Are these the world's best boutique hotels? The sexiest room, hottest bar and top family hotel revealed (and UK wins three prizes)

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Looking for the world’s hottest hotel bar? Or perhaps you are searching for the best eco-friendly accommodation?

If so, your search may just have become a little easier after a new awards ceremony named its list of the globe’s best boutique hotels.

Three UK hotels were honoured at the 2014 Smith Hotel Awards, which also featured prizes for the best family hotel, best hotel pool and sexiest bedroom.

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Best-dressed hotel: The Riad El Fenn in Morocco won the award ahead of the Portrait Firenze in Florence and Saffire in Australia

Hartnett, Holder & Co at the Lime Wood hotel in Hampshire picked up the award for best hotel restaurant, while House Spa at Dormy House in the Cotswolds was named best spa hotel.

London’s Ham Yard Hotel scooped the prize for best newcomer at the event, which was hosted by boutique guide and booking agent Mr & Mrs Smith. Dorset's The Pig - On the Beach was voted as runner up. 

The awards pitted more than 950 properties in the Mr & Mrs Smith collection head-to-head in 12 categories.

Best hotel pool: The award was won by Monastero Santa Rosa in Italy, claiming the prize ahead of Eagles Nest in New Zealand

Sexiest hotel room: Water Villa 5 at the Six Senses Ninh Van Bay, Vietnam was named at the most romantic hotel room by the judges

More than 20,000 members of the public voted for their favourite stays throughout September. This is the second year that the awards have been held.

The shortlists were then put to a panel of three judges in each category, including writer and presenter Mariella Frostrup, chef Marcus Wareing, presenter Anna Richardson and singer-songwriter Jessie Ware.

The Riad El Fenn in Morocco won the award for Best-Dressed Hotel, beating the Portrait Firenze in Florence and Saffire in Australia. 

Sexiest hotel room: Judges said they were looking for a bedroom that was able to ‘delight, excite, and surprise’, and praised Water Villa 5 at the Six Senses' hotel in Vietnam as 'ravishingly romantic'

Above & Beyond award: Southern Ocean Lodge in Australia was honoured in a category that aiming to find the hotel that 'knows exactly how to provide the feel-good factor'

Above& Beyond award: Australia's Southern Ocean Lodge is perched on scrub-covered dunes above the sea and features a walk-in wine cellar

The judges said: ‘Getting the interior styling of a hotel right is paramount: niche personality can be off-putting; if it's too formal, your guests can't relax; too matchy-matchy, and it'll feel corporate.

The hotel was also praised for its ‘innovative and exemplary aesthetic’.

The award for sexiest hotel bedroom went to Water Villa 5 at the Six Senses Ninh Van Bay, Vietnam. 

The two runners-up were Suite 58 at Viceroy New York and The Roccia Suite at Bellevue Syrene, Italy.

The judges said they were looking for a bedroom that was able to ‘delight, excite, and surprise’, adding: ‘It was a tough category to call, but the judges agreed that Six Senses’ five ravishingly romantic Water Villas were deserving winners: set right on the ocean, overlooking a coral reef, they’re secluded, private and impossible to leave.

Best spa hotel: House Spa at Dormy House in the Cotswolds, which features a candlelit pool, was named best spa hotel 

Best spa hotel: House Spa at Dormy House in the Cotswolds also has a rhassoul-mud room, thermal suite and a Veuve Clicquot nail bar

Best spa hotel: Judges praised the 'clean-lined Scandi-chic' interiors of Dormy House spa in the Cotswolds

Best budget hotel: Sydney’s 1888 Hotel was chosen as the best budget hotel, beating Brody House in Hungary and Ekies All Senses Resort in Greece

‘Water Villa 5 is the pick of the bunch, with an infinity-edge plunge pool set seductively into the rocks, a private ladder leading into the ocean, and rustic-luxe good looks that conjure a cocoon of pure castaway romance.’

