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This 12-cottage luxury hotel, 3,100 feet up in the Blue Mountains, is Jamaica without the beaches. It is the Jamaica of misty mornings, cool, cuddle-worthy evenings, and a musical heritage recognized worldwide. First as a private estate belonging to music producer Chris Blackwell and then as part of his Island Outpost collection of hotels, Strawberry Hill has been a creative refuge for performers including Bob Marley, the Rolling Stones, and Willy Nelson. After Hurricane Gilbert destroyed the estate’s great house in 1988, Blackwell commissioned Jamaican architect Ann Hodges, who specializes in historic reconstructions, to build the cottages, a restaurant, and a pool, which were opened in 1994. Yet despite the rock and roll history, and the hanging with like-minded souls up in the mountain mists, what guests seem to remember most is the far-below views of Kingston, especially at night, when the lights glow and sparkle from what must certainly be another world.

Why we love it: A classic St. Pete stay with a beachfront location and retro vibe

The Highlights:
- Cabana rooms with private patios by the pool
- The largest heated pool on St. Pete Beach
- A beach bar with frozen cocktails and live music

The Review:
Nicknamed “the Santorini of St. Pete Beach” for its white-and-blue color scheme, the Postcard Inn on the Beach strikes a balance between playful and sophisticated, attracting families and young couples alike. Set right on the beach, the property boasts a large heated pool, fitness center, and beachwear boutique, plus extras like a fire pit, beach cabanas, bicycles, and fun games like ping-pong and beach volleyball. The 196 bright, breezy guestrooms feature local artwork that pays homage to St. Pete’s surfers and sun worshippers of yesteryear, plus lime, teal, and sea foam accents for a funky vibe. Those looking for a little something extra should book one of the cabana options, which come with private patios right by the pool.

In the morning, guests can fuel up with locally roasted Kahwa coffee and freshly baked donuts at on-site cafe, P.S. Grind. Later in the day, head to the Beach Bar & Snack Shack for sandwiches, frozen cocktails, and live music, or Stamps Lobby Bar and Restaurant for blackened mahi tacos, barbecue dry-rubbed burgers, and other classic American dishes.

Willemstad’s first colonial settlement started as a hub for Dutch slave traders. Now a World Heritage site, this modern city center has a distinct Euro-Caribbean atmosphere, its preserved colonial buildings housing fashion boutiques, art galleries, and sidewalk cafés. Wander down Punda’s narrow cobblestoned alleys, then snap a signature photo at the Queen Wilhelmina Park’s giant Curaçao and Dushi signs. The neighborhood gets extra lively during the free Punda Vibes event every Thursday from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., featuring an outdoor market, live music, and local folkloric dancing.

Schloss Elmau, set at the foot of the craggy German Alps, has a fascinating past. A German theologian opened the hotel in 1916 as a place for visitors to commune with nature while attending religious lectures, public readings, and classical music concerts. In the aftermath of World War II, he lost the property to the U.S. Army, but it was eventually returned to his family. Then in 2005, a fire swept through the original Schloss (castle), causing severe damage, and the owners saw the disaster as an opportunity to rebuild and add another, all-suite hotel on the property to serve as a cultural gathering place. Today, Schloss Elmau still hosts music and literary events—more than 170 each year—and, impressively, served as the site of the G7 Summit in 2015.

Impeccably furnished in shades of soft red, cream, and gold, the 162 rooms are elegant yet understated so as not to distract from the sweeping views of the meadows and mountains beyond. Families will appreciate the larger rooms in the new building, but couples may enjoy soaking up the grand feeling of the original property. The real attraction here, however, is the spas. There are six in all, including one for families, with a large indoor pool and five different types of saunas; the adults-only Badehaus, with three pools, saunas, a yoga center, a beauty salon, and relaxation rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows and open fireplaces; and the Shantigiri spa, featuring separate pools and facilities for adults, families, and “ladies.” Another spa is set on 40 acres with a stream. Once you’re sufficiently blissed out, there are 10 restaurants to choose from, including the Michelin-starred Luce d’Oro.

Built between 1914 and 1916 on an octagonal base, this stone, double-lens lighthouse is Aruba’s marquee landmark. Standing tall at 98 feet, it’s the highest structure on the island and offers the best views in its respective area. It gets its name from the SS California, a British steamship that sank in nearby waters in 1891 and now functions as a fantastic dive site. Adjacent to the lighthouse, visitors will find a beloved Italian restaurant and the California White Sand Dunes, a hot spot for dune surfing.

