Townhouse 27

Boutique hotels have been slow to arrive in Belgrade, for world-historical reasons that don’t need to be dwelled on. It’s only now that there’s much of an alternative to the traditional business-hotel chains, but Townhouse 27 is doing its level best to drag the hospitality scene in the Serbian capital into the twenty-first century.

Its design-hotel aspirations are kept subtly in check, with expressive elements limited to quirky textures and inventive lighting. Belgrade might not be ready for a total design revolution. This is a business hotel as much as it is a design hotel, and there are traditional sensibilities to consider. And aside from the views of the city, which are no small thing, works by Belgrade-born artist Gabriel Glid add to the rooms’ visual interest.

Downstairs, there’s a shady little garden — perfect for a mid-morning pick-me-up or a dessert break — and more substantial fare at the all-day, Serbian-centric restaurant and bar. Be sure to ask for the hotel’s own bottles, courtesy of their own winery at Fruška Gora, an hour or so northwest along the Danube. Shorter excursions of every cultural persuasion are available within city limits, of course, including the enormous, gorgeous, clifftop Kalemegdan park just a few blocks north. Get a little lost, why don’t you.