Boutique hotels in Serbia

Serbia sits where the Balkans meet Central Europe, and its hospitality has long been warm, generous and a little irreverent. A growing number of small, design-led hotels now complement the grand old addresses, from restored townhouses in Belgrade to mountain lodges on Zlatibor and Kopaonik.

Belgrade and the north

Belgrade, where the Sava joins the Danube, is the country's nightlife and culture capital, with a fortress, river barges, Art Nouveau streets and some of the most energetic restaurants in the region. Novi Sad, a short train ride north, is a baroque city under the Petrovaradin Fortress, and Subotica is an Art Nouveau gem near the Hungarian border. Sremski Karlovci and Fruška Gora offer wine cellars, monasteries and forested hills just outside Novi Sad.

Mountains and countryside

Zlatibor and Tara in the west are green highlands for hiking, spas and village stays, while Kopaonik is the main ski resort. Mokra Gora has a narrow-gauge railway and a film-director's village. In the east, the Iron Gates gorge of the Danube is dominated by Golubac Fortress, and Niš in the south is an ancient Roman crossroads.

When to go

Spring and early autumn are best for cities and wine country. Summer is hot in the plains and ideal in the mountains, and the ski season runs from December to March. Boutique hotels are concentrated in Belgrade and Novi Sad; in smaller places expect guesthouses and spa hotels rather than design properties.