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It’s hard not to feel hip upon entering this Williamsburg hotel. Credit those Insta-cool vibes to the always abuzz rooftop lounge Westlight, or to Leuca, where food-loving socialites flock for a taste of the Italian plates that chef Andrew Carmellini does best. Thanks to the hotel’s partnership with Brooklyn Arts Council, locally designed artworks greet guests in each of the 183 rooms, as do luxe Frette linens, floor-to-ceiling windows, and wraparound balconies with stellar views of the Manhattan skyline. Once settled in, it’s straightaway to the pool, a 60-foot stretch of water surrounded by daybeds and cabanas. If you’d prefer a private hot tub, book the Vale Garden Residence, a two-story suite complete with an open-air Jacuzzi, a fully furnished patio, and its own covetable city vistas.

I Kriti (Greek for “Crete”) has been serving some of Athens’ best Cretan cuisine long before the island’s hearty cuisine became fashionable in the mid-2000s. A charming, utterly unpretentious tavern tucked into a nondescript arcade passage near Omonia Square, Kriti serves fare that will leave you reeling with pleasure—dakos (barley bruschetta topped with grated tomato, crumbled myzithra cheese, olives, and pickled samphire), smoked Cretan pork, snails in garlic, Crete-made sausages, spicy cheese dip, and baked pies, all at excellent prices and with real Cretan hospitality (the owners don’t really speak English, but it doesn’t matter). Expect to wait for a table but then, once seated, to spend some time here. And don’t forget to wash each dish down with some Cretan raki, a strong grape distillate similar to grappa.

Skiers and visitors who think fondue and raclette are the best expressions of Switzerland’s melted-cheese cuisine will be surprised when they taste their first Käseschnitte (called croûte au fromage in French-speaking Switzerland). This soul-satisfying, open-faced, broiled-cheese sandwich is usually laden with bacon or ham and topped with perfectly bronzed cheese or a cheesy cream sauce before being garnished with cool pickled cukes and cocktail onions. Cabane du Mont-Fort, a self-serve kiosk located in a 1920s stone Alpine hut on the slopes of Verbier at Les 4 Vallées (Switzerland’s largest ski resort), has the best in the country, not to mention stunning views of Mont Blanc from its outdoor picnic tables. Don’t expect fawning or fast service, but you can count on a thick slice of bread anchored by a slab of melted cheese, marbled sweet and smoky bacon, and a few tomato wedges to offset the fatty richness.

Every city has an eatery that’s a mainstay for shoppers, and in Milan, it’s the tony Brera neighborhood restaurant Convivium. House specialties include complimentary rosemary flatbread, four-cheese pizza, and sea salt−encrusted sea bass for two. Via Ponte Vetero 21, 39/02-8646-3708.

Just at the foot of Canyon Road, the family-owned Nambé carries beautiful, practical, and artistic pieces like plates, bowls, silverware, and vases. Their signature metal alloy (discovered in 1951 north of Santa Fe, near Nambé) includes a 15-step casting process. Many of the overstock pieces are discounted, which makes it a perfect time to stock up on unique gifts.

All aboard Grand Banks, a seasonal oyster bar on the historic Sherman Zwicker, the last of a large fleet of schooners that fished the Grand Banks of the North Atlantic and traded goods in South America. It’s docked at Hudson River Park’s Pier 25 and serves sustainably-sourced oysters, small plates, and a long list of refreshing cocktails, wines, and beer.

Cancún’s best-known mall offers travelers an easy-to-reach location in the heart of the Hotel Zone. Known to locals simply as Plaza La Isla, this outdoor shopping center is a lovely spot to beat the heat thanks to its Venetian frippery (think winding canals), playful fountains, and ice cream parlors. The Marina area, with a restaurant row overlooking Nichupté Lagoon, is a top photo op. Reached via the designer shops in the Fashion Harbor section, it faces west and is ideal for catching the sun setting over the water.

Beloved by artists and curators attending the annual Art Dubai fair, XVA Art Hotel wraps around the three courtyards of the restored 19th-century home of the Seddiqi family, prominent traders who became the emirate’s Rolex dealers. Longtime resident Mona Hauser, founder and owner of the XVA Gallery of contemporary art, decorated each second-floor room of the traditional wind tower house in collaboration with a regional designer or artisan such as Nada Debs, a Lebanese designer known for her custom mother of pearl inlaid furniture. The on-site alfresco vegetarian lounge café—praised by chef Gordon Ramsay as his favorite place to eat in Dubai—is a hangout for independent travelers and resident creatives who linger over mint lemonade, salads, soups, and cheesecake. There is a running trail along Dubai Creek and the hotel can recommend nearby beaches, as well as spa services and fitness centers at all price points.

