Melbourne is forever striving to outdo Sydney as Australia's coolest city, and United Places Botanic Gardens does this - and then some - by upping the style stakes with this minimalist home-hotel hybrid. Inside, it's all moody interiors with waxy concrete walls and stained-wood floors. Balconies here tickle the lush-and-leafy edges of the Royal Botanic Gardens or overlook the winding laneways of South Yarra. Each of the twelve apartments are appointed a butler who can arrange everything from picnics in the park to in-room pilates classes. Breakfast is served on your terrace each morning by your swish butler-cum-new-best-friend. Dining is an entirely Australian affair; expect oat-milk-soaked bircher muesli, chilli-spiked avocado atop just-baked sourdough and the finest flat white this side of the equator.

Part of the arty activity that's redrawing the "Capital of the North", Whitworth Locke is a lesson in Instagram-ready design. Spread over three former cotton mills that straddle the cultural hub around the Civic Quarter, bonbon-coloured rooms, pistachio-coloured sofas and Scandi-esque felt walls entice laptop-tapping Mancunian creatives. The same goes for the foliage-filled Cotton Factory restaurant and bar (that hosts pop-up dining experiences and showcases Manchester's sullen skies through in its glass-roofed aitrium) and The Foundation Coffee House - a Manchester institution. Whitworth Locke's design, delivery and details are suited to those who blur the work-life balance and have no desire for a normal 9-5. It's flexible - just like the bendy yoga instructor that can be found leading free classes in the basement gym.

Situated in Amsterdam's leafy southern suburbs - Vondelpark is so close it can be classed as your back garden - Twenty Eight combines zingy retro design with (surprisingly) hard-to-come-by functionality. A pair of denim flares wouldn't look out of place here; the tangerine-coloured headboards, mustard-velvet desk chairs and chequerboard rugs give the apartments a distinctive 70s feel, while the smart duck-egg-blue kitchens (with cupboards stocked with designer pots and pans) make sure the spaces veer well away from garish Austin Powers territory. Partnering with the neighbourhood café Het Amsterdamse Proeflokaal, breakfast is served "Amsterdam style" with warm bread, Dutch cheeses, fresh fruit and yoghurt.

wasn't built in a day, which is why French architect Jean Nouvel - of Louvre Abu Dhabi fame - wanted to showcase elements of the ancient city's past, present and future in these apartments. Most of the bare bones of the palazzo have been kept intact with visible, early 20th-century remnants, such as the pretty floor tiles and exposed wooden beams, while elsewhere you'll find futuristic (and slightly intimidating) stainless-steel-grey kitchens, wardrobes and bathrooms. Such high-design credentials attract a fashion-conscious crowd keen to see (and be seen) at the boundary-pushing apartments. Complimentary tours of Palazzo Rhinoceros - available only to guests - are a must, as is dining at Caviar Kaspia Roma. This in-house fine-dining restaurant overlooks the rooftops and ruins of Rome and provides you with the ideal excuse not to dirty the kitchen's immaculate surfaces.

Housed in Berlin's Mitte district (because, where else?) Gorki Apartments play with design classics (read: bauhaus's best bits), flea-market finds and a smattering of Scandi - it's a smorgasbord of your favourite Pinterest interior accounts. Thirty five apartments and two penthouses are decked out with Tom Dixon lights, muted earthy tones and the (obligatory) exposed-brick walls. Mailboxes are more fun than functional and the concierge team - chat to them via WhatsApp - really sets these pads apart. Ask the team for anything: fridge-filling delivery services, wine by the glass, reservations for or BIB (that's burgers in bed, FYI). Opt for one of the Penthouses for al-fresco dinner on the exclusive rooftop overlooking the cityscape. The slick surrounds are worth plumping for if you're planning on entertaining guests.

Spread across 21 storeys in Aldgate East, The Gate is on the threshold of the slick City proper and the buzzing East End - ideal for bleisure travellers combining work and play. The 189 urban-luxe apartments benefit from louche touches - Hypnos beds, Le Labo toiletries, mid-century furniture - that elevate the day-to-day without sacrificing home comforts that make these apartments stand out from your standard hotel offering. Guests enjoy a fully kitted-out kitchen, dining area and washing machine, for instance - and a Peloton bike, if you're splurging on the Penthouse. In-house restaurant Maple & Co makes sure you won't go hungry thanks to a spread of free-from morning pastries, hearty hot lunch boxes and evening tipples - though we particularly like the "Deliveroo to your door" service. Finished up in the art-filled, co-working-friendly Members' Lounge? Avail of its wine vending machine or get sweaty with the in-house PT before joining a barbecue on the panoramic outdoor terrace.

Affluent, free-spirited and arguably Tel Aviv's prettiest neighbourhood, Neve Tzedek has tree-lined boulevards lined with courtyard cafés, hip homeware stores and intimate galleries. It's the city's most desirable district and, after a meticulous eight-year restoration, The Levee fits right in. Bauhaus architecture merges with striking onyx columns; iconic Italian furnishings and century-old polished concrete walls reveal flecks of seashell from the city's sandy shores. Eight apartments adopt the urban aesthetic each with wraparound windows, jewel-toned velvet armchairs and marble-clad bathrooms - think Parisian bobo mixed with Brooklynite grit. Sun-dappled terraces dotted with fragrant herb gardens tempt you to put the smart kitchen to good use and cook. Stock up at Shuk HaCarmel - Tel Aviv's main bazaar - and stay in.