it’s just a really nice central location close to everything worth seeing in Chiang Mai. The street locale is quiet and peaceful, and we came to know the super friendly restaurant owners, the women who did our laundry, and the folks who ran the internet cafes.”

Rooms: “The rooms are lovely – spacious, beautifully tiled floors, dark wood accents and a beautiful bathroom – VERY clean and luxurious for that particular neighborhood. We checked out about eight other guesthouses on the same long street and came back to the Sri Pat because we felt at peace there. Chairs were strategically placed, allowing tired guests a nice place to rest their weary bones after sightseeing all day. The flowers, lovely pictures, and other details really made us feel at home, and we looked forward to coming ‘home’ each day.”

Food: “The food was great. The guest house even allowed us to buy our own food and bring it back to cook for ourselves, or have the cook make it for us. Room service is offered. We used it many times and were able to take our food and coffees out to the balcony and watch the world go by.”

Vibe: “The vibe is great. The staff and the owners (the family had their own residence in the back of the house) made us feel as though we were part of a big family. The owners’ pets wandered through and made friends with people sitting around. The owners’ children would sit with us and share their world. Very nice!”

Keep In Mind: “While the guesthouse costs a bit more for this neighborhood, it was well worth it to us to pay the eight extra baht to have some place beautiful to come back to at the end of the day. We always knew we would come back to a spotless room and smiling faces ”

Thank you Kathy for your nomination.  If you have an amazing hotel, b&b, or hostel to recommend, please visit our Nomination Form.

Over the past year we truly enjoyed reading about Sarah Lavender Smith’s family travels around the world on her blog, Away Together.  We have the added bonus, here at Darn Good Digs, of receiving new nominations from Sarah every few months as she clues us in to her favorite hotels along the way.  Sarah has nominated hotels in Argentina, Chile, New Zealand, and Italy, but the one we are featuring today along Spain’s Costa Brava just might be her favorite (is that going too far, Sarah?).  Here’s what Sarah has to say about the Aiguaclara Hotel in Begur.

What makes the Aiguaclara Hotel so darn good? Aiguaclara is a boutique hotel with a top-rated restaurant in a 19th-century three-story mansion situated in the midst of a medieval village on the coast of Northern Spain.  The hotel is decorated with antique furnishings, regional art, original tile, and wrought iron detailing. Windows open to a view of the town’s 11th-century castle, and the town plaza is right out the door. The couple who owns the hotel, Clara and Joan (I think that’s the Catalonian spelling of Juan), are extremely welcoming and take care of details such as picking us up from the bus stop and helping us arrange a rental car.

Location: The hotel is in the heart of Begur, a medieval village with one-lane tiny roads, on northern Spain’s Costa Brava, about a 1.5 hour drive up from Barcelona and a half hour from Girona. The town’s beaches are about three kilometers from the hotel and town center. The coastline is spectacular.

Room: Each room is individually decorated, and some have terraces. The old, wooden original doors are creaky and not terribly secure, but they sure look great. The hotel is spacious, with high ceilings and a restaurant enclosed in what used to be a yard area. The common areas includes a game room with retro board games and hip decor, a self-serve snack and beverage area, and the lounge area within the restaurant.

Food: The Aiguaclara provides a buffet breakfast with fruit, yogurt, pastries, and traditional Spanish fare (e.g. tortilla espanola, ham, cheese). The dinner menu includes very high quality regional specialties.

Vibe: The vibe is hip, yet family friendly.  Our kids, ages 8 and 12, were made to feel very welcome.

Keep in Mind: Smoking is very prevalent in Catalonia, and most places, including this one, allow smoking, so be prepared for the restaurant and lounge area to be smokey. Church bells in the neighborhood square ring every quarter hour, and noises such as voices and creaky doors echo in the tile hallway of the hotel, so it’s not always quiet, but it is extremely comfortable and peaceful.

Room Rates: 85 – 175 Euros

You can read more about Sarah’s stay at the Aiguaclara, as well as her other adventures traveling the world, on her blog, Away Together.

If you have stayed at any amazing locally hotels and want to share them, please nominate them at Darn Good Digs.

Nadia Latif of Travel Intelligence has uncovered for Darn Good Digs an intimate three-roomed riad in the heart of Fez’s labyrinthine medina.  From the moment we received the nomination of Riad Numero 9 from Nadia, a self-described hotel junkie, we knew we had found an extraordinary small hotel.  She emailed us, “I visited it last year and had such an amazing experience; what’s even better is that rates start from EUR 100!”  We’re pleased to publish Nadia’s review on our blog:

What makes Riad Numero 9 so Darn Good? It looks – as with most traditional riads – like nothing from the outside, but through that metal-studded door lays a mosaic-tiled oasis of a boutique hotel. Meticulously restored by owner Stephen, Riad Numero 9 is furnished with antiques and curios from Morocco, Europe and the Far East.

Location: The riad is located about a ten-minute walk from Bab Boujeloud, the main entrance gate to Fez’s medina. The city is notoriously difficult to navigate and a guide will be sent to meet you (at no extra charge) from the airport.

