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Why we love it: Epic views and high style on the South Island

The Highlights:
- Design that maximizes the views
- A small size that makes for an intimate, exclusive experience
- Access to a variety of outdoor adventures

The Review:
Set in the South Island’s Ahuriri Valley, on 6,000 pristine acres bordered on three sides by conservation parks, is your own slice of natural paradise. Opened in late 2018, The Lindis is a striking, contemporary lodge that blends into the landscape, with a sloping roof that mimics the mountain and river backdrop and, inside, floor-to-ceiling windows framing magnificent views.

There are just five rooms to choose from—two master options and three lodge suites, all with private indoor and outdoor lounge spaces, fluffy king beds, and gas fireplaces. (Master suites also have separate living rooms and oversized bathtubs.) Beyond the accommodations, there are endless activities to choose from, from horseback riding, fly fishing, and e-biking to eco- and buggy tours and spectacular stargazing. Fuel up for your adventures with the lodge’s refined, contemporary cuisine, crafted by house chefs using locally sourced ingredients—think South Island crayfish, foraged porcini mushrooms, and Wild Fiordland venison—and paired with fine New Zealand wines from the well-stocked cellar.

New Delhi’s first modern business and luxury hotel, built in 1965, is a contemporary white box amid a sea of greenery. After a $100 million makeover overseen by starchitect Adam Tihany, The Oberoi now has 220 large rooms inspired by Sir Edwin Lutyens’s original plans for the city, with peacock-blue accents, spacious bathtubs, and super fast WiFi. Beloved restaurant threesixty˚ maintains its see-and-be-seen status thanks to its airier layout, and a new rooftop bar has become the go-to cocktail spot on warm-weather days. But the enthusiastic, attentive staff remains unchanged, earning adoration from repeat guests who appreciate the brand’s reliable and faultless service. Indoor and outdoor pools, a spa, proximity to a large golf course, and the convenient location just south of Delhi Gate make this hotel a great place to relax at the beginning or end of a countrywide tour.

Just a five-minute boat ride from St. Vincent, Young Island is both a private resort and the first in the Grenadine islands chain. Here, you’ll find a small, white-sand beach facing the channel that separates the island from the mainland. It’s technically for hotel guests only, but go for lunch at the very good beachside restaurant and bring your bathing suit—the resort won’t mind if you take a quick dip after your meal.

After a five-year, $30 million renovation, The Adelphi is Saratoga’s grande dame once more. Housed in a stately building from 1877, the hotel takes its design cues from the Victorian era, featuring everything from ornate wall moldings to brass lighting fixtures and tufted-leather headboards. Modern conveniences also abound, including hidden storage cabinetry and marble bathrooms with freestanding tubs and glass showers. Downstairs, carved horseheads at Morrissey’s bar are the only reference to Saratoga’s racing heritage, but the area’s farmers get their due at the Blue Hen, the hotel’s farm-to-table brasserie, and Salt + Char, its rustic-chic steakhouse.

Going to the hamman, or public bath-house is an essential part of the Marrakesh experience. After being scrubbed down in the steam room, you’ll never have felt as clean as you like. Upscale hammans now offer the best treatments to entice the spa tourist crowd, with many riads have their own in-house hammam for guests. Choose from a menu of different options, with Moroccan ghassoul (mineral clays mixed with herbs and petals), gommage (scrubs), body wraps and most types of massage on offer. Noted hammams with the full spa experience include Le Bain Bleu and Sultana Spa – but check with your accommodation as to what they offer before booking.

On the walking mall, on the corner of Hyman Avenue and Mill Street, there is a dancing water fountain where the children endlessly play in the symphonic pattern of the water spraying into the air. The fountain was created in 1979 by a local sculptor and computer genius who programmed the fountain to dance in different patterns. Test your skills and see if you can cross the entire fountain without getting wet or get some balloons and place them on the water rising. For the kids, I recommend either bringing a bathing suit or an extra set of clothes because they are not leaving dry.

