Escondrijo, Vejer de La Frontera, Spain

Stunningly cool, designer B&B in the old town of gorgeous Vejer, with the beach at El Palmar only ten kilometres away

Boutique B&Bs, or micro hotels, are beginning to mushroom across Europe. Escondrijo almost defines the type.

Its cool interiors, easy intimacy and fabulous prices make this a perfect place, and those looking for something hip and informal will be in heaven here.

Step in off the cobbled alleyway and you find all the original architectural gems: the old stone steps, the ancient wooden doors, a 12th-century well and an open courtyard with cloistered walkways.

The clean contemporary style, however, is distinctly 21st-century. You get candles on the stairs, loungers on the roof terrace, scatter cushions in the chill-out room, bold colours on the walls.

The blissful rooms are faultless. Both have private terraces with 20-mile views, one comes in opulent red, another has a woodburner. You’ll find CDs and books everywhere, French windows open to the breeze, barbecues on the roof terrace in summer. There’s Duna the dog and Reno the cat, too. Brilliant.

Escondrijo in Vejer de la Frontera is a boutique B&B with doubles costing from €120. To book boutique hotels in the Costa de la Luz of Andalucia and to read i-escape's full hotel review, click here