Cheap hotels

This list is the lower end of what is actually bookable in each destination, measured against that destination's own prices rather than a fixed number. Cheap in Zurich and cheap in Hanoi are not the same figure, and a single global threshold would return nothing in half the world.

Before you book, check

• What is not included: breakfast, wi-fi, towels in hostels, and city tax are the usual four.
• The location. A very low rate is often paid for in travel time to anywhere you want to be.
• The guest rating for cleanliness specifically, which is where budget properties diverge most.
• Whether reception is staffed around the clock, if you arrive late.

Worth it for: Long trips where each night compounds, short stops where the room is only for sleeping, and anyone spending the money on the destination instead.