You’ll feel zen from the moment you drive in from nearby Kyoto, along a narrow road through Japanese cedars and past temples and shrines, to the moment you sink into a hot bath at this intimate ryokan. Refreshed and relaxed, you’ll then sit down to an exquisite kaiseki meal of freshly foraged food prepared by a Michelin-starred chef. Oversized windows bring the outdoors in to the immaculate and simple tatami rooms, which come with both lunch and dinner. Book well in advance, given the inn’s small size and low-tech reservation system.

One of only three trains in the world to have been recognized with UNESCO’s World Heritage status (the others are in Austria and India), this scenic passenger route was built in 1889 and stretches for 150 miles from Thusis, Switzerland, to Tirano, Italy, via 84 tunnels and 383 vertiginous bridges and viaducts. The rails don’t just connect this primordial landscape of sparkling teal rivers, hyacinth-blue glaciers, and jagged pink-hued rocks; they also serve a number of cities and towns, including St. Moritz and several Romansh-speaking villages in the stunning Engadine Valley. Keep the camera on, because the train zips past Roman-era chapels, Celtic archaeological sites, modernist thermal baths, and numerous Hapsburg-era castles—some crumbling atop mountains, others perfectly built into the Alps like something from Tolkien’s Rivendell. Highlights include the C-shaped Landwasser Viaduct, a 213-foot-high, six-arch viaduct spanning the Landwasser River, and the nine-arch spiral viaduct in Brusio that will have rail enthusiasts in a tizzy. Though this is not a sightseeing train, highlights are announced (somewhat annoyingly, in five or six languages) on the overhead system as the train passes them. Most trains have panoramic cars with curved glass ceilings and seats costing an additional five to 10 Swiss francs.

The first new hotel in decades to open on Lake Como’s glittering shores made its appearance in mid-summer 2016 on a sun-dappled promontory near the village of Torno. As the new kid on the block, Il Sereno brings a modern sensibility to a region where luxury typically takes on a gilded, Old World aesthetic. Envisioned by Milan-based designer Patricia Urquiola, this lakeside hotel takes cues from the history of the area, but skews contemporary and relaxed, with a design that highlights natural materials such as stone, wood, and wool, and a color palette of greens and blues inspired by the surroundings. The 30 sprawling suites feature lake-view terraces and amenities such as Ex Voto Paris bath products and Bluetooth sound systems. The sleek Berton Al Lago serves modern Italian fare crafted with fresh local ingredients, while the Il Sereno Bar & Lounge and the Pool Bar offer light bites in a casual setting. The spa is set in what was once the boathouse of the original property, and features treatments with Valmont products made just across the border in Switzerland. Wander the shaded passageways around the lush garden, check out the two vertical gardens and green sculptures by famed botanist Patrick Blanc, and don’t miss the 60-foot, heated, freshwater infinity pool, located in a secluded spot that overlooks the lake. Guests can take one of the hotel’s stylish Riva boats—accessible from a private dock—to explore the charming towns that line the lake.

Filled with resort wear for men, women, and children, The Lazy Lizard is stocked with beach bums in mind. Here, shoppers will find an endless array of wide-brimmed hats, baseball caps, and straw totes alongside T-shirts, bathing suits, and cover-ups. There are also accessories like waterproof phone cases and wind chimes made from shells, as well as a selection of local artwork. Adding substance to style, the store donates a percentage of each purchase to local charities.

