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With its waterfront location across from the San Francisco Ferry Building on the edge of downtown, the 1 Hotel is an ideal launchpad to explore San Francisco. Rooms have expansive views of the Bay or the city, and travelers can step out onto the Embarcadero for a morning run, to browse at one of three weekly farmers’ markets at the Ferry Building.

The luxury hotel upholds a commitment to environmentalism, using local and reclaimed materials for the biophilic interior design, sustainability sourced bedding, and providing filtered water taps instead of single use water bottles. Rooms are equipped with soft cotton robes, slippers, and yoga mats to help turn a stay into a relaxing, wellness-minded retreat.

On the first floor, the bar and restaurant, Terrene is a lovely place to swing by for a drink or meal—whether you’re a guest or not. If the weather is nice, don’t miss the chance to enjoy a cocktail on their expansive outdoor patio (complete with space heaters) with great views of the Bay Bridge. If you’re looking for something more substantial, they have an excellent selection of fresh, Mediterranean-inspired dishes, like roasted carrots with a feta dip and refreshing tuna tartare.

Pets are welcome and there’s also a rooftop spa on site, complete with stone tubs and scenic views.

Hands down the best place to stay in Mexico City’s Centro Histórico is the aptly named Downtown. Located inside a restored 17th-century casona (mansion), the hotel shares its property with a select group of Mexican businesses, including a chocolate boutique and a mezcal bar, as well as restaurants, cafes, and fashion and jewelry ateliers. Appropriately, rooms evoke a bygone era, with low lighting, brick ceilings, and tile floors somewhat reminiscent of a monastery. Amenities are spare but select (C.O. Bigelow toiletries, for starters), and service is unobtrusive but attentive. After a day spent exploring the city, head to the rooftop pool and bar, where you can sunbathe on a bright yellow chaise lounge or sit under an oversized umbrella while waiting for your cocktail to arrive.

Opened just in time for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics and conveniently located next to the convention center, Canada Place, and Coal Harbour, the ultra-modern Fairmont Pacific Rim is a magnet for visiting CEOs, celebs, and dignitaries, along with anyone who appreciates luxury touches and on-point service. Contemporary, comfortable, and framed by floor-to-ceiling windows, the 367 rooms and suites are among the most tech-friendly around, with the in-room iPad2 allowing guests to book a spa treatment, order the valet car or room service, and control temperature, lighting, and drapes at the touch of screen; even the bathroom mirror transforms into a TV. Check in to one of the cushy Owner’s Suites for upgraded perks like bath amenities personalized with your name, and a customized LP collection to enjoy on your in-suite record player.

Considered one of the best spas in town, the sprawling Willow Stream Spa offers targeted treatments (many featuring West Coast ingredients) and an outdoor lounge equipped with day beds and hot tubs. The hotel’s excellent drinking and dining options draw both guests and locals. The Lobby Lounge & RawBar buzzes with live music and diners enjoying light bites, creative sushi, and sustainably-sourced seafood, while Giovane Café is a casual spot for pizza, coffee, and grab-and-go items. Opened in 2017, the airy, garden-inspired Botanist ranks among Canada’s best restaurants for its modern Pacific Northwest-focused cuisine, well-curated wine program, and adjacent Cocktail Bar + Lab, where culinary techniques and appliances are used to craft unique libations. Art is also a big part of the atmosphere, with installations by noted artists wrapping the exterior, and rotating exhibits and fashion-themed installations adorning the interiors.

To the sun-starved denizens of most of North America, the name Coconut Grove might immediately evoke a lazy day in the Florida sun, shaded by coconut trees. But Coconut Grove, a district in Miami on the shore of Biscayne Bay, offers so much more than sun and water. Long known for its legacy of attracting free-spirited artists, writers, and musicians, today Coconut Grove still maintains its eclectic vibe and welcomes all to come and experience this vibrant bayside oasis.

Stay
As a base for your exploration, there are various accommodation offerings. But a stand-out that recently underwent an extensive remodel, The Ritz-Carlton Coconut Grove, Miami, is worth your time. The entire hotel, including 115 guest rooms and suites has been redone, and the carefree “bohemian luxe” roots of Coconut Grove are certainly at play in the fresh design. In sleeping rooms and suites, natural materials like jute, canvas, and teak bring the beach feel inside but retain a sleek look while fabrics in a soft white and blue palette soften the sumptuous marble-clad baths and gold accents. And the public spaces? Well let’s leave some surprises for you. Go and see for yourself how the design concept embraces the artistic side of Coconut Grove. Me? I’ll either be at the hotel’s Spa or lounging by the pool. In fact I’m going to list a number of other things I might be doing in and around the hotel at “The Grove“ so that you can do them too.

