I’d never have guessed that a Best Western hotel would prove to be a real hidden gem. But the one near Pendle, Lancashire, an old farmhouse, was just that.

Breakfast is most definitely the most important meal of the day at Alcino’s pousada in Lencois, Brazil.

The luxurious Pousada Mangabeiras may be off the beaten track but it’s worth the effort to get to this hidden gem and Boipeba’s best pousada.

Here’s my pick of my favourite hidden gems from the last year.

Boipeba, home to some of Brazil’s best beaches and one of Bahia’s hidden gems, may take ages to get to but it’s undoubtedly worth the trek.