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The imposing De L’Europe—one of Amsterdam’s original luxury hotels, a holdover from the late 19th century’s age of Grand Tours and neoclassical architecture—has been thoughtfully restored in keeping with its opulent history and The Netherlands’ artistic tradition. The hotel, a red-and-white brick landmark crowning the intersection of the Amstel River and several canals, bridges old and new visions of luxury. Its extensive art collection, consisting of both originals and copies of Dutch Masters, is curated in conjunction with the Rijksmuseum; many pieces were in the collection of Dutch brewing magnate Alfred “Freddy” Heineken, whose family owns the hotel. The museum-caliber artwork can be found not only throughout the see-and-be-seen common areas but also in many of the rooms, especially those in the gallery-like addition, known as the Dutch Masters Wing.

The 48 rooms and 63 suites have decadent touches, including Carrara marble bathrooms with heated floors, personal iPads, and Coco-Mat beds. But De L’Europe’s crowning attraction may actually be outside: A wraparound terrace offers waterfront dining overlooking the historic city, and many of the best rooms have private balconies with views of the rooftops. When hunger strikes, guests can head to the Michelin-starred Restaurant Bord’Eau or Bib Gourmand winner Marie, then grab a nightcap in the luxurious lobby lounge. For rest and relaxation, the hotel also features a spa with bespoke treatments, an infrared sauna, and a Turkish steam bath.

While famous for its namesake and black diamond ski runs, Lake Louise Resort has plenty to keep visitors happy even when the snow has melted. The main lodge – a log cabin built entirely from local trees - greets visitors who come for the 14-minute gondola ride up Whitehorn Mountain. Riders have a choice between an enclosed gondola and an open chair lift. A good way to experience both is to ride the gondola on the way up and the chair lift on the way down, since the views as you face the valley are more panoramic. Keep an eye out on your ride for one of the resident grizzly bears. At the top of the lift, there are a number of well marked hiking trails, as well as the Lake Louise Interpretative Nature Center. Center staff lead a 45-minute interpretative walk which is a great way to get acquainted with the environment and learn about the area’s bears before setting off on your own. Also at the summit, the Whitehorn Lodge offers visitors a surprisingly delicious experience with five-star views. Both the building and the menu have been recently revamped and the results are well worth the price of the gondola ride. The seafood chowder, a meal in itself, is a highlight as is the beef tenderloin burger: a mound of beef tenderloin cooked to order and served open-faced on a giant piece of focaccia with a pile of yam fries. You’ll definitely be full for your ride back down the gondola. [Travel courtesy of Travel Alberta]

While some claim that the first Jews arrived in Kerala as early as the reign of King Solomon, historical evidence that is more solid dates their presence here back to the 12th century. The area of Fort Cochin known as Jew Town has seven synagogues, but only the Paradesi Synagogue is still actively used. (Following the independence of India in 1947, many members of the Jewish community chose to immigrate to Israel or other Commonwealth nations.) Constructed in 1567, the synagogue has hand-painted porcelain tiles and an 18th-century clock tower that are both of special interest.

Man Mo Temple was built by wealthy Chinese merchants between 1847 and 1862 as a tribute to the God of Literature (man) and the God of War (mo). Both deities were worshiped by ambitious students eager to succeed in the rigorous civil examinations of imperial China; good grades paved the way for a prestigious career in government administration. Today, tucked in the shadows of hulking apartment towers on busy Hollywood Road, it’s Hong Kong Island’s oldest temple and probably its most well known. The dimly lit Man Mo, with its carved wooden panels, ornate ceramic figurines, plaster moldings, murals, and giant incense coils hanging from the ceiling, feels wonderfully ethereal. A visit to Man Mo is a step off the grid in frenetic Hong Kong.

Modern and trendy Urban Eatery is a popular restaurant that only opened about a year ago in Nairobi. There’s always a good atmosphere here, as the kitchens open out onto the restaurant area filling the room with the sizzles and delicious smells of food to come.

The menu is quite literally overwhelming, with Thai, Mexican, Indian, Italian, Sushi and everything in between available, but it’s a fun evening picking and choosing from the different options.

The most famous castle in Germany—and one of the best known in Europe—Neuschwanstein is renowned not just for its fairy-tale architecture (which directly inspired the Disney Castle) but also for its creator, “mad” King Ludwig II. Begun in 1868, it wasn’t completed until four years after Ludwig’s death, in 1892, but was very advanced for its time, with larger-than-usual windows, central heating, an elevator, telephones, and indoor plumbing. However, it’s the castle’s mountaintop setting and soaring towers that really impress. When visiting, be sure to check out the paintings inspired by the operas of Richard Wagner—Ludwig’s friend and the person to whom he dedicated the castle. Also take in the stellar views from the Marienbrücke, and if you want to visit in style, consider a horse-drawn carriage ride back to your car. There’s a restaurant on-site, but plenty of cheaper options are in the town below.

Etihad Towers offers much more than a beautiful and feminine architectural crown to the Abu Dhabi skyline. The five blue-tinted structures are home to Jumeirah Hotel, an office building, and three residential towers. Shoppers will find many of the finer things in life on sale at the Avenue, a high-end mall of refined shops and several cafes in the podium of the Towers. An observation deck can be accessed on the 74th floor with a stunning view of Abu Dhabi Island and the Arabian Gulf. Among others, fine dining options include Tori No Su, Pearls by Michael Caines, Nahaam, and Rosewater.

