Red Magazine: August 2009

Book a luxe apartment

The Lawrance, Harrogate

This city-slicker aparthotel sets you up with your own urban studio in the heart of a splendid spa town. With Egyptian cotton-clad pocket-sprung mattresses, iGroove docking stations and Ren-stocked bathrooms, these cheap-chic boltholes are as ideal for friends on a shopping trip as couples after a romantic city break. If you're too lazy to use your kitchenette, the Italian restaurant downstairs is on speed dial for room service. Studio apartments from £109 per night, 08450340700; smithandfriends.com

Staying Cool, Manchester

Staying Cool offers sexy private apartments in Barcelona, Plymouth, Birmingham and Manchester. Every SC studio in the latter is individually styled, with retro design touches, such as Arne Jacobsen chairs and Nesso lamps. Fluffy robes, Illy coffee and oranges for the juice are among the five-star flourishes. Top for chic-on-the-cheap is one-bedroom Lulu, a bijou fifth-floor bunk-up in a former factory in the Castlefield quarter, which costs from £119 per night. 08450340700; smithfriends.com

7 South East Circus Place, Edinburgh

This hip-and-heritage drawing room apartment is in a magnificent Georgian terrace in the Scottish capital's New Town. Around the corner from its sister boutique b&b, One Royal Circus, it shares a penchant for B&B Italia, Philippe Starck furnishings and original French poster art. It has two bedrooms and one bathroom, plus plasma TVs, iPod docks and a fully equipped kitchen. Sleeps four (plus two in pull-out single beds) from £195 per night (£395 during August for the Edinburgh Festival). 08450340700; smithfriends.com

Recommended by Juliet Kinsman, editor-in-chief, Mr and Mrs Smith (mrandmrssmith.com)