Rooms: There are just three suites (though the riad has plans to expand); I stayed in the Master Suite, which takes up an entire floor. It is split over two huge rooms – the first is a bedroom/dining area, the second a bathroom, complete with a pair of 1930s dentist chairs – with a narrow, birdcage-adorned walkway in between. The other suites are smaller, but no less lavish. All rooms have intricately carved cedar-wood ceilings, double beds and private, spacious bathrooms. The riad is very suited to exclusive rental but rooms are also let individually. The smallest starts at 100 Euros per night.

Food: Stephen’s French partner, Bruno, is a trained chef and oversees all things culinary at the riad. As is usual with these traditional Moroccan houses, breakfast is included in the room rate and all other meals are arranged on request.  Take breakfast on the roof terrace, which boasts the best view of the medina that I could find. I have very fond memories of eating home-made banana jam, French toast and hot waffles, listening to the hustle and bustle of Fez drifting up through the latticed fencing.

Vibe: The vibe at Riad Numero 9 is intimate and exclusive; I felt like I was staying in the home of a very rich, cultured friend.

Things to Keep in Mind: Don’t expect the staff to wait on you hand-and-foot; you’re urged to treat the place like your own (gaspingly gorgeous) home.  A selection of CDs, books, and comfy seating is positioned around the sunken Japanese table in the courtyard, and a mini-fridge stocked with wine and beer is tucked away on one of the upper levels.  You’re also at liberty to explore the kitchen for snacks.

Room rates: 100 Euros – 200 Euros

Thank you Nadia for nominating Riad Numero 9 in Fez, Morocco!

If you have stayed at any amazing locally hotels and want to share them, please nominate them at Darn Good Digs.

Last Friday we woke up to learn that Arthur Frommer, founder of Frommer’s guides and one of the most influential voices in the travel industry, featured darngooddigs.com on his blog.  In a post titled, “The Website Darn Good Digs Will Be of Major Assistance to Your Next Trip — Unless it’s too Successful“, Mr. Frommer describes darngooddigs.com as “a riot of color, and each hotel, hostel or b-and-b is thoroughly examined from every angle.” About our digs themselves, he writes, “You yearn to stay in these picturesque places covered by flowers and foliage, filled with well-stuffed easy chairs, bright and attractive and yet modestly-priced.” He concludes with, “Take a look. And when you do, you’ll be as enchanted as I was.”  We feel truly honored.

One of the best parts about being recognized by a blogger, journalist, or in this case, a respected travel guru like Arthur Frommer, is the flood of new nominations that arrives in our in-box as a result of the new-found publicity.  Travelers from all over write to us simply because they are excited about a cool place they stayed and want to share it with others.  Every week we get to read our email and discover extraordinary digs around the world – riverfront boutique hotels in Cambodia, Irish-themed bed and breakfasts in San Antonio, and eco-friendly beach-side inns in Mexico – all with rooms under $150 (and often way under!).

We sent Mr. Frommer a thank you email, but we would like to thank him again publicly on our blog.  We would also like to thank all the travelers out there who make Darn Good Digs possible – simply by nominating their favorite places.  The only reason we are able to feature such “outstanding” places is because you share them with us.

Gary Diedrichs from Green Traveler Guides recently nominated the eco-friendly Balamku Inn on the Beach in Mahahual, Quintana Roo, Mexico, as one of his all-time favorite independently owned hotels.   The Green Traveler Guides, launched by Gary and his wife Peggy, are all about traveling well with the lightest possible carbon footprint. They do old-fashioned research to uncover the best green hoteliers and local/organic eats around the world, and share them on their website and e-guides. We’re proud to feature Gary’s review of the Balamku Inn as the fifth post in our guest blogger series.

Why so darn good: This ecological hotel, one of the few green lodgings on the beautiful Mexican Costa Maya, has just been nominated as Leading Green Hotel for Mexico & Central America in the World Travel Awards. Its nine guest rooms are all right on the beach, in circular palapas and two-story buildings situated to maximize natural ventilation. They are airy and tastefully turned out, with tile floors and colorful Mexican art.

Location: Balamku boasts a sandy beachfront with clear, calm, and shallow waters, protected by the amazing Banco Chinchorro reef. This is the same reef system divers flock to in Belize.

Room: The rooms are all well maintained and tasteful, tropical in theme and in fact. Keeping with the eco-friendly mission, all in-room toiletries are aloe vera based. Captured rain water flows into your shower and sink, and then goes out to constructed wetland. The units even have specially designed composting toilets (looking at them, you would hardly guess) based on a Swedish system to protect the reef.

Food: A full breakfast is included, served in the main inn and featuring organic fruit from the property, homemade granola, and organic Chiapas coffee.

Vibe: Totally laid-back and serene. Reach for another cerveza or an herbal iced tea: both are totally appropriate.

Room rates: US$75-$90

Thank you Gary for nominating the Balamku Inn on the Beach in Mahahual, Quintana Roo, Mexico!

If you have stayed at any amazing locally hotels and want to share them, please nominate them at Darn Good Digs.