About 20 kilometers (12 miles) south of Trapani, and just north of Marsala, acres of salt flats stretch in shallow lagoons, punctuated by crumbling windmills. This region has been producing bright white salt with intense flavor since Phoenician times, and a Museum of Salt lays out the process in a restored windmill, with everything from diagrams of the Archimedes screws used to pump water between flats to the wide, straight shovels used for skimming the salt into towering white mounds. Bags of the stuff can be bought at the gift shop, so you can take home a taste of Sicily.

It’s not exactly Portland’s highest point but, at 1,073 feet, it’s close. Irrespective of how Council Crest Park measures up, it provides a view of five surrounding mountains on a clear day: Rainier, Adams, Jefferson, Hood, and St. Helens, with helpful indicators showing which mountain is which for those not as versed in freestyle mountain identification as lifelong Portlanders are. Bolder folks may opt to hike to the summit along the trails here, though driving up the hill past suffering road bicyclists is an easier option year-round. The water tower that’s now part of the park was once a feature of the Council Crest Amusement Park, torn down in 1941.

Squint your eyes and Sugar Beach looks like a David Hockney painting come to life: a cobalt-blue sky above and pale yellow sands below, lined by even rows of pastel-pink umbrellas. It’s an Instagrammer’s dream. But look around and you’ll notice the beach’s surroundings are far from bucolic. This award-winning park, built atop a parking pier in a waterfront industrial zone, overlooks the Redpath Sugar Refinery, which comes complete with a towering chimney. Sun worshippers lounge the day away in Muskoka chairs (that’s Canadian for Adirondack chairs), and come dusk, the city’s right at hand.

I love visiting big iconic bridges during the sunset. Trips at dusk to the Golden Gate Bridge and the Brooklyn Bridge have resulted in spectacular photographs of the urban landscape. The Sydney Harbour Bridge was another great experience! The bridge is accessible by foot or by bike and is surrounded by some of the biggest attractions in Sydney. More adventurous types might opt for the Bridge Climb Tour (http://www.bridgeclimb.com/) where participants get to scale the summit of the 134-meter arch for panoramic views of the city. And yes, they offer a Twilight Tour near sunset (and a dawn tour at sunrise). We were content walking across the bridge on the pedestrian walkway. It was a brisk spring evening in Sydney, and we didn’t envy the tourists climbing the bridge overhead. The views from the bridge are stunning in every direction, and it is a magnificent vantage point to see the Sydney Opera House and the Central Business District.

Why we love it: A sprawling retreat offering high design and a beachfront location

The Highlights:

• Guest rooms with private plunge pools or whirlpools
• The only Thalasso therapy wellness spa in Baja
• Five separate pools, plus 4,000 square feet of beachfront

The Review
Though the Baja Peninsula has welcomed a slew of luxury properties over the past few years, it seems the 128-room Solaz is only in competition with itself. First, there are the sophisticated stone-and-wood interiors, which balance high-tech details (remote controlled lighting) and luxe amenities (outdoor showers, private plunge pools) with locally sourced decor and wall sculptures by Mexican artist César López Negrete.

Guests even have the option to add personal butler service, which can arrange everything from swimming with whale sharks to ordering a bottle of local wine from the property’s wine cellar. Outdoors, the landscaping features endemic desert plants like agave and cacti, with a hardly a palm tree in sight.

Then there’s the spa, a 10,000-square-foot refuge that features the region’s only Thalasso therapy seawater treatments and a Himalayan salt igloo. Five pools (including two sleek infinity ones that overlook the Sea of Cortez), four dining outlets (a Mexican breakfast spot, a seafood restaurant, a poolside cafe, and a coffee lounge), a beachfront fitness center, and 4,000 square feet of white-sand shoreline complete the desert dream.

The Four Seasons earns its five stars for everything from its location—smack in the middle of Seoul’s most-visited palaces and landmarks—to its detailed amenities, such as customizable mattresses. Rooms overlook Gyeongbokgung Palace, the largest and arguably most beautiful of the royal residences, or Cheonggyecheon stream, each a few minutes’ walk from the hotel. Its seven restaurants and lounges include a two-level sushi and sake bar, a Michelin-starred Cantonese restaurant, and an exotic cocktail bar hidden speakeasy-style in the basement. The massive wellness center combines traditional Korean spa rituals with personalized beauty treatments and a 24-hour gym with panoramic views. An indoor pool and saunas, a virtual golf simulator, and a Lego kids’ lounge provide something for every guest.

The W Taipei showcases the city’s geography and cutting-edge technology. The lobby’s light installation reacts to human motion, and guest rooms feature dramatic skyline views. The W is also home to some of Taipei’s hottest nightspots, including the Bar at Yen on the top floor. From $314. 886/(0) 2-7703-8888. This appeared in the November/December 2012 issue.

I’m not sure any other city epitomizes the California dream as well as the surf-centric college town of Santa Cruz. The Dream Inn is the perfect base for exploring and has affordable rooms, a retro-chic design, and a beachfront location within walking distance of the famous boardwalk. The hotel can arrange surf or SUP lessons (you’ll want to rent a wetsuit, even in the summer!). For those who’d rather take in the action from the shore, rent a bike from nearby Pacific Ave Cycles and peddle along West Cliff Drive until you reach the famous surf break, Steamer’s Lane. You’ll be able to watch talented surfers (and ambitious novices) surf some serious waves. A short drive away you’ll find Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. From the parking lot, take the Meadow Trail to the Loop Trail to Pipeline Road. Follow the road along the river and turn left at the Ridge Fire Road and follow it to the Observation Deck. You’ll be rewarded with spectacular views of the Santa Cruz Mountains. For an even greater reward, grab a seat at the Dream Inn’s new Jack O’ Neill lounge and try one of the great cocktails (the Old Timer is a mix of Knob Creek, lavender sweet tea, and muddled fruit) and if you’re lucky, there might even be a live band.