A Perfect Day at “The Grove”
Start with a scrumptious breakfast in bed at The Ritz-Carlton Coconut Grove, Miami, or brunch at Ariete.
Then plan to explore Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden or visit Vizcaya Museum & Gardens, or while away the hours at Books & Books, a charming, locally owned independent bookseller.
Take a leisurely walk to CocoWalk to shop, and then onto KROMA Art Space & Studios to check out the artists at work.
Enjoy lunch at The Spillover for the Lobster Reuben or the Grove Salad, or dine at Peacock Garden Bistro followed by pool time at The Ritz-Carlton (and then a massage is a must!).
Pop into Vicky’s House for the best milkshakes.
Late afternoon is best spent sailing on Biscayne Bay. Arrange through the hotel concierge.
For dinner, the lobster pappardelle at Isabelle’s is divine.
Top off your perfect day with craft cocktails and live music at The Commodore Cocktail Club.
Back in your room, snuggle up in your comfy bed and dream of tomorrow’s adventures here at Coconut Grove, Miami.

Why we love it: An intimate retreat with an attentive staff that guarantees fuss-free tranquility

The Highlights:
- Personalized attention from a small, dedicated staff
- Guestrooms filled with Mexican antiques
- The all-day, oceanfront restaurant that serves local cuisine

The Review:
With just 12 guest rooms and a staff that’s smaller than a football team, NEST is more private home than resort. Owned by former music industry executive James Chippendale, the intimate property features simple, subdued rooms, individually appointed with antique and artisan furnishings sourced from San Miguel de Allende and throughout the Yucatán, as well as king-size beds, locally made bath products, and handcrafted French doors that fling open to welcome warm ocean breezes. Start your day with a probiotic smoothie and huevos rancheros at the beachside restaurant, then secure your spot on a palm-fringed daybed overlooking the powdery shoreline and azure waves. Your biggest decision may well be whether to watch the sun dip below the horizon from your plush perch or head back for complimentary happy hour at the bar.

A city within a city, Makati is Manila’s poshest shopping, business, and nightlife district. At the Makati Shangri-La, guests have amazing access to—and respite from—all of the above, including the malls that have made the neighborhood a retail pilgrimage site. After settling in, walk over to Glorietta, where you’ll find everything from high-end beauty boutiques to a family-run pawn shop and multiple Starbucks for good measure. Some of Manila’s best restaurants are also located in Makati, but the Shangri-La’s own Shang Palace is so beautiful and beloved, you won’t want to miss the experience if you have even the slightest interest in Cantonese food. As for the aforementioned breathing space on the guest floors, it starts with the waterfall you’ll pass en route to your room and ends with the custom-appointed bed in your plush, spacious surroundings. Go for one of the Deluxe Suites and you’ll also enjoy panoramic views of the bustle you’ve just left behind.

Offering a bit of the South Pacific in the Caribbean, the Van der Valk Kontiki Beach Resort features thatched-roof cottages set amid gardens and green, saltwater pools. The deep, wood-paneled rooms have direct paths to the pools as well as the Cabana and Mood Beach clubs. For an extra $20 per night, you can even book a full-service room, which includes a lounging bed at the beach (reserve it a day in advance to ensure you get a spot), a minibar with drinks and snacks, and nightly turndown service. The beach clubs serve the standard international fare and host weekly theme nights like a Friday fresh fish market with live music. A range of additional dining and nightlife options exists along Mambo Beach Boulevard, adjacent to the resort, and the aquarium is a short walk away. While Kontiki does not have a full-service spa, guests can book massages and manicures right on the beach.

The Blue Ridge Mountains stand in for the Black Forest at Grand Bohemian Asheville, a 104-room luxury property inspired by old-world Bavarian hunting lodges, complete with stag-antler chandeliers, rich velvet and brocade textiles, and a popular mascot in the lobby—a taxidermied wild boar named Zsa Zsa. In contrast to the more dramatic public spaces, rooms and suites are spacious and light with crisp white bedding and tufted headboards; almost all of the bathrooms have large tubs with shutters that open up to the sleeping area. In addition to the rare original artwork that’s scattered throughout the hotel, there’s a gallery featuring paintings, art glass, woodwork, and sculptures from local, regional, and international artists. George W. Vanderbilt’s Gilded Age castle is across the street, and the hotel is within walking distance of Biltmore Village’s popular restaurants and shops and only two miles from trendy downtown Asheville, making it a convenient jump-off for exploring the Great Smokies.

Situated in a candy-colored colonial-style building, the Diplomat Boutique Hotel feels like a cool friend’s house. With just four guest rooms, the property has an intimate vibe and personal service, beginning with welcome drinks and botanas (Mexican snacks) served on arrival by the inviting Canadian owners. Each of the crisp, contemporary accommodations is embellished with hints of history, from the wrought-iron beds to knick-knacks like antique typewriters, yet talavera-tiled bathrooms feature modern touches like walk-in rainfall showers and organic toiletries infused with local honey. It’s easy to lose track of time while swinging in a hammock, cooling off in the pool, or sampling different varieties of tequila and mezcal from the free poolside bar. Just pace yourself. You don’t want to miss the complimentary morning spread, loaded with fresh fruit from the market, homemade breads, and delicious dishes like breakfast tacos, French toast with caramel sauce and passionfruit jam, or quinoa-crusted quiche.