Hottest hotel bar was won by The NoMad hotel, New York seeing off competition from the Ohla Hotel in Spain and Shoreditch Rooms in London.

Branding a hotel’s bar as ‘a scene-stealing headline act’, judges were impressed by the ‘brilliant bar staff, sophisticated crowds and debonair design’. 

Hottest hotel bar: The award was won by The NoMad hotel, New York, which saw off competition from the Shoreditch Rooms in London

Hottest hotel bar: Judges were impressed by the ‘brilliant bar staff, sophisticated crowds and debonair design’ at the NoMad Hotel, NYC

Best-dressed hotel: Morocco's Riad El Fenn won the best-dressed award with judges noting that 'getting the interior styling of a hotel right is paramount: if it's too formal, your guests can't relax; too matchy-matchy, and it'll feel corporate'

Best dressed hotel: The Riad El Fenn in Morocco was also praised for its ‘innovative and exemplary aesthetic’ after it scooped the best-dressed hotel award

The best eco hotel prize was awarded to Sal Salis in Australia, which came in front of Sextantio Albergo Diffuso in Italy and Cuixmala, Mexico.

Best family hotel was Australia’s Emirates Wolgan Valley, while Sydney’s 1888 Hotel was chosen as the best budget hotel, beating Brody House in Hungary and Ekies All Senses Resort in Greece.

The award for the best hotel pool was won by Monastero Santa Rosa in Italy, claiming the prize ahead of Eagles Nest in New Zealand and Cap Estel in France.

Southern Ocean Lodge in Australia was honoured for the Above and Beyond award, with the Best Smith Hotel 2014 award went to Uxua Casa Hotel & Spa Bahia in Brazil.

The runners-up were Qualia in Australia and Alila Villas Uluwatu in Bali.

The judges admitted that the Uxua Casa Hotel ‘delivered on every level’, adding: ‘Tree-flanked pavilions, a glittering aventurine-quartz-lined pool and inventive Brazilian cuisine in informal surroundings have turned this former hippie haven into a hip hangout.

‘Its take on 'localism' is stylish without trying too hard, ensuring it gels perfectly with its setting.

'The welcome is warm and one-of-a-kind; it brings the outdoors in like no other beach bolthole; and it lingers in the memory long after you’ve left.’

‘When we started Smith in 2003, we set out to find the very best boutique hotels in the UK,’ commented James Lohan, co-founder, Mr & Mrs Smith. 

‘Over the past 11 years, we've taken that mission all over the world, so this list of 2014 award-winners really does represent the best of the best on the global hotel scene.’

At last year's awards ceremony, the Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur, California won the top award after being voted best hotel. 

Best Smith hotel 2014: The winner of the top award went to the Uxua Casa Hotel & Spa Bahia in Brazil

Best Smith hotel 2014: Judges said the Uxua Casa Hotel in Brazil ‘delivered on every level’ after it won the top prize for best hotel

Best family hotel: The prize went to Australia’s Emirates Wolgan Valley, which is set in 4,000 acres of natural wilderness

Best family hotel: Judges said families visiting the Emirates Wolgan Valley in Australia 'are in for the eco adventure of a lifetime'

Best family hotel: Judges agreed that Australia's Emirates Wolgan Valley was 'a truly family-friendly hotel or resort' that 'rolls out the red carpet for even the youngest of guests – without compromising on style or space'

Best newcomer: London’s Ham Yard Hotel scooped the prize for best newcomer. The hotel includes a bowling alley, rooftop terrace with views across Soho, film screening room and honesty bar-stocked library

Best newcomer: Judges described the Ham Yard Hotel in London as a 'fresh and fun city-centre stay'

Best eco hotel: The award went to Sal Salis in Australia, which came in front of Sextantio Albergo Diffuso in Italy and Cuixmala, Mexico

Best eco hotel: Luxury seaside tents at Sal Salis rely purely on solar power, composting toilets and have a tightly controlled water system, with judges describing it as 'an inspiring example of striving to protect a fragile eco-system'