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Not too long ago, the Palms Casino Resort, just west of the Strip, was synonymous with “Oops! I Did It Again”-era Britney Spears and the Playboy Club that attracted porn stars from all over the world. That changed when the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians bought the place in 2021, and the property became the largest Native American–owned hotel-casino in town. Since then, the San Manuel have restored the coolness factor the Palms enjoyed in its early aughts heyday. The Playboy Club is gone, but the famous themed suites got a refresh and are as mind-boggling as ever. The Hardwood Suite famously has an NBA-caliber basketball half-court and a full locker room, while the Kingpin Suite is designed around two bowling lanes. The Cinema Suite contains a screening room with theater-style seating and a full movie screen.


In addition to the specialty suites, Palms has 1,365 guest rooms, all recently renovated. Accommodations in the Fantasy Tower were designed with muted tones, while the ones in the Ivory Tower are more colorful and feature modern art on the walls. Ghost Bar, a cocktail lounge on the 55th floor, offers epic views of the Strip; it’s not as hopping as it was in the 2000s, but it still offers live entertainment every weekend.


Related: 7 Hotels to Book for “Non-Vegas” People

In a sprawling white building on a bustling square in Berlin’s Mitte district, the Circus Hotel offers crisp design and easygoing service at shockingly affordable prices. The owners also run a popular hostel across the street. In 64 airy rooms, suites, and apartments, dark oak floors and funky splashes of red, mint, and hot pink accent a minimalist aesthetic. Offbeat amenities include access to the house Smart car, Segway scooters, bikes, and local cell phones. Make sure you ask for a room on the courtyard: Rooms facing the street can be noisy because of the rattling trams outside.

This appeared in the May/June 2010 issue.

Tucked amongst the galleries in downtown Scottsdale’s art district, Frank & Lupe’s is a charming hacienda with delectable, down-home Mexican food. Its shaded back patio is one of the best places to sip ice-cold Tecate or margaritas on a nice day. No doubt one of the restaurant’s shining stars is the carne adobada burrito plate, a warm tortilla wrapped around pork marinated in red chili sauce, vinegar and oregano. It’s on the spicier side, but a nice dollop of sour cream balances it out nicely.

While the Taipei Brewery (housed in an old warehouse) doesn’t look it from the outside, inside it is Oktoberfest every day. Serving fresh Taiwan beer, the atmosphere is festive and lively, especially on the weekends when bands join the fun for a sometimes loud but always fun experience. The food options here are somewhat limited (mostly pub-style cuisine), so eat beforehand if you want a more robust meal. The Brewery is especially popular among locals, so be sure to visit if you want to escape the Western bubble.

Located in the Guanyinshuan National Scenic Area in New Taipei, Taiwan‘s Yehlio Geopark showcases an otherworldly landscape that is not to be missed. It is the only place in the world where you can see the geological features present in this park, like mushroom rocks, sea-eroded troughs, and honeycombed formations that make you feel like you’re walking through a Salvador Dali painting. Make sure to also explore the nearby markets, which offer free samples of local foods.

A short ferry-ride from Playa del Carmen, Isla Cozumel is a diver’s paradise. And while diving and snorkeling might be the main attraction here, the island and its town San Miguel de Cozumel offer a lot of land- and sand-based activities for the traveler as well. San Miguel de Cozumel’s main plaza is a peaceful spot to people watch, shop, and dine. Even though this town sees thousands of tourists a year and shiploads of cruise-goers dock here daily, it has managed to keep its charm and warmth. For some scrumptious grub, check out Kinta, a block or so off the main plaza on Avenida 5-- it offers up fresh seafood and traditional Mexican cuisine. The western side of the island is built up with beach clubs, where for a small fee you can enjoy their beaches and facilities-- Isla de la Pasión is one of these and boasts a gorgeous beach. The eastern side of the island is wilder and the surf too dangerous for swimming in most places, with the exception of Playa Chen Río. When you get tired of the beach, put on your Indiana Jones hat and travel inland to a minor Maya ruin, San Gervasio, which the ancient Maya dedicated to Ixchel, the goddess of fertility. Of course, this island was built around diving and you’ll see why once you hit the clear, turquoise waters and behold their technicolor reefs. Santa Rosa Wall and Palancar are two of the best dive spots. Dive shops abound for equipment rental, tours, and even certification lessons.

