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Wandering around Rabat, trying to get to the waterfront, we stumbled upon this cemetery which turned out to be enormous and mysterious, with tombstones literally stacked upon one another and tumbling all the way down to the sea. Tens of thousands of beautifully engraved tombstones. I’d never seen anything like it before.

Decidedly more upscale and art-focused than other Kimpton properties, the La Peer takes fitting into its surrounding neighborhood very seriously. Located off Sunset Boulevard on the quiet and walkable La Peer Drive, the hotel is in the heart of West Hollywood’s design district, surrounded by galleries, boutiques, restaurants, and more. While there’s a separate entrance for celebrities, the property is actually quite welcoming to all. The lobby feels like your artist friend’s cozy but consciously designed living room, with little nooks for reading and working, as well as large-scale art pieces sprinkled throughout. Step out back to the indoor-outdoor bar, patio, and small but serviceable pool area to peep a piece by Retna and grab a drink and snack. For something more substantial, there’s also lobby restaurant Viale Dei Romani, an Italian trattoria that’s garnered critical approval for chef Casey Lane’s fine cooking.

This two-auditorium space—with adjacent performance venues—is a lot more than simply a place to catch great concerts. Part of Parque de los Deseos and constructed opposite the city’s planetarium, it emerged from a citizen initiative meant to reanimate Medellín’s social and cultural life. The idea is to foment learning and create awareness about various musical disciplines. It offers a number of free musical and dance training programs; children’s orchestras from underserved neighborhoods also present memorable open-air recitals here. Casa de la Música is one part of an equation that, little by little, has allowed life to improve in complex and marvelous Medellín.

Mexico City has no dearth of luxurious boutique hotels, but Las Alcobas is a special option. Designed by famed firm Yabu Pushelberg, the hotel is full of gorgeous details, from hand-stitched leather wall coverings to a spiral staircase that surges up from the lobby. Upon arrival, guests enjoy a welcome drink as a bellman leads them to their room; explains the technology that controls the light, sound and temperature; and offers them a selection of handmade soaps. Once settled in, they can lounge in plush robes on their goose-down comforters while sampling snacks from the minibar. For a heartier meal, Las Alcobas offers two excellent restaurants. Just outside the hotel’s front door, there’s also Presidente Masaryk, Polanco’s main avenue full of restaurants and high-end boutiques.

Supposedly De Ysbreeker (‘Ice breaker’), arguably one of Amsterdam‘s most coveted café terraces overlooking the Amstel river, was formerly an inn for men who broke the ice on the river - hence, its name. Incarnations as a theater and dance hall followed before settling into its permanent role as a café/restaurant with prime people-watching real estate. When it changed ownership in 2010, it also underwent massive renovations to modernize the space. Today, it boasts a commodious interior which includes a bar, armchairs near a fireplace, a billiards table, a work space, loads of dining nooks and a concert hall in the back. Go for coffee and people-watching or a pre-dinner drink and nibbles, that’s where it shines.

A quintessential example of art deco architecture, the Chrysler Building is by far my favorite skyscraper—and that was before I realized how gorgeous the interior is! The auto-inspired design mixes chrome lighting, heavy wood elevators and intricate mosaic-murals. We popped in quickly (for free) and marveled at the lobby celling before catching our train. It’s a perfect pit-stop for any traveler!

Once Amsterdam’s main public library, the Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht looks like a 1970s block on the outside. But inside, renowned Dutch designer Marcel Wanders has transformed the space into a whimsical and grown-up homage to Alice in Wonderland. Decorated with oversized furnishings (including Wanders’ signature Tulip chairs and modern twists on chandeliers), Delft blue tilework and brocade upholstery (references to historic Dutch style), and avant-garde artwork, the design hotel hardly feels like part of a chain, even one as hip as the Andaz. Instead, with its serene herb garden full of quirky topiaries, a checkerboard mural, and chess-piece statues, the canalside hotel channels a fresh take on Amsterdam. But don’t worry, authentic Amsterdam is still out there—take the free bicycles for a spin along the waterways, and know that free snacks await you back in your room.

Arriving at Viceroy Los Cabos (formerly Mar Adentro) is like getting a glimpse into the future of hospitality. Linked by a seemingly boundless plane of water, a series of minimalist white cubes—housing a rooftop bar, spa, world-class fitness center, movie theater, and more—rises from the desert landscape like a mirage, the work of Mexican architect Miguel Angel Aragonés. The view is memorable at Nido, a ceviche restaurant that sits under a nestlike dome of twigs. Equally striking are the 104 modernist guest rooms. Unlike the region’s traditional stucco and terra-cotta haciendas, they’re serenely spare, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Sea of Cortez and tablets that guests can use to create their own lighting concept.

