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After grabbing lunch on the ultra-local Plage de la Datcha on the south of Grande-Terre, hop on an afternoon boat shuttle from the beach to nearby Îlet du Gosier. You can spot the islet from shore—and if you’re fit, you can even kayak or swim over. With a wraparound white-sand beach, shallow waters for snorkeling, and the rustic Ti’ Robinson bar for rhum cocktails and Creole dishes, it’s the perfect day trip from somewhere like Pointe-a-Pitre.

This is a great option for a day hike in the Grand Canyon. South Kaibab Trail is a well-maintained (but steep!) stretch of dirt with very little shade and a trailhead that’s accessible only by shuttle bus. No private vehicles are allowed in this portion of the park. It’s a scenic adventure through and through, but South Kaibab’s main destinations include Ooh-Aah Point (at the highest elevation of 6,660 feet), Cedar Ridge (good for novice hikers and late starters), and Skeleton Point (an unobstructed view of the Colorado River with steep switchbacks).

In the shadow of El Yunque, The St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort is situated on 486 acres of former coconut plantation and native maritime forest. There are still plenty of palms here, but now the flora also includes all manner of tropical flowers and trees, positioned around numerous trails for walking, running, and biking. Families love the resort for its many amenities, from four tennis courts and a Robert Trent Jones Jr.-branded golf course to a luxurious spa and state-of-the-art fitness center. A new partnership with Aquavento Water Sports provides equipment for everything from kayaking and paddle-boarding to fishing and sailing on nearby lakes, while the Soul of Bahia program gives guests the opportunity to volunteer with a rescue organization for local cats and dogs or help maintain a turtle sanctuary during hatching season. Still, the most popular activity might just be lounging at the pool or on the two-mile-long golden beach.

Part of a $60 million renovation following Hurricane Maria, the hotel now features a design by celebrated Puerto Rican designer Nono Maldonado and San Francisco-based firm Hirsch Bedner Associates. The plantation-style dark woods and warm browns have been swapped out for more modern, sea-inspired colors, and the 139 rooms have a chic, residential feel, with sprawling bathrooms, private terraces, and glass bar cabinets that can be stocked to your personal tastes by a 24-hour butler. Occupying a two-story building overlooking the ocean, the Casa Grande lobby is the place to go to experience the hotel’s daily Champagne sabering ritual, enjoy live music from a Steinway piano, admire the mural over the St. Regis Bar, or enjoy Greek-inspired fare at the hotel’s signature restaurant, Paros. The poolside restaurant and beach shack have also been redone to ensure uninterrupted views over the water.

Opened in 2011, this luxury hotel from the Malta-based Corinthia brand occupies a Victorian building (once home to the Ministry of Defense) in the heart of the city, not far from Trafalgar Square, The National Gallery, the London Eye, and the theater district. The overall vibe is one of a 21st-century grand hotel, with a series of elegant public spaces—some vast and high-ceilinged, others warm and cozy—unfolding along the ground floor. Find modern, British-accented fare and a decadent breakfast spread at The Northall restaurant; all-day dining and a recently reimagined afternoon tea service (complete with Champagne trolley) at The Crystal Moon Lounge; and, in good weather, al fresco drinks, bites, and cigars at the leafy Garden Lounge. In summer 2018, the Bassoon Bar re-launched as a 1920s-era, New Orleans-inspired hangout, complete with a creative cocktail and bubbly menu developed by award-winning bartender Marcis Dzelzainis and wine expert Michael Sager. Shortly after, the hotel also opened Kerridge’s Bar and Grill, the first London restaurant from Michelin-starred chef Tom Kerridge.

Beyond its common spaces, the Corinthia is home to 283 residential-style rooms and suites, which include chic London and Garden suites (launched in 2018) and seven themed presidential suites, all crafted by David Collins Studio. Amenities include free Wi-Fi, Nespresso machines, high-tech media hubs, and marble bathrooms with rain showers, bathtubs with built-in TVs, heated floors, and ESPA products. Some of the higher-level suites even come with private outdoor spaces, butler service, and expansive views. Further relaxation can be found at the flagship ESPA Life by Corinthia Spa, one of the largest in the city with 17 treatment “pods,” a 24/7 gym, a nail studio, and a vast thermal floor with multiple pools, sauna and stream rooms, ice fountains, and sleep pods for extra serenity. To engage both visitors and locals, the hotel regularly offers unique programming and partnerships, including hosting in-residence experts—from neuroscientists to “futurist” trend forecasters—who lead talks and events throughout their stays.

