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This is a 5-star boutique hotel located in the heart of Montreal, across the street from the Centre Bell, home of Les Montréal Canadiens, and tucked along famed rue Sainte-Catherine. Was I blown away during my stay here? Yeah, and then some. After checking in, I was greeted by a frosty bucket filled with my favorite beer, tossed the curtains back to reveal the stunning view of downtown Montreal, then scrambled up to the 12th floor for a dip in the saltwater pool, and relaxed in the outdoor hot tub as the day rolled along. I rarely thought about leaving. I dined at La Coupole and had a few cocktails in the Wine Bar, and... well, that’s enough. Things got out of hand from there. I spent four nights at Hotel Crystal, and had what is to date my best hotel experience in my homeland.

It can be a delicate balancing act, offering the luxury that adults expect of a five-star property while keeping kids entertained and happy. But Le Bonne Entente, sited on a former 120-acre estate about seven miles southwest of Old Québec, hits all of the sweet spots that families look for. Nearly a third of its 160 rooms are suites, making them great choices for families who want a little extra room or privacy. On the grounds, surrounded by well-tended gardens, the seasonal swimming pool is a popular hangout on warm summer days (the hot tub is open year-round). In a lovely court beyond the pool, several unique triple-hammock structures are a perfect place to retreat for some outdoor peace and quiet. Guests have exclusive use of La Tempête Golf Club, as well as a Fun Club for kids up to age 18, providing a home theater, video games, and even a special rest area with beds so parents can sneak away to enjoy a late dinner at MC Lounge, the hotel’s cozy steakhouse.

Aruba is a paradise for shoppers, and this leafy street, named for a local freedom fighter, is its main attraction. Lined with palm trees and an antique streetcar, the half-mile stretch features several different stores, all housed in pastel-hued, Dutch Colonial–style buildings. Offerings run the gamut from high-end fashion and jewelry to souvenir T-shirts and postcards—housewares are of particular note. Don’t leave the area without buying some Dutch Edam cheese, which comes wrapped in red wax, and a piece of iconic blue-and-white, Delft-style pottery.

The “new” Testaccio Market opened in a modern building next to the Ex-Mattatoio (former slaughterhouse) in the summer of 2012. The space was much larger than the original market, which meant there was plenty of room to grow new businesses, especially “fast food” stalls. While dining at the market is prevalent in many cities, Rome never had such a thing before Testaccio opened stalls like Mordi e Vai (meatball sandwiches).

This massive church was one of the most impressive in size, architecture, and collection of relics—for the art that is within and surrounding the building. Before you head inside, almost as an afterthought hidden in between kiosks selling St. Anthony prayer candles and rosaries, you’ll encounter the equestrian statue of Gattamelata by Donatello. If you are traveling during the week of June the 13th (the day that St. Anthony died) you’ll be in the company of hundreds, perhaps thousands, who have come to pray to him inside the church beside his tomb. Visitors, some desperate for an answer from above, leave flowers, letters and personal items alongside his tomb. At the back of the church there are relics that belonged to St. Anthony such as his preserved tongue, black and withered by time, that sits within a glass case surrounded in gold. Other items include his ear, pieces of clothing he was thought to wear and touch during his life. The size of the interior and columns may inspire you to sit among those loyal devotees and listen to a lulling service in Italian. (My camera was held hostage during my visit so the image is accredited to http://commons.wikimedia.org)

Pictured above is the home of Dr. William LeRoy, a well-known physician in the Lombard area back in the 1800s. Dr. LeRoy specialized in making prosthetic limbs for veterans of the Civil War and lived in this very home from 1881 until 1900. The structure has since become known as ‘The Little Orphan Annie House,’ since the comic’s creator, Harold Gray, lived here when he dreamed up his storyline in the study. For more information about gaining entrance to this historical site, contact the Lombard Historical Museum at (630) 629-1885.

Going to the beach at the North Sea in fall/winter is one of my favorite things to do in Belgium. I love the miles of empty, clean beach. Yes, it’s cold and the wind is blowing like mad, but then you get to run inside a restaurant and have a nice hot meal. That is exactly what we did today. After walking around on the boardwalk, renting an electric car for the kids to drive around, we chose the brasserie Le Bord’Eau for lunch hoping it will be nice. Their fish and potatoes stew is delicious and hot. I loved the presentation too. It comes to the table in the cast iron pot they cooked it in. It is steaming hot and smelling incredible. It kinda looks like fish waterzooi, a Flanders specialty. This dish had three different kinds of fish, boiled potatoes and vegetables in a superb cream sauce. Very pleased with my choice and will have it again next time I feel like bracing the elements at the beach, in winter.

The government said the cliffs of Calcata, a medieval hill town 30 miles north of Rome, where crumbling and the residents would have to abandon the village for a new one a half mile away. They were right. Sort of. There was a government policy, created during the Fascist era, that stated any village that was so decrepit it was dangerous, the government would destroy it and build a new town nearby. The residents of this cramped hill town, tired of the poor living conditions, took advantage of this law. By the 1960s, the new town, Calcata Nuova, was ready and the old residents slowly moved. At the same time, hippies and artists discovered this slowly abandoned village and bought up the houses, knowing the village was to be condemned. They eventually had the law reversed, saving the village, and went on to fix up Calcata. Today home prices have soared and it’s become one of the most beautiful (and bizarre) places in Italy.