Set across from the University of Pennsylvania, the Inn at Penn holds its own against the new Center City crop and is one of the most technologically advanced hotels in Hilton’s portfolio. Built in 1999, the hotel was renovated top-to-bottom in 2011, solidifying a stuffy-enough Ivy League air. Above an efficient wood-paneled check-in, a double-fireplace library lined with classic tomes creates a sophisticated lobby-cum-cocktail lounge. A Frank Lloyd Wright–inspired aesthetic is pervasive with geometric lamps, wood-paneled walls, Craftsman wood furnishings, and the hotel’s riff on the architect’s iconic font on all signage. The Inn is teched out with free, fast Wi-Fi; TeleAdapt MediaHubs connecting phones, tablets, or computers directly to high-def TVs; and iPads accessing hotel services and information in multiple languages. The Inn’s environmental stance is also impressive: fabrics, wall coverings, and bathroom tile are made from recycled materials; energy-efficient lighting, heating, and cooling is state-of-the-art, and WaterSense showerheads ensure no water is wasted.

The 245 guestrooms and suites are classy, efficient, and relatively spacious, though it’s worth upgrading to a suite for a separate sitting area. Gold, leather, and wood hues are complimented by pops of red and orange with large work desks. Thanks to the 2001 renovation, the bathrooms are big, have glass-encased showers, and are stocked with Crabtree & Evelyn amenities.

To see everything there is to see in Oostende, I highly recommend spending an entire weekend (or longer) in the city. For a good night’s sleep, try the Mondo Hotel, located minutes from the Promenade, in a quiet corner of the city centre. Our hotel room included a mini-kitchen (although minus a fridge which we found a bit odd) and a vast bathroom with a tub and shower. We enjoyed the champagne breakfast buffet, complete with Belgian waffles, in the artsy dining room. There are 28 ‘Cosy Rooms,’ 18 ‘Superior Rooms,’ 2 suites and 14 ‘Family Rooms,’ with extra bedrooms for the kids.

To see life in Taipei at its fastest pace, be sure to spend some time walking through the always pulsing Ximending Pedestrian Zone. This famous part of town is the center of Taipei’s pop, fashion, and alternative cultures. You will see everything—trust me—from goth ‘Lolitas’ walking down the street to weird cafes, like the bathroom-themed Modern Toilet. Similar to New York’s Times Square or Tokyo’s Shibuya, Ximending both overloads the senses and entertains endlessly at the same time. This is also the heart of the city’s always-growing LGBT community, and most of the popular clubs and bars can be found here.

Remede Spa, located in the St. Regis Hotel, will pamper you from head to toe. The spa features a waterfall shower and a steam bath as pre-treatments that lead to a combination of Thai massage techniques. The spa also offers a “Sanctuary Package,” which comprises four decadent hours with a combination of a scrub, a body wrap, an oil back, and a facial. As a post-treatment, enjoy a healthy and delicious meal followed by dried fruits and chocolates.

The Japanese-inspired Nobu Ryokan Malibu, located on the ocean just north of Los Angeles, sets the tone with its smooth teak exterior. An entrance gate leads to a garden where water flows over honey-colored rocks into a pond, and palm trees shade stone paths lined with black Japanese grass. In the 16 guest rooms, there are no exposed nails or screws, just smooth surfaces of teak and Jerusalem limestone and linen. The art on the walls is original—a watercolor of sparrows in muted tones, a panel of delicately carved black lacquer depicting waves and leaves. The furniture is oak, all right angles and brass fittings, and the bedside lamps look like lanterns. The bathrooms feature skylights, rain showers, and deep teak soaking tubs.

Hotel guests get first dibs on reservations at Nobu restaurant, just two doors down. If that seems too far away, you can get Nobu food delivered to your room: think scallop tiradito, salmon sashimi, and smoked duck with cherry and hibiscus. Another highlight of a stay here are the well being experiences, including yoga with partner studio ALO and an affiliation with Malibu Fit Concierge that offers private fitness classes and guided hikes.

Nobu has partnered with Surf Air to transport guests from various cities in California and Texas. Surf Air flies small planes out of regional airports (if you’re coming from the Bay Area, for example, it’s a 90-minute ride). A car in L.A. takes you on the 40 minute ride north on the scenic Pacific Coast Highway.