You can’t go wrong with any of the Intercontinental David’s rooms, all 555 of which look out onto the Mediterranean, but those seeking the ultimate view should at least consider the Jaffa Suite for its privileged perspective on Old Jaffa, or the Tel Aviv Suite, where the panorama includes Jaffa, Tel Aviv, and the sea. On the other hand, this hotel is so centrally located that you could simply walk to anything you want to see, from the evocative old city of Jaffa with its minarets, stone walls, and bobbing boats, to the Neve Tzedek district full of bohemian cafes and boutiques. Although you’ll be tempted to fill up on produce, halva, and pastries at the nearby Shuk HaCarmel market, save room for at least one dinner at the Intercontinental David—especially the traditional Shabbat meal that takes place in the third-floor Jaffa Court on Friday nights.

Spice Route is a heavenly experience where deep colors meet exotic spices. Located in the grand Imperial Hotel, I found the restaurant to be one of the most visually stunning places I’ve ever seen. Restaurants in 5-star hotels are generally known to display lavish and extravagant decor, but this restaurant is on a whole new level. It feels as if you have walked into a dark forest with rich gold branches and heavenly waterfalls, and a pervasive aroma of mysterious spices to match. It’s an escape into nature. And it’s not as if the stunning decor is trying to compensate for the poor quality of food. The food is absolutely scrumptious, offering food from all the places that fell under the ancient spice route, from the Malabar Coast of Kerala to the shores of Thailand. I think it’s one of the very few restaurants in Delhi that has amazing Keralan food. The restaurant is really romantic, making it a perfect place for a date. It is very upscale and they are quite serious about implementing a strict dress code. It’s even rated as one of the top restaurants by Condé Nast Traveler. It’s not just a restaurant, it’s an experience!

Zurich’s Old Town has one foot firmly in the past and the other very much at the forefront of Swiss culture. Wandering through the pedestrian-only cobbled streets of the Altstadt (which you can do for hours!), you’ll find Switzerland‘s highest concentration of clubs, as well as theatres, comedy troupes, street performers and young fashion designers selling their wares in small, elegant shops on medieval streets. Landmarks include the Grossmünster’s double towers, built by Charlemagne, and the Peterskirche, which has the distinction of being the church with Europe’s largest clockface. Don’t miss Limmatquai, along the Limmat River, one of Zurich‘s most thronged shopping sites where restaurants and shops are housed in Baroque gilded houses from the 1700s, something like the canalside houses of Amsterdam. It’s a great place to actually walk into the past and have the vibrant present all around you! Check out the Artistry and Craftsmanship itinerary to Switzerland, created by Bob Preston of Swiss Panache, on AFAR Journeys.

The food truck revolution is coming to Brussels and a great introduction is Keep On Toasting. Keep On Toasting travels around Brussels, serving up gourmet toasties, toasted sandwiches inspired by the traditional croque monsieur. These are far from your Mom’s grilled cheese sandwiches though. Owner and chef, Jean Baptiste Nyssen, creates four new sandwiches a week. He hand picks the best local and organic ingredients he can find. Pictured here is his Croq-British - A perfect breakfast sandwich, containing chopped up boiled egg, lardons (bacon), green beans and Stilton cheese. His veggie goat-cheese and lentil sandwich blew my mind and with inspirations from the Alps to India, there is sure to be a sandwich for you.

WOMB Gallery, located in Oklahoma City’s Automobile Alley district, is the work of The Flaming Lips front man Wayne Coyne. This place likes to call itself am “experience” and not a gallery as some displays are interactive and if you’re lucky you may even get to add your own piece of art in the collaborative 3-D room.

The hippest hotel in the city not only has a Rauschenberg (it was commissioned for the penthouse suite) and Corbusier armchairs strewn every which way, it also has an excellent jazz program in its Widder Bar. Among the greats who’ve already played here: Brad Mehldau, Diana Krall and Hank Jones.

The three floors of art on display at the Ogden, one of a handful of museums in the city’s off-the-radar museum district near Lee Circle, run the gamut from Clementine Hunter’s paintings of plantation life to Shelby Lee Adam’s photographs of Appalachia. The medium varies, but everything on display has some tie to the South.

Vaulted ceilings and arched hallways retain the medieval character of the 14th-century monastery that originally stood here in the Malá Strana district. The hotel also houses Essensia restaurant. Doubles from $350, Nebovidská 459/1, Malá Strana, 420/2-33-088- 888.

This appeared in the October 2012 issue.

Head to the deep southern end of Belize and you’ll find yourself in a world of Maya villages. Belize’s first inhabitants continue to live traditionally in the countryside in beautifully thatched homes, close to rivers, cooking by fire hearth, and practicing their medicinal and spiritual beliefs. You can immerse in Mayan culture by doing a homestay, or better yet, spend a full day in Indian Creek Village with EcoTourism Belize—a sustainable tour company that reinvests 100 percent of tour monies into the area’s conservation programs. During the visit, you’ll learn about the Maya way of life, make caldo and tortillas for your lunch, and spend the afternoon hiking and swimming in the river.