Opened in 1946 as a restaurant (where the famous regulars included Churchill and Hemingway), La Maison Arabe later expanded to a small hotel, then grew again under its current French-Italian owner. Today, it features 26 garden- or patio-view rooms and suites, individually designed in either a traditional or slightly more modern Moroccan style. All have air-conditioning and heating (a must for the varied desert temperatures) as well as Wi-Fi, satellite TVs, and marble-and-granite bathrooms stocked with aromatic toiletries. Also available to guests is an idyllic swimming pool, around which the hotel serves a home-cooked breakfast each morning, and the clubby, 1930s-inspired Piano Bar, where guests can enjoy live jazz and pre-dinner drinks by the fireplace. When it’s time to unwind, head to the cozy spa for an array of face, body, and hamman treatments, all performed with products made exclusively for the hotel.

Much like in the past, La Maison Arabe revolves around food. Guests can choose between Le Restaurant, where a gorgeous fountain and hand-painted ceiling set the stage for authentic Moroccan fare, and the intimate, lantern-lit Les Trois Saveurs, which serves a sophisticated menu of French, Moroccan, and Asian dishes. Additionally, the hotel offers some of the city’s best cooking classes, which are open to outside guests. Led by a dada (a traditional Moroccan cook), the lessons take place either at the main hotel or the Country Club—a satellite property located 15 minutes away by complimentary shuttle, where students can also find a larger pool, lush gardens, a restaurant, and a bit of calm away from the bustle of the medina.

The Swiss-born modernist giant was many things: architect, painter, sculptor, graphic artist, furniture designer, and writer. This museum, also known as the Centre Le Corbusier, is located in the Zürichhorn park, and offers a chance to view examples of his work across all these realms—the most striking of which is the building itself, Le Corbusier’s last, a steel-and-glass masterpiece marked by multicolored enameled panels.

Located across the Tiber River from the Centro Storico, Trastevere is a kaleidoscope of ivy-covered buildings, complicated Italian history, and bombastic nightlife. The heart of the neighborhood is Piazza Santa Maria, a large square where street performers show off their stuff, and Porta Portese’s massive Sunday flea market. Film buffs can take a walk through the maze-like side streets for a glimpse of director Pier Paolo Pasolini’s early life before heading off to one of the neighborhood’s many bars for a craft beer or aperitivo.

Opened in 1932 in the historic Royal Khmer compound, this landmark hotel was the first luxury lodging in the area, catering to well-heeled adventurers intent on visiting the storied ruins of the temples at Angkor. Everyone from Charlie Chaplin and Charles de Gaulle to Jackie O and, more recently, Angelina Jolie have slept within its dramatic, art deco walls. Just a short walk or tuk-tuk ride to central Siem Reap, the hotel, now part of the Raffles collection, features 15 acres of manicured gardens with more than 20,540 species of tropical plants, making it a relaxing oasis after a day spent exploring the temples. Following a major restoration by David Grace Designs in 2019, the 119 rooms, suites, and villas—some set in the original main building, others overlooking the garden or pool—are now a vision of French windows, hardwood floors, and marble bathrooms with Italian tiling and oversized rain showers. Some have added perks like furnished terraces, high ceilings, or four-poster beds. Elsewhere in the hotel, features like the 1929 metal-and-timber elevator, art deco black-and-white tiles, and classic conservatory have been refurbished but maintained.

The large central swimming pool is ringed by loungers, while the tucked-away spa has a sauna, Jacuzzi, and six treatment rooms for excellent, regionally inspired therapies. Both in-house and outside guests frequent the six drinking and dining options, which include the legendary Elephant Bar, the elegant Restaurant Le Grand (serving both Western and Royal Khmer cuisine), and the completely renovated Apsara Terrace, which offers a dinner-cum-cultural dance show three or five nights a week, depending on the season. The on-site gallery and boutique showcase high-quality local goods.

14th century Château de Roquetaillade is touted as one of Bordeaux’ most visited castles, but don’t let that stop you. I went during high travel season, in August, and it didn’t feel overrun.

Architecturally, it’s an interesting castle to see, because it was carefully restored between 1860 and 1870) by architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc , the same gentleman that worked on the Notre Dame in Paris and was asked to design the inside of the Statue of Liberty.

Taking pictures is only allowed outside, and inside the chapel, so you have to take my word for the fact that the castle’s medieval kitchen is fascinating, and surprisingly modern. It has a center island for cooking, without visible above ground vents. I’ve never seen anything like it.

Another lovely detail inside the castle is a secret message from the original stone masons that worked on the castle. Under one of the columns in the front hall, you can see a carved monkey, eating a fruit. This was a signal to future craftsmen, that they were going to be treated fairly and paid well by the owners of Roquetaillade. Had the monkey scratched his back instead? Maybe not a good place to work!


Call/ or email ahead for information on English speaking tours.

Located in the charming Haidhausen district in the heart of Munich, with an in-house S-Bahn station providing direct connections to the central train station and the airport, Hilton Munich City offers an ideal balance between convenience and calm. Enjoy amenities like a 24-hour fitness center and onsite bike rentals, plus innovative signature cocktails at Juliet Rose Bar and delicious Italian fare at MONA, each an elevator ride away from a comfortable stay.

I don’t know why you would find this in Todos Santos, but Cafe Santa Fe is top 3 best Italian in North America. Pizza was out of this world and the lobster ravioli left people speechless. Gotta go.