A good used bookstore is a glorious thing and Myopic is one of the great ones. They have a giant selection of new, used, rare and out of print books on 3 floors, they’re well organized, they’re open until 11pm and there’s a store cat! There’s also a small reading room on the top floor with a big wooden table and chairs and they host poetry readings and live music. They’re open until 11pm all week long but there’s no public bathroom so factor that in to your afternoon of browsing.

For ten days each spring (in early March), The Latino community of Miami celebrates culture, cuisine and entertainment with a vibrant array of beauty pageants, sports, concerts and international foods at Carnaval Miami. There are culinary competitions, galas and an upscale Latin jazz festival. The grand finale is Calle Ocho, a 23-block street festival in Little Havana, which is the largest block party in the world. Over a million watch live entertainment on 30 stages featuring salsa, merengue and Caribbean music. Carnival has been a cultural highlight in Miami for 35 years.

When you live in Miami, you crave more than the glittery neon of South Beach. In Wynwood, the areas most up-and-coming hub for art and nightlife, Gramps appears like a grungy truck stop on the orange dive exterior. Inside, the bar includes live music, stand-up comedy and games. The bar serves creative speciality cocktails with flavorful, fresh ingredients. Outside, there’s an expansive patio with graffiti, art, picnic tables and live sports broadcasts projected on the buildings exterior. The vibe here is totally relaxed and vibrant. The crowd consists of hipsters, artists and fashionable hippies.

Come for a sip of the Cliff Bell at happy hour (that’s Dewar’s Scotch, sweet vermouth, Absinthe Ordinare, and orange bitters), stay for the live jazz and the lively 1930’s atmosphere. Cliff Bell’s jazz bar in downtown Detroit is a slinky watering hole, and a legendary one at that, named for speakeasy owner and colorful local entrepreneur John Clifford Bell. Although the club was shuttered for 20 years from 1985 to 2005, it now swings on with nightly live music and even serves up bottomless mimosas for Sunday brunch.

The Parque Lleras neighborhood is the throbbing heart of Medellín nightlife. The namesake park is tiny, but its surrounding blocks are packed with bars, restaurants, and clubs, many featuring terraces. Wherever you choose to go, it’s usually a high-energy, loud affair with thumping music and fruity cocktails. The area is ground zero for Medellín’s young, hip partyers, out to be seen; weekend dancing rarely ends before sunup.

Owned and operated by journalist and raconteur Nguyen Qui Duc, this Hanoi institution is now in its fourth incarnation near the Opera House. Expect a bohemian crowd, an eclectic music policy and a great selection of wine. Among the other strings in Duc’s bow is a talent for furniture making and his bar is a showroom for some of his exquisite handmade items.

The Cotton Club is the happening place to be, especially for the cool, young expats living in Chongqing. They have a great house band that plays swing music, giving the club an old-time American vibe. The drinks are on the expensive side, and there are a lot of young women there looking for a foreign boyfriend. Aside from that, this is one of THE places to go in Chongqing. Photo by 凌智 (Suzuki)/Flickr.

This champagne bar looks like a mirage as you’re coming down the last stretch of the narrow Sunnega run back into Zermatt. A classic après-ski spot, it’s where the local instructors gather at day’s end. The Cuban-born bartender is always playing great music, from Bob Marley to Jack Johnson, while skiers stay warm with heat lamps, fur blankets, and, of course, multiple glasses of Veuve Clicquot.

Follow the sound of music to the iconic Mirabell Palace and Gardens, where Fräulein Maria and the von Trapp children delightfully sang “Do-Re-Mi.” Mirabell has become a dream destination for marriage ceremonies, boasting what some call the most beautiful wedding hall in the world. Of course, you don’t have to tie the knot to enjoy this elegant slice of Salzburg: Stroll through the gardens and admire the charming flower beds, statues of Roman gods, hedge theater, Pegasus fountain, and garden of baroque marble dwarfs.

This complex of Taoist religious buildings was constructed in the early 15th century under the Yongle Emperor, who also commissioned the Forbidden City, just to the north. The temple’s central building is the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, a 38-meter-high (125-foot), three-tiered structure atop a three-tiered marble base. The wooden hall was built entirely without nails. Inside, the beautifully painted walls and ceiling make it a riot of color. On spring and summer mornings and on sunny winter afternoons, locals gather here to sing, dance, play games such as mah-jongg, and sip tea while catching up on neighborhood gossip.