One of the great benefits of putting together a guide to travelers’ favorite places to stay is receiving a new nomination in our in-box.  It’s a little bit like receiving a surprise gift.  After all, we depend on travelers from around the world to take the time to nominate their all-time favorite places (with rooms under, and often way under, US$150), and so we truly appreciate it when someone shares their secrets with us and our Darn Good Digs community.

One group that we have come to rely on over and over for new nominations is the world of bloggers.  In fact, almost one quarter of our nominations come from travel bloggers who consistently publish insightful anecdotes, practical advice, witty commentary, and stunning photography on their own popular blogs.  We’re proud of the growing list of bloggers and writers who have taken the time to share their favorite digs with us, and so we are excited to post a snapshot of ten of these nominations and the bloggers who nominated them:

Meridiano Sur

Sarah Lavender Smith of Away Together nominated Meridiano Sur in Chile: “Meridiano Sur is situated in a beautiful old house just off Providencia Avenue, a lively street with many popular restaurants, bars, and shops. We appreciated the hotel’s modern, simple, and tasteful rooms, fresh and filling breakfasts, and friendly feel.” Sarah also nominated Villa Huinid in Bariloche, Argentina.

Akila of The Road Forks nominated Woodlyn Park Hobbit Motel in New Zealand: “Three reasons this hotel is SO DARN GOOD. Number one: It is a hobbit hole with a round door, round windows, and a sloped ceiling. Number two: A mule and pigs eat the grass on the roof above your head. Number three: The bed is incredibly comfortable and the kitchen facilities are quite nice.”

Hotel Rumi Punku

Mark of Travel Wonders of the World nominated Hotel Rumi Punku in Peru: “Rumi Punku means stone doorway in Quechua, and fittingly, the entrance to the hotel is a very cool authentic Incan ruin. Inside, the service is excellent, with nothing being too much trouble for the incredibly helpful staff. The hotel is cozy, quiet, and secure, and has a prime location just a few minutes from Cusco’s main plaza.” Mark also nominated af Chapman in Stockholm, Sweden.

Josh of Far West China nominated Xi’an 7 Sages Hostel in Xi’an, China: “Finding a quiet location in the middle of a busting city like Xi’an is a difficult task, but 7 Sages delivers this tranquility along with beautiful architecture and friendly service. Part of the Hosteling International group, travelers can rest assured that a quality, family atmosphere awaits them.”

Beyin Beach Resort

Matt Beatty of Moon Cowboy nominated Beyin Beach Resort in Ghana: “Gorgeous and tidy, the Beyin Beach Resort has oceanside bungalows with doors that open wide to the sea. Seashells and sand dollars wash up all day, and an abandoned 18th century fort, Fort Apollonia, lies a few hundred yards down the beach in Beyin, where young boys play football nearby.”

Donna Hull of My Itchy Travel Feet nominated the Hannagan Meadow Lodge in Alpine, Arizona: “The location at 9,000 + ft. on the Coronado Trail in the White Mountains. The lodge overlooks a meadow where animals come to graze in the summer. On a snowy day in the winter, you’ll see beginning cross-country skiers practicing newly-learned skills.”

Vera of A Traveler’s Library nominated Monterey Non-Smokers Motel in Albuquerque, New Mexico: “The couple who owns the hotel does everything themselves, because they want it done right. The size of the rooms and the location near Old Town are the main things that attract me. It is a period motel with a B & B atmosphere, but without one of the B’s.”

Athole Guest House

Lisa Lubin nominated the Athole Guest House in Bath, England: “Housed in a lovingly and beautifully restored Victorian home, the Athole Guest House stands out as a true gem in my two and half years of traveling. From the moment they picked me up at the bus station, I enjoyed my chats with the Athole’s extremely friendly and down-to earth innkeepers, Wolfgang and Josephine. Plus, I indulged in some quality purring time with their cat, Moth.” Lisa also nominated Hostal Miguel in Nerja, Spain; Inn-Berlin in Berlin, Germany; and Domus Maria in Vilnius, Lithuania.

Sonia Zamborsky of Pulpology nominated The Carlton Inn in Carlton, Oregon: “Innkeepers, Edward and Heidi, have the perfect set of skills and experience to run a fabulous bed and breakfast in Oregon’s wine country. Edward is a stellar chef and his breakfasts, made from locally-sourced and organic ingredients, are to die for. Heidi has worked in the wine industry for years, and can point you in the right direction to visit any of a myriad of wineries in the area, some of which are virtually in the Inn’s backyard.”

Sarah Christenson of The Urban Rebellion nominated Ramsdell Inn in Manistee, Michigan: “The Ramsdell Inn is a lovely, converted bank building in Manistee’s historic downtown. My husband and I were intrigued by the old woodwork, polished marble lobby, and hospitality. There is a tiny gift shop in the old brass vault, and long, elegant corridors to wander, complete with brass radiators and dark woodwork.”

You can read our complete list of bloggers whose nominations we have published on Darn Good Digs on our About Us page.  We look forward to receiving new nominations from bloggers (and travelers everywhere!) as we continue to create a guide to the best independently owned hotels around the world for budget-minded travelers.  Please visit our Nomination Form if you have some place to recommend!