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With its historic pueblo-inspired architecture and Spanish Revival style, this landmark Santa Fe hotel looks like it dates back much earlier than 1922, when it was designed by two of the area’s top architects: Mary Elizabeth Jane Coulter and John Gaw Meem. And, in fact, despite the imposing building’s relative youth, the legacy of La Fonda dates back to the 1600s. An inn or hotel has stood on this site since the city’s founding at the end of the Santa Fe Trail.

Now, as one of the city’s most iconic luxury hotels, it presides over the historic Plaza and boasts some of the best views of the city and surrounding mountains and desert. Thanks to a complete (and completely faithful) renovation in 2013, rooms are now bright and airy, outfitted with handcrafted furnishings, local artwork and textiles, energy-efficient casement windows, and all the luxuries expected of a modern grande dame. The fine-dining courtyard restaurant is one of the most romantic dining destinations in town—trumped only by the rooftop Bell Tower Bar, whose sunset views and margarita menu draw locals and in-the-know visitors alike. Throw in a heated outdoor pool (open year-round, a rarity in Santa Fe) and a decadent spa, and it’s no wonder that La Fonda has maintained its reputation for superlative hospitality for so long.

Fans of the Montage brand’s Laguna Beach and Beverly Hills flagships will love this mountain version, a ski-in, ski-out hotel wedged into the head of Empire Canyon. The sprawling, Craftsman-style manor debuted in 2010, solidifying Deer Valley’s standing as one of North America’s most luxurious ski resorts. Service shines, starting with the “Mountain Host,” who greets guests in the majestic lobby rotunda. Up the grand staircase, the full-service Vista Lounge acts as a communal living room, with vaulted ceilings, exposed wood beams, floor-to-ceiling windows, and leather furnishings gathered around limestone fireplaces. To further entertain guests, there’s also a museum-quality collection of Western art, including Carl Runguis panoramas, John James Audubon prints, and Frederic Remington portraits.

The hotel’s X-shaped footprint means nearly every room has small deck with mountain or valley views. Averaging around 600 square feet, large guestrooms are airy and inviting with lofted ceilings and soothing natural hues. Remote-controlled gas fireplaces are the centerpiece of each room, though the bath suite with heated limestone floors, marble vanity, rain shower, and soaking tub could occupy your entire evening.

When in Kingston, make time for a stop at Devon House, a grand 1891 Georgian mansion that was built for George Stiebel, Jamaica‘s first non-white millionaire. The lovely upright house and its 11 surrounding acres are now protected as a National Heritage Site, but that doesn’t mean that there’s not fun to be had. The sprawling grounds include shops, restaurants, a bakery, and a popular ice-cream shop, I-Scream. House tours can be arranged, but the grounds, landscaped with stately palms and fountains, are the highlight—it’s a great spot to take a stroll, read, shop, or dine. The mansion and its manicured lawns are also used for weddings and lavish events.

It’s no coincidence that walking around Liberty feels as if you’re exploring someone’s grand home; the department store’s founder, Arthur Lasenby Liberty, wanted to create that very feel, and so in 1875 settled on a Tudor-style building that featured a jumble of interconnecting rooms. A wooden staircase at one end connects the six floors, and a paper room sells stationery in the store’s iconic floral Liberty print, fashion and beauty halls, a cafe, and multiple branded treatment rooms. Still, it’s the florist’s shop outside that seems to provide the main draw; as any passing tourist will attest, its colourful array of blooms is highly Instagrammable.

From the luxury Oetker Collection, Le Bristol is one of the first hotels in France to obtain Palace distinction. Occupying nearly an entire block on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré near the Élysée presidential palace, this soulful property has been a gathering place for Parisians since 1925. The 190 guest rooms, which feel like private apartments, are decorated with precious fabrics, paintings, and 18th-century antiques. The on-site attractions include a spa by Le Prairie, a teak-lined pool resembling a yacht, and a courtyard garden fragrant with jasmine. For more than a decade, chef Eric Frechon has held three Michelin stars at Epicure, where menu fixtures include the macaroni stuffed with black truffle and foie gras. Frechon’s culinary dominions are a portal into French gastronomy itself: The hotel has its own chocolate factory, cheese cellar, flour mill, and boulangerie.

In Coconut Grove, you’ll find an open-air weekend farmers’ market offering delicious sustainable fruits, vegetables, herbs, nuts, and seeds. In addition to checking out the fresh produce, be sure to stop by the local vendors who sell amazing vegan, dairy-free, and raw foods and baked goods, including vegan sushi and ice cream, raw coconuts, and Indian cuisine. On Saturday mornings, you’ll usually find women in activewear looking for a post-workout snack and families doing their weekly shopping.

Brussels has a number of African influences due to the influx of African immigrants from former Belgian colonies. A great example is the number of African restaurants in town. We ate at KoKob (pictured), an upscale, trendy Ethiopian restaurant. As is tradition in Ethiopia, we ate with our hands from a shared plate using a spongy crepe-like bread to scoop up meats and vegetables. We washed down the meal with St. Georges, a popular Ethiopian beer. Definitely a fun, unexpected experience.