Hyperlocalism has fueled Portland’s Old Port District revitalization, with buzzy restaurants and shops with a deep sense of place opening in recent years. The stylish Press Hotel is no exception. A publishing motif runs throughout the 110-room property, which occupies a corner building that once housed the Portland Press Herald. Custom-made wallpaper printed with old headlines adorns the corridors, and desks inspired by those found in 1920s newsrooms are in each room. Works by local artists—including a dramatic installation of vintage typewriters from the late 19th and early 20th centuries by Portland artist Erin Hutton—and woven-wall tapestries by Portland home-goods designer Angela Adams also abound. (There are even a few notable—and welcome—nods to the global luxury market, including Frette linens from Italy atop the plush beds.) The focus at the 65-seat hotel restaurant, Union, is proudly farm- and sea-to-table, with dishes like house-smoked local mussels served with celery cream.

Interior designer and owner Denis Roy eschewed the palapa-inspired elegance employed by so many Costa Rican resorts in favor of a tropical take on European influences—Victorian architecture, French colonial touches, and Grecian columns among them—creating a resort like no other on the country’s west coast. Owing to its vantage point 1,100 feet above the entrance to the Gulf of Nicoya, the views of the rain forest, ocean, and sunsets are stunning, especially from the infinity pool. Rooms in the main building are fairly basic, but suites and villas offer more luxurious touches, such as Jacuzzis, private ocean-facing terraces, and plunge pools. The property has its own beach (with sun beds, showers, and a snack bar), but since it’s at the bottom of a steep hill, the resort provides hourly transfers. Retreat to the open-air yoga studio, then head to the bar atop the Greek amphitheater to linger over a martini at the nightly sunset happy hour.

This sprawling 298-room property in Williams, Arizona, is most frequently booked by visitors taking the Grand Canyon Railway to the South Rim, about an hour’s drive north. But it’s also an excellent option for those who don’t necessarily need to stay inside the park—or who simply prefer less rustic accommodations and amenities (like an indoor pool and hot tub). All the rooms here were recently refurbished and are relatively spacious, including bathrooms; even the standard rooms have two double beds, as well as free internet, air-conditioning, and microwaves and mini-fridges. The impressive lobby was designed in keeping with the nearby historic Fray Marcos Hotel and Williams Depot buildings, lending a cozy frontier vibe, and a roaring fire in the large flagstone fireplace greets guests in the winter. There’s a restaurant and pub on the premises, but you’re just steps from Historic Route 66 as it runs through downtown, with plenty of restaurants and bars to choose from.

The first thing guests notice as they approach the 600-acre Rio Perdido ecolodge is a large wood-and-steel rotunda that, from a distance, resembles a flying saucer, an award-winning design that houses the resort’s open-air restaurant, bar, and spa. The bungalows are just as stylish: 30 prefabricated cubes are suspended on seven pylons (no trees were cleared during the building process) and feature an airy, modern aesthetic, with twin rolling beds, brass fixtures, and terraces with hammocks sited for gentle breezes. Larger suites are moodier and more romantic, with walls of singed wood and volcanic-stone floor tiles. Soak in the property’s natural springs, which are heated by the activity of nearby Miravalles Volcano, then choose your own adventure. If you’ve worked up an appetite hiking, tubing, or canyoneering, the restaurant serves satisfying Costa Rican casados (rice dishes) and ceviches, which guests can arrange to enjoy from a platform that sits 160 feet above the river that gives the property its name.

Canada’s first aboriginal arts hotel opened in 2014. Part luxury hotel and part social enterprise, Skwachays Lodge ticks all the right boxes. On the luxe side: plush linens, Hypnos beds (the same as the British royal family sleep on), spacious rooms, and abundant on-theme extras including Spirit Bear coffee (the company works with the Tsimshian Nation) and aboriginal-owned Mother Earth toiletries. The social enterprise part: all profits from the hotel and its gallery, which doubles as the check-in and lobby, go into subsidizing 24 live-work art studios on the lower floors of the lodge. Each room is unique, decorated with custom-made reclaimed wood furniture and designed as a partnership between local Vancouver artists and First Nations artists, including Corrine Hunt (a member of the Raven Gwa’wina clan from Ts’akis, who codesigned the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics and Paralympics medals). BC First Nations themes of eagles, ravens, bears, whales, and the sun and the moon all feature strongly in the design.

This modern 11-story hotel, built on the end of the beachside Larvotto strip, is a chic but unpretentious family-friendly resort that attracts travelers for its prime location and the amicable Mediterranean-style village atmosphere. Guests come for the three restaurants, spa, and two pools (one with an artificial sand-bottom lagoon), plus the Bay Casino, jammed with the latest high-tech slot machines. If guests want to relax, chances are they head to the lounge chairs surrounded by the botanical gardens or head down the road to the Monte-Carlo Beach for water sports. The comfortable, sleek, contemporary-style rooms have dark or blond wood furnishings, duvet-covered beds, plasma-screens TVs, and spacious white bathrooms. Another highlight is the sea-view terraces, with a dreamy vista of the illuminated pool, gardens, and the Sporting d’Eté complex. The highly affordable off-season prices are a deal, considering the Principality’s mild climate is reliably sunny, even during the winter.