Just like the town itself, the old Railway Hotel rarely catches the eye in an era when glitz counts.

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This port features a pretty, elevated old town where a restored Ottoman structure now houses the swankiest luxury hotel in northern Greece, the Imaret.

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At nearly 100 years old, the Taj Mahal Palace is the grandest dame in town -- a hotel that is deeply woven into the history and social fabric of the city.

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What goes around comes around at this stylish boardwalk hotel, namely the old-school glamour and sophistication of America's original resort town.

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In Hotel Missoni, the Italian fashion house has established a style icon in the heart of the Old Town.

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Palermo's best budget hotel, Ariston is located in an unassuming block in a prime location between the old and new town.

BBC: Mini guide to Palermo

With Hotel Missoni, the eponymous Italian fashion house has established a style icon in the heart of the Old Town: modernist architecture, impeccable staff and very comfortable bedrooms.

BBC: Mini guide to Edinburgh, Scotland