Hot spots - the world's sexiest hotels

SOUKS AND THE CITY
Marrakech

Wander through Marrakech's labyrinthine souk, the largest in Morocco, or lose yourselves in Djemaa el Fna, the busiest square in Africa. By day the square throbs with acrobats, snake charmers and musicians, and by night it transforms into a vast open-air restaurant, with stalls serving Moroccan delicacies. If your lover requires something more sedate, whisk them back to a suite at La Mamounia, the grande dame of Moroccan hotels. It was a favourite with Churchill and Roosevelt and has recently had a $111 million refurbishment: think soaring lobbies, marble floors and carved mashrabiya wood screens. The gardens are surrounded by medieval ramparts and their eight acres encompass shady mosaic courtyards and fountains, not to mention a world-class traditional hammam spa. (mamounia.com/uk)

Scandily Clad
Stockholm

Home to fiction's fiercest anti-hero Lisbeth Salander, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo has seen Stockholm's sexy kudos soar. But it's not just the Swedish capital's famous thrillers that make it so exciting. Stockholm is made up of 14 small islands, each with a very different feel; strolling across the little bridges that connect the capital, stopping for fika (coffee and cake) and perusing the boutiques, is a wonderful way to spend a city break. After dark its hyper-cool bars and restaurants pulse with tall, blond and beautiful people. Stay at the Berns hotel, a Stockholm landmark since 1863 with a magnificent ballroom that often plays host to pop concerts. The rooms are dripping in Scandi chic and the glamorous Asian restaurant is worth dressing up for. The hotel sells boudoir accessories brand Pom Pom Parlour so, if your sexy weekend is hotting up, you can stock up on erotic books, blindfolds and whips from the lobby shop. (berns.se)

TAKES TWO TO TANGO
Buenos Aires

The cosmopolitan capital city of Argentina has numerous neighbourhoods to explore - including the cobbled streets of San Telmo and the hip nightclubs of Palermo Soho - that sit next to more rough-and-ready areas. But that's all part of the city's muddled charm. The Faena Hotel and Universe complex is located in the trendy port area of Puerto Madero, next to the beautiful Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur, which offers the
perfect setting for an evening stroll. The hotel was decorated by designer Philippe Starck in sensuous black marble and red velvet, and also houses a La Prairie spa and 'El Cabaret', an intimate performance space for live tango, created especially to 'arouse fantasy and sensuality'. (faenahotelanduniverse.com)

ALTO SEX
Lisbon

For a romantic getaway less clichéd than Paris, but closer and warmer (in winter) than New York, try Lisbon. Sitting on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean, with promenades ideal for romantic meandering, the city is spread over a series of cobbled hillsides covered with limestone buildings, spectacular open squares and Gothic cathedrals. Small, winding backstreets lead to the tucked-away bars of Bairro Alto. The Bairro Alto Hotel is within walking distance of the top night spots and chic Chiado district. Inside this 18th-century building are 55 rooms decked out with hardwood floors, geometric tiles and beautiful frescos of birds. After a night on the town head to the rooftop terrace, where the panoramic views make a seductive spot for a nightcap. (bairroaltohotel.com/en)