The fact that Oaxaca is a hub of art and creativity is evident almost everywhere you look. Besides the abundance of beautiful architecture and colorful folk art and handicrafts, several important contemporary artists hail from Oaxaca, including three internationally renowned painters: Rufino Tamayo, Rodolfo Morales and Francisco Toledo. The Oaxacan painters museum is a space that celebrates the art and creativity of these, and other less well-known but also extremely talented artists from this southern Mexican state. The two-story restored colonial mansion that houses the Oaxacan painters museum has elegant arches surrounding a central courtyard, and rooms with pristine white walls that form the backdrop to paintings and other artwork. There’s no permanent collection here, but temporary exhibits run throughout the year, and the space is also used for workshops and courses.

When it comes to music venues in Los Angeles, there isn’t anywhere more sacred to rock and punk fans than the Echo. Located in the now-hipster neighborhood of Echo Park, the concert venue has hosted plenty of legends, including Beck, Green Day, and LCD Soundsystem. Its sister venue, the Echoplex, located just below the Echo, has an equally impressive roster, with the Rolling Stones, Nine Inch Nails, and Thom Yorke having performed there in the past. These sister clubs have additionally provided a launchpad for the careers of Foster the People, the Airborne Toxic Event, and Warpaint, to name just a few. Despite being a place to catch shows by heavyweights in the rock sphere and to see soon-to-be-famous bands before they hit it big, the Echo and Echoplex are intimate spaces that let you get close to the stage and all the heart-pounding, drumstick-spinning, sweat-dripping action.

Hotel Victor, located along buzzing Ocean Drive in South Beach originated in the 1930s as one of the original art deco Gregorian style buildings that drape the streets of Miami Beach. This year, the hotel went through a full renovation, upgrading all guestrooms and public spaces. “Every piece of furniture was designed specifically for this hotel,” says Claudia Marulanda, director of sales/marketing. The color palate transitioned from dark purples, reds and blacks to softer shades of violet, ivory and cream. The expansive lobby space uses soft woods and chrome furnishings. While lounging in one of the new cabanas in the recently-renovated pool deck, enjoy sweeping views of the sandy beaches and candy colored buildings along Ocean Drive. Head out onto the streets on rentable bikes that are available through the concierge. Within the next few months, Hotel Victor will expand its lobby space and debut Sushi Mi Casa restaurant and renovations to Bice Italian restaurant. The independent owners also required ownership of the iconic Versace Mansion, which will be the new home for special meetings and events for hotel guests.

The Thoroughbred Club is in the lobby of Charleston Place hotel, right in the middle of downtown Charleston. They serve up classic cocktails (try their gussied-up negroni) and also have a great tea service, with live music every afternoon and evening.

This isn’t the first time I’ve seen this, but it was the first time I had my phone on me while I was hiking up Meadows Canyon Trail. Not only is this spot one of my favorite places for a sunset in the East Bay, it’s apparently also a great spot to journal, paint and dream. If you head in to Tilden Regional Park, I’d suggest you park at the Loan Oak Trailhead. From there, you’ll head left up the Meadows Canyon trail. Once you’ve gone 1.43 miles you’ll hit the Curran Trail and you’ll want to make a left to be able to head up into the Inspiration Point parking lot, so that you can see the view from the far side. Then, return the way you came and head south on the Curran Trail. You’ll quickly descend to the intersection where you can take a right on the Wildcat Gorge Trail that will lead you all the way back to the same place you parked your vehicle. The entire time you’re on the Wildcat Gorge Trail, you’re in the shade of the trees and following the stream. Roundtrip, the hike is only about 4 miles. Welcome to the East Bay, a place that Monet would have loved to paint, after all that time in Giverny, France.

Across the river from the Badung Market—Bali’s largest traditional produce and meat market—is the Kumbasari Market (also called Pasar Seni Kumbasari), where you can find craftspeople hawking their wares. Wander among stalls selling batiks, wood carvings, jewelry, paintings, and souvenirs.

This hotel is on our list of The 11 Best Hotels in Chicago.

The world has been waiting years for the St. Regis Chicago, located in the city’s 101-floor skyscraper designed by Jeanne Gang, to welcome guests and owners; in 2023, it finally made its stunning debut. The triple-tower building’s architecture was based on the frustrum shape, which is basically a pyramid with its top chopped off. (Think of a popcorn box.) That form is replicated subtly throughout the hotel, from the exoskeleton to the marble tiles in the inviting lobby on the Chicago River. Each of the 192 guest rooms comes with floor-to-ceiling windows and panoramic city views, a dedicated butler, one of four soaking tubs, brass detailing, and curvilinear furnishings from a collaboration between architectural powerhouse Gensler and boutique firm Simeone Deary Design Group.


Rounding out the amenities: the Miru all-day-dining restaurant that is anything but casual, a new Tuscan steakhouse concept, a truly cossetting seven-room spa, an indoor pool with an outdoor patio, and the finest urban hotel gym probably anywhere. Was the wait worth it? Indeed it was.