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One of the South’s top art institutions, the High Museum was established in 1905 with a collection of European works. Over time, it has expanded to include modern art, regional artists, and rotating exhibits on everything from designer sneakers to the Terracotta Warriors to the Louvre’s most notable works. Outside, guests can view Rodin’s famous sculpture The Shade, which serves as a memorial to the 106 art patrons from Atlanta who died in a plane crash in 1962. Also outdoors are several interactive exhibits that encourage visitors to get up-close-and-personal with the art.

Why we love it: A design-savvy boutique hotel with direct beach access

The Highlights:
- Bright design that’s full of personality
- A focus on exploring the hotel’s natural surroundings
- Direct access to pristine Seven Mile Beach

The Review:
A welcome departure from the classic Negril resort scene, this stylish boutique hotel—opened in 2018—melds local flavor, a vintage Havana feel, and a contemporary sensibility in a way that speaks to the curious, independent traveler. Set along 220 pristine feet of Seven Mile Beach, the hotel features a clean-lined, mid-century modern-inspired aesthetic throughout, accented by bright textiles, artwork, and a curated soundtrack that celebrates the history of Jamaican music.

Room options range from studios set on the second floor of the accommodation wing, to options with patios or balconies looking out at either the garden or the ocean. All have air conditioning, USB outlets, Bluetooth radio, free Wi-Fi, and mini-bars. Skylark is big on encouraging guests to explore the area, whether that means taking advantage of the direct beach access (the hotel provides loungers, paddleboards, snorkeling gear, and beach games, plus food and beverage service), going for a boat ride, hiking to a waterfall, or zip-lining through the jungle.

Blending a cheerful, laid-back spirit with a splash of formal elegance, The Reefs Resort & Club is uniquely Bermudian. Staff greets you with a rum swizzle upon arrival at the family-owned and operated property, then whisks you up to a room where bright botanical prints complement crisp white linens, deep wood tones, and tile floors, and windows offer views of the Atlantic’s turquoise-tinged waves. Days are spent indulging in frangipani salt scrubs and ayurvedic massages at the spa, sitting in on a sunrise yoga session on the beach and hitting the links nearby, or simply napping on a chaise at the freshwater infinity pool. Sited to capture awe-inspiring vistas of the water, limestone cliffs, and lush vegetation that surround the resort, three restaurants serve classic continental fare, but more adventurous types can rent a scooter across the street to sample the local food scene on a culinary tour of Hamilton and St. George.

Opened in 1932 in the historic Royal Khmer compound, this landmark hotel was the first luxury lodging in the area, catering to well-heeled adventurers intent on visiting the storied ruins of the temples at Angkor. Everyone from Charlie Chaplin and Charles de Gaulle to Jackie O and, more recently, Angelina Jolie have slept within its dramatic, art deco walls. Just a short walk or tuk-tuk ride to central Siem Reap, the hotel, now part of the Raffles collection, features 15 acres of manicured gardens with more than 20,540 species of tropical plants, making it a relaxing oasis after a day spent exploring the temples. Following a major restoration by David Grace Designs in 2019, the 119 rooms, suites, and villas—some set in the original main building, others overlooking the garden or pool—are now a vision of French windows, hardwood floors, and marble bathrooms with Italian tiling and oversized rain showers. Some have added perks like furnished terraces, high ceilings, or four-poster beds. Elsewhere in the hotel, features like the 1929 metal-and-timber elevator, art deco black-and-white tiles, and classic conservatory have been refurbished but maintained.

The large central swimming pool is ringed by loungers, while the tucked-away spa has a sauna, Jacuzzi, and six treatment rooms for excellent, regionally inspired therapies. Both in-house and outside guests frequent the six drinking and dining options, which include the legendary Elephant Bar, the elegant Restaurant Le Grand (serving both Western and Royal Khmer cuisine), and the completely renovated Apsara Terrace, which offers a dinner-cum-cultural dance show three or five nights a week, depending on the season. The on-site gallery and boutique showcase high-quality local goods.

One can’t help noticing Brazil’s stark social contrasts, especially visible in Rio thanks to rich neighborhoods that often sit cheek by jowl next to some of its poorest, the city’s famous favelas. High up in the favela called Tavares Bastos, visitors can take in an evening that includes some of the city’s best jazz, yet in a setting like few others: a boîte called The Maze. The owner, a British artist and longtime Rio resident, first decided to mount a First Fridays show in 2005, and those monthly events have become a citywide musical tradition. Those who journey up—aboard a minibus or in a taxi—will get breathtaking vistas to go with the great entertainment.