Opened in 1926 by Maude N. Bouldin as a women’s hostel, Hotel Figueroa served as a safe haven for female travelers for several decades. Nearly a century later, it remains one of the best-preserved buildings in Downtown Los Angeles and has become a member of The Leading Hotels of the World. The Mediterranean-style property recently underwent a two-year-long renovation, in which its original Spanish Colonial design was fully restored. Now, rooms feature leather headboards, curvy lines, and original artwork for a stylishly feminine look that suits the building’s history. Feather-top mattresses are fitted with Sferra linens, while spacious glass-enclosed showers boast subway tiles and brass fixtures. Some rooms and suites even have spacious sitting areas and balconies.

One of my favorite discoveries in Chicago is the Empire Ballroom inside The Palmer House. It’s just up the stairs from the hotel’s magnificent lobby and has a rich history most anyone working at the hotel will be willing to tell you more about. This room with its shiny wood floor and opulent chandeliers is where Frank Sinatra used to perform. While the ballroom itself is beautiful, it’s most interesting feature is what’s hidden behind the mirrored wall in its corner. Push on the last panel and you’ll stumble into a dressing room where famous acts - including Sinatra - used to get ready to go on stage. Several autographed pictures are still hanging on the walls.

Buenos Aires is a city of readers—it supports more bookstores per capita than any other place in the world. The crown jewel of the librerías here is the Ateneo Grand Splendid. Housed in a theater where music legends such as Carlos Gardel once attracted vast crowds, the store features shelf after shelf of tempting volumes on its rounded balconies. Italian frescoes on the domed ceiling and plush red-velvet curtains are from the theater’s original 1919 design. The four-story space carries over 120,000 books and a local-music selection, and there’s a café on the erstwhile stage.

This glamorous villa is situated on Capri’s main road—and just a five-minute walk to the port—but JK Place feels like a refuge from the tourist throngs. Interiors have a chic, polished aesthetic that’s the embodiment of la dolce vita: The crisp white-and-navy spaces are filled with beautiful art and antiques, dramatic fireplaces, and colorful bouquets of blooms, while large windows and panoramic terraces capture views of rugged green hills that fall into the sea. (Yes, that’s Mount Vesuvius looming in the distance.) Posh touches continue in the guest rooms—think monogrammed pillows, canopy beds, wingback chairs, and marble- and mosaic-tiled bathrooms. Lemon trees scent the air throughout the property, from the elegant pool deck and on-site spa to the terrace bar, where sunset aperitivos are accompanied by tasty bites such as sea bream sliders and quail-egg canapés.

One of Canada’s most iconic hotels, the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise is cradled by the Rocky Mountains, its grand, castle-like structure surrounded by towering peaks and the pristine, protected wilderness of Banff National Park. The hotel was founded in 1890 by Cornelius Van Horne, the general manager of the Canadian Pacific Railway, who envisioned creating a refuge for “the outdoor adventurer and alpinist.” What began as a one-story log cabin ended up helping to kick-start tourism in the Canadian Rockies, launch the Canadian mountaineering scene, and draw a host of notable names to the region, from Marilyn Monroe to Queen Elizabeth II.

Today, guests arrive in a grand lobby outfitted with imposing chandeliers and sweeping staircases. Common areas are decorated with old-timey photos from the hotel’s past, while the 552 spacious rooms and suites are all about showcasing views of the stunning turquoise lake and snowcapped Victoria Glacier. There are plenty of activities to enjoy year-round, from canoeing, hiking, fishing, rafting, and horseback riding in warmer weather, to skiing, snowboarding, ice skating, and snowmobiling in the winter. In between, savor everything from European alpine dishes, authentic Italian fare, and Canadian comfort food to a large selection of bourbons and whiskeys at the seven dining outlets, or head to the spa and health club for a pampering treatment or dip in the indoor heated pool.

As Phoenix heats up, many locals are desperate to escape the desert’s barren landscape and head north to Sedona. Only a two-hour drive from the city, on average, Sedona sees about 60% local valley traffic over the weekends. Route 89A, leading up to Flagstaff, provides many opportunities to veer off course and wander the many trailheads in Sedona. One particular trail is the West Fork Oak Creek Trail. Temperatures are at least 20 degrees cooler here and provides relief from the consistent 101-115 temps. You’ll find water holes and rivers and shade under the evergreens to keep cool and refreshed. Pack a picnic and spend a few hours exploring this trail as it weaves and winds through the forest and up against cliffs and the water’s edge. Hop from rock to rock crossing the stream at five different points along the trail. You won’t sweat too much here as it’s a fairly easy 3 mile stroll. You’ll know when you get to the end of the marked trail - it ventures on but I have yet to figure out how to follow it further to its 14-mile stretch. $9 entrance fee for the day. Word of advice: Get there EARLY to find parking during the weekend and summer months.

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.

Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn) is a Buddhist temple in Bangkok‘s Yai district. It is situated on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River. The temple is one of the best known Thai landmarks. The mosaics which cover the temple create a pearly sheen during sunrise and sunset. Ferries can be caught at the Tha Tien Pier across the river from Wat Arun every couple of minutes. Tha Tien Pier is located near the Grand Palace and Wat Po.