Brilliant beaches and savory street food from Bali to Bangkok. Here are our picks for Southeast Asia’s best boutique stays starting at less than $250/night.
The Mansion Bali (Bali, Indonesia)
| Key Points: • Website • 4 Stars • Rooms: 79 • Airport: Ngurah Rai International Airport | Amenities: • 5 Outdoor Swimming Pools • Fitness Center • Spa • 1 Bar & Restaurant |
In the heart of Ubud, Bali’s yoga capital, The Mansion has been a zen retreat for nearly 25 years. Incense and the gentle chant of “om” can be heard from its thatched yoga pavilion. But if Child’s Pose isn’t your thing, they have six pools, a luxurious spa, a healthy, vegetarian-friendly restaurant, and an art museum displaying local works.
Starting nightly rate of $104 per night.
Cheong Fatt Tze – The Blue Mansion (Penang, Malaysia)
| Key Points: • Website • 4 Stars • Rooms: 18 • Airport: Penang International Airport | Amenities: • Outdoor Swimming Pool • Free WiFi • Room Service • 1 Bar & Restaurant |
You may recognize this royal blue hotel from half a dozen movies, including “Crazy Rich Asians.” Travelers can stay in a piece of Penang history that dates back to the late 1800s when it served as a mansion for a wealthy local businessman named Cheong Fatt Tze. Today, it’s been painstakingly restored to include original touches like ornate iron spiral staircases, antique furniture, colorful mosaic tiles, open-air courtyards, and its signature blue color.
Starting nightly rate of $112 per night.
Shinta Mani Angkor (Siem Reap, Cambodia)
| Key Points: • Website • 5 Stars • Rooms: 115 • Airport: Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport | Amenities: • Outdoor Swimming Pool • Spa • Fitness Center • 1 Bar & Restaurant |
One look at the hotel’s monochromatic pool and you know this hotel came from the mind of hotel designer Bill Bensley. Pops of orange and yellow liven up the guestroom’s black-and-white color scheme alongside works of art painted by Bensley himself. Khmer touches are evident in the lavish restaurants and spas, where local treatments are an ideal salve after a day spent exploring nearby Angkor Wat.
Starting nightly rate of $186 per night.
Dechiu Hotel (Hội An, Vietnam)
| Key Points: • Website • 3 Stars • Rooms: 12 • Airport: Da Nang International Airport | Amenities: • Free WiFi • Breakfast • Free Parking • 1 Bar & Restaurant |
Steps from Hội An’s beaches, this ten-bedroom boutique is a cool and quiet reprieve from the Vietnamese sun. Combining Japanese wabi-sabi and Vietnamese design, its cement floors and distressed walls give off a meditative feel. Each room offers a different color scheme, thoughtfully curated with locally-made wooden furniture, linen sheets, handwoven baskets from northern hill tribes, and artwork from local artists.
Starting nightly rate of $89 per night.
The Inside House (Chiang Mai, Thailand)
| Key Points: • Website • 4 Stars • Rooms: 31 • Airport: Chiang Mai International Airport | Amenities: • 2 Swimming Pools • Spa • Room Service • 1 Bar & Restaurant |
You’ve probably seen The Inside House when scrolling through your feed, mistaking it for something AI-generated. But its glass-walled pool with turquoise water visible from the bed is real, and it’s a photographer’s dream. Its white and green 1920s colonial Lanna design stands out from the street in Chiang Mai’s Old Town. Inside, there are a whopping 14 pools sprinkled throughout its 31 elegant suites and bedrooms.
Starting nightly rate of $213 per night.
The Serangoon House, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel (Singapore)
| Key Points: • Website • 4 Stars • Rooms: 90 • Airport: Hang Nadim International Airport | Amenities: • Free WiFi • 24-hour Front Desk • Terrace • 1 Bar & Restaurant |
In Southeast Asia’s ritziest city, this Little India hideaway offers an affordable option. A part of Marriott’s Tribute portfolio, its guest rooms are like Cinderella meets Jungle Book. The double-tiered canopy beds are gilded and set against hand-painted mosaics of life in India. As whimsical as it is delicious, book a table at GupShup to try street food from all over India, made by celebrity chef Surjan Singh.
Starting nightly rate of $120 per night.
The Mustang Blu (Bangkok, Thailand)
| Key Points: • Website • 4 Stars • Rooms: 10 • Airport: Don Mueang International Airport | Amenities: • Room Service • 24-hour Front Desk • Terrace • 1 Bar & Restaurant |
The wacky jewel of Chinatown, this ten-room boutique hotel is on every Bangkok hi-so list. A mix between a museum and an eccentric mansion, this reformed historic bank building delicately combines taxidermy animals and palm fronds with marble and velvet. Don’t skip breakfast at Mustang Blu Café; its dramatic decor and fresh spread are worth waking up early for.
Starting nightly rate of $174 per night.