Not everyone gets to live across the street from the White House. Before the current Italian-Renaissance hotel was constructed in 1927, the prime real estate was occupied by the homes of two little-known American icons: John Hay—personal secretary to Abraham Lincoln, ambassador to the United Kingdom, and Secretary of State under both William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt—and Henry Adams, Harvard professor and great-grandson of John Adams. Their houses were hubs of D.C. culture for decades at the turn of the last century, and so, when the Hay-Adams opened, it was only logical that the hotel would continue that tradition. Washingtonians play at the sultry bar scene, everyone from Amelia Earhart to the Obamas has stayed in its elegantly Old World rooms overlooking historic Lafayette Square and the White House beyond, and the hotel is known for its discreet and comprehensive, no-questions-asked service. Should guests need a ride to one of the District’s many important meetings, the house Mercedes drops off anywhere downtown, guaranteeing a first impression worthy of a luminary. Though if you insisted on the meeting coming to you, no Beltway insider would mind.

This hotel is on our list of the best hotels in Washington D.C.

Sacher is synonymous with luxury in Vienna. It’s the name of not just the hotel, but also Austria’s most famous cake, the delectable Sacher-Torte. Eduard, son of Sacher-Torte creator Franz Sacher, opened the hotel in 1876, though it was his young widow Anna who really established the property after he died. In 1934, a few years after her death, the Gürtler family took over the hotel—and continues to maintain it to this day.

Notable personalities like John F. Kennedy and Queen Elizabeth II have walked the halls of this Vienna institution. It was also here that John Lennon and Yoko Ono introduced “Bagism” to the press while inside a giant bag, an event chronicled in the Beatles’ Ballad of John and Yoko. The Belle Epoque–influenced rooms are a symbol of elegance and comfort, while the two restaurants, two bars, and illustrious Café Sacher make it possible to enjoy the hotel’s timeless charm without even being a guest. Be sure to try the famous torte—it’s an essential Vienna treat.

Pella is the place to put on your archaeology hat. There may be no triumphant temple remains or grand Roman roads here, but if you like history, Pella is one of Jordan’s most important archaeological sites. Excavations here reveal a staggering 6,000 years of continuous settlement from the Neolithic age right up to the 14th century. The scattering of ruins strewn across the hilltop include a Canaanite temple, Umayyad residential houses, and a Byzantine church (built over an earlier Roman structure) which are fun to poke around in. The real joy of a visit here, though, is the lonely, windswept setting amid the hills, where you’ll rarely encounter another visitor except maybe a shepherd grazing his sheep.

Take a break from the crowds sunbathing on the Spiaggia Grande in Positano, Italy, and head to the mountains for a hike. The Path of the Gods (Sentiero degli Dei) is a 5.5-mile hike that links the towns Bomerano (near Agerola) to Nocelle (near Positano). Pack a picnic and plan on at least three hours and lots and lots of stairs. Try walking from east to west in the morning to have the sun at your back and the best views. Along the way you will see a wild and rugged side of the Amalfi Coast that contrasts with the glamorous beach scene below.

Meant to resemble a hanok (traditional Korean house), this sophisticated bar in the basement of the Park Hyatt is separated into three distinct sections, meant to represent different rooms in the house. Start with some couldn’t-be-fresher sashimi at the sushi and sake bar, then grab a martini at the cocktail bar, followed by a rare single malt at the whiskey bar, all while listening to mood-setting music emanating from the sleek grand piano. There are also vintage champagnes that need to be fitted into the schedule, so save room for some bubbly. 606 Teheran-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul

Talk about first impressions: Carved sandstone elephants welcome guests into a two-story chandeliered lobby at this palace-style hotel. Attentive service starts at check-in, with gifts of bindis and fresh jasmine necklaces. At 550-square-feet or larger, rooms are palatial themselves, and richly decorated with oriental carpets, jacquards, and hand-embroidered brocades. Those on higher floors offer panoramic city views, but many visitors choose spaces overlooking the internal courtyard or expansive garden (and away from a 16-lane highway) for a sense of calm. The hotel’s Edwardian-inspired bar draws locals and guests alike with its 25-page whiskey and scotch menu, as does a rooftop pool with stunning vistas over New Delhi’s urban landscape. Unique amenities include an on-call astrologer and, for women travelers, the option of an all-female service staff, including butler, gym instructors, and private city guides.