I suppose the Algonquin is an obvious pilgrimage for anyone with a fascination for the 1920s, but it certainly didn’t disappoint. The ambience conjured everything I imagined of a legendary literary bolthole and more importantly my White Russian was delicious, accompanied by superb bar snacks and delivered to me by a most solicitous and engaging pair of waiters. The place managed to make me feel like it was me who was the famous guest - the kind of sensation that will have me going back for more.

Take San Francisco’s defining features—its booming tech industry, its creative heart, its killer restaurant scene—and squeeze them into a 100-year-old building in a neighborhood undergoing a sea change. That’s Hotel Zetta. The dynamic property, which re-opened as Hotel Zetta in 2013, couldn’t be more, well, San Francisco.

In the lobby, there’s a chandelier fashioned from recycled sunglass lenses, a front desk made from reclaimed wood, and a two-story Plinko board (an interactive art piece) that descends from the Playroom. About that: The Playroom caters to the work-hard, play-hard set. A shuffle board, a pool table, and video games (both current and retro) spark friendly competition. A classic London telephone booth lets guests order room service or video chat. Modern amenities continue in the rooms. Desks built from kitchen butcher blocks encourage standing while working. A G-Link docking station facilitates wireless streaming from tablets and smartphones to flat-screen Samsung Smart TVs, which come pre-loaded with complimentary Internet service, apps and HD channels.

The art? A blend of analog and digital. Art in the guestrooms include work by Nick Gentry. He made an original work as a compilation of floppy disks. Then, the work was photographed and screenprinted as a giclee on a canvas for the rooms. Downstairs, two new ventures from famed Bay Area restaurateurs Anna Weinberg, James Nicholas and Chef Jennifer Puccio (of Marlowe and Park Tavern) ensure the young and hungry are adequately fueled.

Talk about a beach day. This feet-in-the-sand eatery serving burgers, chicken wings, and fries is more than a laid-back fish shack. Sure, there are all the requisite beach-bar amenities—a cool cocktail list, live music, and a line of loungers facing the water. But additional perks include free Wi-Fi, showers, and lockers; what’s more, concession stands are on hand to rent out water-sports gear. The bay itself is breathtaking with limestone rocks creating a barrier protecting it from the open ocean, meaning the shallow turquoise waters are perfect for paddleboarding. Tobacco Bay is also one of the best snorkeling spots in Bermuda.

A long jetty with a thatch-roofed shelter at the far end is the signature motif of Pigeon Point Heritage Park. This is Tobago’s favorite swimming beach, a classic scene of golden sands bordered by coconut palms. The well-maintained 125-acre park is also a hub year round for island events, from dragon-boat races and culinary feasts to jazz and other music festivals. Colorful glass-bottomed boats pick up visitors here for tours over the ample reef system. And there’s shopping, too: Look for island-made ceramics, batik and beachwear.

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.

What we love: A true five-star stay in the heart of a booming city

The Highlights:
- Diverse on-site dining options
- Spacious rooms with thoughtful details like sink-side ring holders
- The best hotel spa in town

The Review:
Thank Tilman Fertitta—the billionaire visionary behind the Landry’s Inc. restaurant group, the Houston Rockets, and numerous entertainment and hospitality ventures—for Houston’s only AAA Five Diamond hotel. Determined to give his booming hometown the luxury hotel “it deserves,” Fertitta oversaw every detail of The Post Oak’s creation, from choosing the art (you’ll find pieces by Frank Stella, Robert Motherwell, Donald Sultan and others, many from Fertitta’s own collection) to working with the designers and adding useful touches to the rooms (like sink-side ring holders and shaving mirrors in the showers). The 250 rooms and 20 residences are spacious and sophisticated, crafted with top-quality materials and furnishings (Fertitta estimates that about $1.5 million was spent per room, and it shows). All have showers and tubs, tablet control systems, and original photography on the walls; residences have full kitchens and dining rooms. For added perks, book a room on the Concierge Level and gain access to a food-and-drink-stocked lounge that overlooks the surrounding Uptown neighborhood.

As befits a restaurateur of Fertitta’s level, there are several drinking and dining options on site, including the locally inspired Bloom & Bee, Mastro’s Steakhouse, Willie G’s Seafood, H-Bar, Craft F&B for wood-fired pizza and pub grub, and Bouchee Patisserie for homemade sweets. When you’ve inevitably indulged in a meal or two, work it off on the hotel’s 20,000-square-foot wellness level, which includes a state-of-the-art gym and a spa with treatments both decadent (like pampering two-hour rituals) and high-tech (facials performed using the latest machines). If you really want to visit like a VIP, know that the hotel also features a helipad on top of the building, a pet salon, a 30,000-bottle-strong wine cellar that hosts private dinners, and a two-story auto showroom lined with Roll-Royces.

