Search results for

In Japan’s capital, youth dress up—and let loose—in over-the-top themed establishments.

One of the world’s best beaches according to UNESCO, this beautiful palm-lined stretch of golden sand 40 minutes north of Punta Cana is known for its top-rated surf school and its oceanfront restaurants that serve delicious, Dominican-style fish plates. Catch some waves at one end of the beach, then swim in the calm water at the other, where fishing boats loaded with red snapper and lobster pull ashore. Mid-beach, you’ll find food and drink stands alongside activity concessions, from buggy rides in the dunes to stand-up paddleboarding, horseback riding, and surf lessons.

There’s much to see in Cusco and the surrounding area, but you can do a lot if you have three days to explore. Day 1: Visit the Incan ruins at Qorikancha in the morning. After lunch, wander the the Mercado San Pedro, then hike up to Sacsayhuaman for the sunset. Day 2: Take a colectivo to the Sacred Valley, Pisac and Ollantaytambo. Visit the ruins at Moray and the salt mines at Maras. Day 3: Watch Andean life go by at Plaza de Armas, then explore the galleries of Las Blas, the arts district.

Luxurious stays in rooms designed by Missoni, Bulgari, Lacroix, Versace, De La Renta, and more.

Designed by Oscar de la Renta, who was also a guiding force in the original vision for Puntacana Resort, Tortuga Bay Hotel has 13 freestanding villas comprising 30 suites, each with Frette linens, a kitchenette, and a balcony or terrace with views of the Caribbean or La Cana Golf Club. Hotel guests landing at Punta Cana International receive fast-track passage through customs, pickup by a private driver, personal concierge check-in, and keys to a golf cart for getting to the resort’s Oscar de la Renta Tennis Club, two golf courses, and Six Senses Spa.

There are few more picturesque destinations than southern Italy’s Sorrentine peninsula. Stretching from the Bay of Naples to the Gulf of Salerno, the dramatic coastline is dotted with cliff-side towns that overlook brilliant blue waters and are favored by the jetset for their pebbled beaches and terraced gardens, dreamy lemon groves and villa retreats—think Amalfi, Ravello, Positano. Want your own piece of la dolce vita? Here are the hotels and resorts where you’ll find it.

There aren’t too many opportunities in the Caribbean to ride on horseback to a cave. In Los Haitises National Park, located three hours west of the resorts of Punta Cana, Fun Fun (pronounced “Foon Foon”) Cave is officially known as the largest cave in the Caribbean. Though the cave itself is in the National Park, access to the land goes across a private ranch and requires a guided tour. While the nearly three-hour drive from the resorts of Punta Cana is a lengthy, bumpy, journey into the interior, the scenes from the window provide an authentic glimpse into rural Dominican life. Sugar cane sways, schoolchildren wave, and mangoes drip from the trees. Upon reaching the ranch where you begin the tour you are shimmied into a jumpsuit and saddled onto your horse. A 45-minute ride through the shaded forest brings you to the edge of the National Park. From here it’s another 30 minute walk through sun-swallowing trees until you reach the entrance of Fun Fun Cave. Sliding into a harness and climbing gear, entering the cave requires a 50 ft. repel into a tiny hole which can barely fit your shoulders. Once at the bottom, it’s a one hour slog through the depths of the darkness before reaching the other exit. Inside the cave, stalactites and stalagmites pepper the areas which fall in the beam of your flashlight, and at some areas you are forced to swim through the soothing, subterranean waters. Here, a lone rope helps guide visitors through the hidden recesses of the cave.

Even a Brussels native would be forgiven for thinking, at first glance, that the Dominican is a historic building. After all, the façade incorporates many of the features that existed when renowned 19^th-century French painter Jacques-Louis David lived at this address. And, inside, the site’s former incarnation as a 15^th-century Dominican monastery appears in such details as the courtyard colonnade and original stone floors in the serene Monastery Corridor. The soaring ceilings, oversized windows, and ornate ironwork of the Grand Lounge and its adjacent bar call to mind the grand cafés of early 20^th-century Europe, while rooms are adorned with vibrant paintings of classical subjects, like those by David and his contemporaries.

