Lee Tulloch's tips on how to chose the right hotel

So far this year, I've stayed in about 30 hotels across four continents.

It's my job to check out hotels, so it's not particularly unusual for me. But most of these hotels didn't seek me out and invite me to stay. I have to do my research before I travel, like everyone else.

How do I find the hotel of my dreams? Mostly I'm looking for hotels that have something special – ones that are full of character, or romantic, or stylish, or a combination of all these. I love grand hotels with history but I also seek out smaller boutique hotels where the personal touch of the owner or manager is evident in the decor and thoughtful details.

It's often an emotional choice for me, not just a practical one. I want to stay in a place that makes memories – good ones.

There is so much information on the internet but not all the ways of finding out are entirely reliable. Booking comparison sites are excellent if the focus is price. But the linked reviews are posted by people I don't know.

If I don't have a personal recommendation, I get my inspiration from visiting the established hotel curation sites. These companies don't own or manage hotels but invite hotels that reach a certain standard or have a certain style to be listed with them. The hotels pay a fee to be part of a prestige list and booking engine. This works well for independent hotels that don't have the backing of a big hotel organisation such as Starwood.

These sites are where I find interesting hotels I might not discover with a simple destination search. And because they're carefully chosen and regularly inspected, often by savvy travellers who are also independent, I trust the list.

For instance, when I'm looking for a hotel room that has cutting-edge style, I head for Design Hotels (www.designhotels.com). The German-based company started with a handful of accommodation on its listings but now represents 274 hotels across 56 countries, specifically targeted to travellers who value good design above all else. They produce beautiful anthologies of their properties in print as well as online.

In 2003 Londoners James and Tamara Lohan imagined the kind of hotel a sexy couple might enjoy checking into, named the fictional couple Mr & Mrs Smith, and created a curated collection of boutique hotels with a strong emphasis on romance, featuring witty reviews posted by a team of well-travelled, handpicked contributors. Smith has expanded to include categories such as private islands, rental villas, child friendly and budget accommodation. (www.mrandmrssmith.com)