Terraced like the surrounding rice paddies, Soori Bali occupies an undeveloped stretch of fertile coastline roughly 25 minutes from Tabanan, a town northwest of Denpasar known for traditional farming and artisan crafts. The resort’s modern design plays on the shapes, colors, and landscapes of the surrounding area and incorporates local stone. (At the recommendation of the surrounding village’s elder, the property also constructed 10 stone temples onsite within the property.) Outdoor spaces feature bright green trees and grasses along with infinity pools, while high ceilings, cool colors, and marble floors inside create a tranquil escape from the heat. The property’s spacious rooms and wood-slat shades give off an art-gallery vibe, and the reading-room lounge displays the works of the hotel’s artists in residence. Food is another big focus here, both at the resort’s three restaurants and in tours that explore rice cultivation, exotic ingredients found at the Kerambitan market, and the spices, cacao, and coffee from nearby Jatiluwih.

Of all the accommodations in Maui’s tony Wailea resort community, the 22-acre, waterfront Fairmont Kea Lani may be the most family-friendly of the bunch thanks in large part to its all-suite-and-villa setup. The property’s 450 guest rooms are some of the biggest on the island—the smallest suites start at a generous 860 square feet, while the two- and three-bedroom beachfront villas weigh in at 1,800 square feet and up. All cater to families, with separate sleeping and living areas, entertainment systems, furnished outdoor space (for lounging and dining), sleeper sofas, and some type of kitchen facilities, while villas encourage group gatherings with plunge pools and BBQ grills. Both adults and kids will love the deep-soaking tubs, too. Elsewhere, three indoor and three outdoor pools provide space for fun when kids’ club activities (among them volcano building, hula lessons, and tide pool excursions) aren’t on the agenda. Grown-ups can also amuse themselves with activities like outrigger canoe journeys, cultural programs, tee times at three nearby championship golf courses, and locally inspired treatments at the Willow Stream Spa, which offers dedicated fitness and wellness programs. Fuel your adventures at the five on-site restaurants, including the seafood-focused Nick’s Fishmarket Maui (with its 2,000-bottle-strong wine cellar) and the award-winning Kō, where the flavors are inspired by Hawaii, the Philippines, Korea, and beyond.

Opened in 2012, the Alpina is one of only two newly built, five-star hotels in Gstaaad in more than a century. Situated in a wealthy hilltop area in Oberbort, the hotel offers stellar views of the Bernese Alps (including the Spitzhorn and Oldenhorn) and the valley scenery of the Saanenland—as well as an impressive amount of discreet luxury. Built in traditional Swiss chalet style, the limestone-and wood-structure contains 56 rooms and suites that pair antique and artisan furnishings (wardrobes, tables, carved ceilings) with contemporary design pieces. All rooms have great views, though the higher the better; on the 5th and 6th floors, you’ll find the jaw-dropping, duplex Panorama Suite, with separate dining and working areas, and a fireplace. Furthermore, throughout the hotel’s public spaces, guests can see art by famous artists like Barbara Kruger, Tracey Emin, and Bosco Sodi.

The hotel facilities are some of the best in Switzerland, ranging from an authentically Cuban-style cigar lounge to multiple Michelin-starred restaurants. The hotel’s Six Senses spa spans a whopping 21,500 square feet and includes an 80-foot-long lap pool, while an immaculately landscaped garden, designed by French garden designer Jean Mus, brims with Alpine plants and corresponding fragrances in the summer.

One of only two hotels right on Biscayne Bay (the other is the Standard), rooms at Mondrian South Beach are coveted by guests wanting a stellar view. Designed by Dutchman Marcel Wanders, the hotel’s decor is intended to evoke a sense that one is floating around in an underwater world, and the property is described as an homage to Sleeping Beauty’s castle. The slightly whimsical and slightly creepy mermaidlike woman whose face appears on walls throughout the hotel is the “keeper” of this “castle,” where incongruous elements—traditional blue-and-white Dutch porcelain juxtaposed with busy black-and-white patterned wallpaper, say—somehow work in odd, unexpected harmony. Everything about the hotel feels spacious, including oversized rooms, many of which are flooded with sunlight and enjoy bay views.