A guesthouse in Japan

Inspired by a 1933 Japanese treatise on aesthetics, the House of Light, in Nigata, Japan, was designed by American artist James Turrell. Located in a peaceful forest, the house has three traditional-meets-cutting-edge tatami mat guestrooms and sleeps 12. In line with Turrell’s concept for the house, you share the kitchen, bathroom and living room with other guests. From £127 per night.

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A grown-up hostel in Barcelona

There’s no roughing it at the hip Casa Gracia hostel – toiletries and good-quality towels and linen are included, even for those opting to sleep in the bright, six-bed dormitory. Single rooms, suites and entire apartments are also available, but the joy of the place is in mingling with fellow travellers in the hostel’s common spaces. Try yoga in the No Mas Te room or curl up with a book in the Biblioteca. From £47 for a double room.

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A houseboat in India

Karma Kerala’s traditional thatched-roof houseboats once transported rice around Kerala’s sleepy backwaters, but are now devoted to more leisurely pursuits. Pack your binoculars to make the most of the extraordinary bird life that calls this unique freshwater-meets-saltwater environment home – the barges run on solar power and vegetable oil, so there’s no noisy diesel racket. Rates are full board, and meals consist of fresh fish caught along the way. From £112 per night.

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A motel in Palm Springs

Experience the nostalgia of a mid-century mini break at the Orbit In. This motel was designed by modernist architect Herbert W Burns in 1957 and recently brought back to glorious life by a Portland couple with an eye for 1950s’ style. The nine rooms are chock-full of designer furnishings, there are complimentary cruiser bikes for exploring, and guests come together each evening for ‘Orbitinis’ at the poolside bar. From £96 per night.

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A villa in South Africa

Located on the Zandspruit Estate’s 1,000 hectares of private bush, the luxury six-bedroom Villa Blaaskans guarantees absolute privacy (well, aside from the local zebra, wildebeest and giraffes). It gets cold at night, so you’ll be glad of the heated outdoor pool for swims under the stars. Speak to the villa host about arranging groceries and cleaning, and safari bookings in nearby Kruger National Park. From £878 per week.

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An eco-cottage in LA

These three eco-cottages, just a few minutes’ walk from the skaters and musclemen of Venice Beach, each have their own distinct design identity. Think Cuban chic for the Papa Hemingway, 1960s Paris for Le Bébé Cottage and 1940s rural getaway for Aunt Zoe’s Place. Feel like a real Angeleno as you pop out to super-cool Abbot Kinney Boulevard for drinks and dinner. From £130 per night.

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A home swap in Venice

List your second home with a high-end home-swap service such as 3rd Home and gain access to stunning properties such as this three-bedroom apartment in Venice. It’s located on the top floors of a 16th-century palazzo round the corner from Piazza San Marco, so you can expect ancient beamed ceilings, 360-degree views over the city and, best of all, a roof terrace for open-air dining. From £338 per week (plus admin fee and one-off joining fee).

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