Caffè Cova, Milan‘s old world pastry shop and original fashion caffe. Its pastries are perfect and more than delicious, but what takes the proverbial cake is the aperitivo and its presentation. Black tie serves cater drinks like Negroni sbagliati with a sampling of beautiful mignons, tiny and colorful hors d’oeuvres of salmons, patè and cheese.

Oriol, the chef and owner, will welcome you with a beaming smile. Your wallet will thank you because an afternoon of wine and cheese tasting will not break the bank. Close to the border of France, in the small town of Puigcerdà, Tap de Suro is a wine bar that offers more food than is normal. It’s a shop that sells wine by the bottle, by the glass, by perhaps any quantity you need to enjoy the bounty of Spain‘s grapes. But cheeses from all over the country and a variety of marmalades as well as cured meats and pan con tomate can all accompany wine tasting until it becomes hard to choose what is the best part of a visit to this small shop on a small side street. Cork walls and deep wood benches are warm and inviting, the patrons even more so -- don’t plan to be in and out quickly! After all, that would not be the Spanish or French way!

It’s nice to know I don’t need to get on a plane back to India to enjoy a plate of decent dal in PDX. The Bollywood serves the “people’s food” of India, simple, fresh and undeniably delightful. Most Americans think Indian food is all tandoori chicken and curry. Fact is, these are the banquet foods served only in high-end restaurants or wedding parties on the subcontinent. I was in Assam province in the Spring at a street cafe, eating whatever was being served on the banana leaf in front of me; no utensils, no problem. Except for the warm beer, eating in India is nothing like eating Indian food here, until Bollywood.

There is nothing pretentious about the physical plant. Amid the chaotic decor, aromas from the kitchen fill the place making it all the more homey and inviting. Lot’s of vegetarian options, with a focus on the standby beans and potatoes. The spicing is classic. The plates and cups are metal, much like you’d find on a corner eatery in Kolkata. Order at the counter and have a seat. Get a paneer, a chaat and a dal with a side of paratha to soak up the sauces. They have a short selection of beer and wine and the former is cold and cheap. There are always specials and you should just order them. The plates are small, so if you have a big group, order a bunch. Then sit back and enjoy the ride...

Unlike the smaller venues which typically host markets once or twice a week, the V&A Market on the Wharf is open daily. If you are staying at accommodation in the V&A Waterfront or Greenpoint area, the is a great market to grab a drink and snacks for a picnic in the park or up Signal Hill. You can find homemade biltong, dried fruits, Cape Malay spices, and artisanal cheeses. If all this talk of food makes your mouth water, several of the vendors sell prepared meals like wraps, pies, salads, etc. For good ice cream, stop by The Creamery’s stall. You can sit outside when the weather is nice, but there is also seating on the upper level (as well as a bar) which makes it a great winter activity, too.

Harry’s Roadhouse, a favorite haunt of locals and visitors, is conveniently open seven days a week. The massive breakfast menu melds regional Mexican and New Mexican fare with items like huevos rancheros and hearty chilaquiles (eggs any style with salsa and cotija cheeses). For your sweet tooth, try the french toast or lemon ricotta pancakes, washed down with a cup of joe.

Every day 2,000 empanadas are freshly made at this historic food landmark on the corner of Bandera and Huérfanos in El Centro. Santiaguinos pop in for a gooey fried cheese empanada slathered in hot chili sauce, piping hot. Stand in at the counter and order a “Pap” soda, flavored with Chilean papaya like the locals. Bandera 347, almost corner Huérfanos Phone: 56(2) 2672 2375

Dar Roumana is widely celebrated as having the best restaurant in Fes, and with good reason. Its charming courtyard dining room—decorated with cream-colored upholstery and tropical plants that complement the building’s original hand-cut zellij tiles, carved plaster, and painted-wood ceilings—is also rave-worthy. Arrive early enough to sip its signature pomegranate fizz from the crow’s nest, then settle in to indulge in a menu that fuses the flavors of Morocco with the finesse of classical French cuisine. Perennial favorites are the roast pumpkin salad with goat cheese, chilies, and coriander; braised local rabbit in mustard; and an elegant, bitter chocolate tart that could cause even the bistros of Paris to bristle with envy. Top tip: For a romantic winter meal, reserve the table by the fireplace.