The Eliza Jane

Where: New Orleans
History, elegance, intrigue, booze… it’s hard to imagine a more ‘Nawlins’ hotel than The Eliza Jane.The hotel is named after the country’s first female newspaper publisher, who produced the Daily Picayune here, and the building was also home to 19th-century apothecary Antoine Peychaud, who invented the city’s signature cocktail, the Sazerac. The industrial-chic bedrooms, spread across seven old warehouse buildings, are warmed up with elegant velvet furnishings and copper accents. 
Doubles from £98

The 404 Hotel

Where: Nashville
Music City does quirky-cool as impressively as it does honky-tonks and country music. The 404 Hotel is one of Nashville’s most affordable hotels, and happens to be among the hippest. Located in the equally hip Gulch neighbourhood – home to boutiques, breweries and bluegrass clubs – it complements its surroundings with eclectic vintage decor and sleek design details, from local artwork to spiral staircases leading to cosy sleeping lofts. 
Doubles from £98 

Woodlark

The Inn at Middleton Place

Where: Charleston
The Inn at Middleton Place is a short drive from downtown Charleston, but a stay here doesn’t mean compromising on location. The stylish, design-led hotel stands elegantly on the lush, landscaped grounds of Middleton Place plantation and overlooks the Ashley River, making for a serene getaway. From the tree-framed outdoor pool to rooms with cypress panelling, wood-burning fireplaces and beds with cosy throws, the hotel drips Southern charm like the garden’s oak trees drip Spanish moss. 
Doubles from £92 

Circa 39

Where: Miami
A trip to Miami Beach demands a beachy-chic hotel, and Circa 39 nails it – while somehow being refreshingly affordable. Its bright rooms, scattered with juicy colours, are just a block from the famous, palm-tree-lined stretch of alabaster sand, and easily walkable to the area’s pastel-hued Art Deco buildings. But you’ll probably want to spend some time hanging out by the hotel’s tropical pool, whose cabanas, rattan furniture and cushioned loungers are engulfed by greenery. 
Doubles from £85 

Austin Motel

Where: Austin
Austin Motel is a perennial favourite of savvy travellers, the type of hotel you’ll want to rebook as soon as you leave. It’s a bold, brazen Americana dream, from its fizzing neon sign to kitschy-cool rooms filled with bold colours and curves. And, should you happen to get bored with doing laps in the hotel’s outdoor, kidney-shaped swimming pool, Ladybird Lake – the place to cool off on hot, humid days – is nearby. 
Doubles from £70 

Hotel Henri

Where: New York
Budget accommodation and the Big Apple may not seem like natural bedfellows, but there are some competitive rates to be found. Hotel Henri is one of Manhattan’s finest, tucked among the townhouses and tiny galleries of Chelsea and an easy stroll from the Empire State Building and the High Line. The rooms whisper urban chic, with rough-textured wood panelling and grey tones interrupted by pops of bold colour. And, because you probably will need to sleep in the city that never does, the beds are delightfully marshmallowy. First, though, soak up the skyline views with a handcrafted cocktail at buzzy rooftop bar Sir Henri. 
Doubles from £96