As historic as it all is, though, there’s no doubt that the Dominican is a modern hotel. The contemporary decor harmoniously complements its surroundings, and each of the 150 luxurious rooms has been individually designed. Many afford views of the impressive La Monnaie, the city’s opera house, located next door. The lounge is one of Brussels’ hottest spots for everything from power lunches to date nights, and the gym even has a private boxing room.

The Bridges of Samaná, also called the “Bridges to Nowhere,” are a string of bridges connecting the small islands that stretch across the outside of Samaná harbor. They are remnants from a project in the 1960s and ’70s by President Joaquín Balaguer to build a restaurant on one of the islands, connected to the mainland by a pedestrian bridge. The restaurant never opened, but the bridges and the shell of the building remain as curious relics of recent history.

At this luxury collection of six historic homes—some from the 16th century—guests can book a bedroom or an entire house, all within blocks of Santo Domingo’s most important attractions. You won’t find out which room or home you’ll be staying in until your arrival, but you’re sure to be pleased. Located in the heart of the Zona Colonial, the casas are exquisite. Two were part of former convents, one was a monastery, and another was once the private home of a famous Dominican fashion designer. Each one features unique decor and its own courtyard, and five of the six have private swimming pools. Upon check-in, you’ll receive a loaner iPhone to communicate with your house butler and the round-the-clock concierge team, who can help arrange excursions like culinary tours in the Old City and visits to one of the Caribbean’s largest organic cocoa producers.

Located at the Westin Puntacana Resort & Club, this open-air restaurant specializes in grilled meats and seafood but also offers several delicious pastas. The executive chef hails from Peru, which explains why the menu includes a traditional ceviche with sweet potato garnish, along with a few other Peruvian dishes. Look forward to everything from grilled rib-eye and salmon to penne with chicken and prosciutto, and be sure to save room for desserts like lemon pie and flan.

Forget about generic buffets and cheesy nightlife options, or destinations solely located in a region’s tourist zone. Today’s best all-inclusive resorts can be mega but still feel intimate—thanks to fine dining restaurants with a la carte menus and perks like designer fashion shows and top shelf liquor. Our list also highlights some less traditional, boutique picks both on and off the beach, offering eclectic and exclusive all-inclusive adventures.

From the porte-cochère entry at the Westin Puntacana Resort & Club, you’ll catch an inviting first glimpse of coconut palms, manicured grass, and a long swimming pool that seems to end at the sea. The view only gets better upstairs, where all 200 rooms—including 16 suites—offer swoon-worthy ocean vistas. On the hottest of days, the high-ceilinged, open-air lobby is a great place to hang with a cold one while catching the ocean breezes. When it’s cooler, have lunch by the pool or at the beachside La Palapa, and plan for dinner at the open-air Brassa. As a guest at the Westin, you also have access to Puntacana Resort & Club’s eight restaurants, two golf courses, tennis center, Six Senses Spa, aquatic center, and Grupo Puntacana Foundation activities.

Scores of sci-fi geeks, space gazers, and physicists worship this iconic particle physics lab. Founded in 1954, CERN (Conseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire) is located just five miles (8 km) west of Geneva and is open to the public. The lab’s main attraction is the Large Hadron Collider, a particle accelerator that shoots protons around an almost 17-mile (27 km) circular tube, which in turn creates new matter. Other permanent exhibitsl emphasize CERN’s current projects. Two-hour guided tours in English require advance reservations up to 15 days ahead and require a photo ID.

El Burrito is a casual little Mexican cantina that serves excellent fajitas, tacos, and burritos, and legendary coconut margaritas that might make it difficult for you to find your way back to your hotel. But hey, you’re on vacation, and deserve to let loose every now and then. El Burrito sits at the heart of the Puntacana Village complex, a short ride from the beach, Playa Blanca, the Westin, the ecological reserve, and more.