No matter how many postcards you’ve seen of Rome’s iconic Colosseum, you just don’t get it until you pass beneath its crumbling arches. Built by Emperor Vespasian in 72 C.E., the huge amphitheater held 50,000 spectators and marked its opening with 100 days of brutal spectacles like gladiator combat and animal fights. The Colosseum was in use for four centuries, and now you can tour the ruins. Walk through the Hypogeum, an intricate series of tunnels and elevators originally used to transport animals, slaves, and gladiators, to the performance above, or take a moonlit tour to have one of the world’s most storied structures all to yourself.

Buenos Aires is so grand that the El Centro (city center) district alone has more historic sites than many world cities. As you stroll, you’ll view the iconic Obelisk, which overlooks the main Avenue 9 de Julio, and the Plaza de Mayo, where Evita addressed throngs of her followers from the balcony of the Casa Rosada. The churches are works of art—the Baroque Basilica of San Francisco is only one example—and even the office buildings are worth seeing (check out the elegant Palacio Barolo). In all, the architecture rivals that of any city in Europe.

The town Hjo (pronounced “yo”) on the western shore of Lake Vättern is small-town gem with many well-preserved 17th-century wooden buildings. During the Middle Ages, it played an important role as connection between the Vadstena Abbey, the motherhouse of the Bridgettine Order, on the eastern shore the lake and the people in Västergötland. In 1876, four wealthy men decided to turn Hjo into a health resort, and a bought a large piece of land on the lake. They constructed grand villas, a spa and a beautiful park surrounding the facilities. Although the spa is long gone, the buildings and the park remain, so stroll along the footpaths and breathe in some of that fresh lake air.

Why we love it: A stylish stay that brings contemporary luxury to island life

The Highlights:
- A minimal design that highlights the stunning natural scenery
- The longest pool in the Caribbean
- A lavish spa equipped with a hammam

The Review:
When Silversands Grenada opened its doors in 2008, it was a game-changer for the island. A member of Leading Hotels of the World, the oceanfront property offers an unmatched level of luxury, which starts as soon as you’re picked up from the airport in the house Tesla. Once on site, sleek design and clean lines let the ocean be the focus, though superior rooms, the longest pool in the Caribbean, two restaurants, and a rum and cigar bar also deserve attention. There’s even an incredible spa with a hammam, experiential shower, and ice room; a state-of-the-art fitness center; and a heated pool shaded by slatted wood and decorated with Foscarini ceiling lights hanging overhead.

Still, you could be perfectly happy just staying in your room. The 43 suites—some of which are among the largest accommodations on Grenada—all feature outdoor space as well as king-size beds surrounded by remote-controlled curtains for a touch of romance. A white, teak, and neutral-toned palette creates a bright, airy feel, while light-filled bathrooms include a double vanity, soaking tub, and rain shower. For even more luxury, opt for one of the nine villas, each of which comes with three or four bedrooms, plus a private pool.

No one stays at Old Faithful Inn for the amenities: With no Wi-Fi, air conditioning, or TVs in the rooms—some don’t even have private bathrooms—all you can do is watch bison graze unperturbed by the busloads of tourists pulling up, or the namesake geyser spout. The lack of luxury doesn’t seem to deter the crowds, though, who come to sleep under the roof of the original log-and-stone building, which was completed in 1904, and launched the iconic architectural style known as National Park Service rustic, or Parkitecture. Though an east wing was added in 1914, and a west wing in 1927, the lodge remains much as tourists saw it a century ago, with its soaring, open lobby surrounding an enormous four-sided, 86-foot stone fireplace. The pre-existing Crow’s Nest that leads to the roof terrace is off-limits now, but two mezzanine-level interior balconies are coveted seating areas for unwinding with nightly piano performances. While the two wings have better views of Old Faithful and the geyser basin, you can’t beat the Old House for its historic charm.