New Tips And Triks For You

Why go? It's known as a winter sports destination, but savvy travellers head to Switzerland's Engadine in autumn, when the larches turn golden, the skies are ice blue and there's a dusting of snow on the mountaintops.

What to doSome of the ski lifts run all year round and open up some great high-altitude hiking trails. Take the Muottas Muragl funicular for spectacular views and a lovely hike up to the mountain lake, Lej Muragl. An electric-bike tour to the Alpine dairy Morteratsch for a brunch of cheese and smoked sausage makes for a memorable excursion. Soak up the vista of the Bernina massif from Europe's highest Jacuzzi on the terrace of the Diavolezza mountain restaurant, some 3,000m above sea level (engadin.stmoritz.ch).

Where to eat?The Panorama restaurant on Muottas Muragl lives up to its name and serves top-notch cuisine (muottasmuragl.ch). The Veltlinerkeller in St Moritz is popular with locals, offering home-style Swiss and Italian food (veltlinerkeller.ch). Follow up with coffee and nusstorte (nut tart) at the Confiserie Hanselmann (hanselmann.ch).

Where to stayThe Hotel-Restorant Lej da Staz (lejdastaz.ch), on the shores of Lake Staz, oozes Alpine charm, with 10 cosy wood-panelled rooms offering a peaceful and rustic alternative to the glitzier options in nearby St Moritz. A free shuttle bus runs guests into town.

Insider tipJohn Webster, a local guide and ski instructor, recommends the Segantini Museum (segantini-museum.ch) in St Moritz, which is dedicated to the work of the 19th-century Alpine painter Giovanni Segantini: "It's a great attraction which very few people know about."

It's given us the Hoxton fin haircut, the Hot Tub Cinema and the world's first pop-up shopping mall built from shipping containers, so it's no surprise that Shoreditch is at the cutting edge of hotel design. The Qbic London City ( qbichotels.com) opens next week in a disused office block near Old Street offering a futuristic take on the budget hotel. Hip to the point of self-parody, Shoreditch is a neighbourhood that lends itself to ridicule. So let us not dwell on the fact that Qbic guests get to spend the night in a "cube-shaped living box" (aka a "room") or that some of these don't have angular holes in the wall (aka windows) and focus instead on the things this hotel gets right.

The price, for one. Rooms (albeit windowless) start at £59, but even the most expensive room with a view is a budget-friendly £84 (including breakfast). The public areas look stylish and the sound-proofed bedrooms and handmade organic mattresses should ensure a good night's sleep.

The bed, bathroom, toilet and TV come as a modular unit, the "cubi", which can be quickly and cheaply installed, creating minimal environmental impact and bringing new life to empty buildings. There's a commitment to recruiting locally, and at least 20% of staff will be supplied by two local charities, Bikeworks and FoodCycle (which will also provide bike tours and pop-up food stations in the lobby).

Trends that start in Shoreditch have a habit of spreading nationwide, and Qbic has big plans to roll out its brand to city centres across the UK. I've seen the future, and it's cube-shaped.

Riad Bamboo A little pocket of calm in the heart of the medina, this welcoming riad offers great-value rooms a two-minute walk from the Djemaa el Fna. After a hard day's haggling in the souks, it's just a short stagger back to the Bamboo's shady courtyard, where you can sip a mint tea or take a dip in the small pool. Breakfast of homemade yogurt, bread and jam is served on the roof terrace. Rooms from £41 ( riadbamboo.com)

Riad Dar Zaman This 18th-century riad in the old town has been refurbished as a four-room guesthouse with African artworks and soft Berber rugs. You can either book a room on a B&B basis or hire the whole house. Log fires in the lounge and dining room keep things cosy in the winter, and there's a concierge to arrange tours, cookery classes and restaurant bookings. Rooms from £55 ( darzaman.co.uk)

Riad Star This quirky riad was home to Josephine Baker in the 1940s. The seven guest rooms are kitted out in traditional Moroccan style with an Art Deco twist, and the British owners pay homage to Baker with displays of Parisian music-hall memorabilia and a dressing-up box of 1920s clothes. Don't miss the candlelit massage in the hammam. Rooms from £140 ( marrakech-riad.co.uk/riad-star-homepage/)

Le Palais Paysan This modern retreat opened in the foothills of the Atlas mountains this summer, offering respite from the heat and hustle of Marrakech, 25km away. Sixteen low-key but indulgent rooms open on to balconies or a garden terrace. Come here for horse riding, star gazing or unwinding by the lovely pool with its views of olive groves and the snow-capped Djebel Toubkal. Rooms from £160 ( lepalaispaysan.com)