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In this espadrille workshop that opened just after the Spanish Civil War, traditional footware meets playful modern design. The Barcemola line features creative motifs inspired by Barcelona monuments on what was once considered a humble shoe for farmers. The workshop still makes the espadrilles for the Catalan police’s dress uniform. Address: La Manual Alpargatera C/Avinyo 7 08002, Barcelona

A 1901 landmark in Hanoi’s French Quarter, the colonial-style Sofitel Legend Metropole has long been a celebrity magnet, welcoming presidents, ambassadors, and literary and cinematic royalty into its marble lobby. Somerset Maugham and Graham Greene both wrote books here (The Gentleman in the Parlour and The Quiet American, respectively); Charlie Chaplin and Paulette Goddard celebrated their honeymoon at the property; and Jane Fonda and Joan Baez took to the bomb shelter beneath the hotel during air raids (book the complementary Path of History Tour, held every day at 5 and 6 p.m., for a chance to see where they hid out).

The 364 guest rooms are divided between two wings: The historic Metropole section has decor shaped by French architecture and Vietnamese culture (think wood floors, louver windows, bird-cage lampshades, and porcelain light fixtures); the newer wing, opened in 1996 just across the traffic circle from the Opera House, has a strong Neoclassical edge with rooms in dramatic red, black, and white. With its green awning, filigree ironwork, and outdoor wood-deck seating, La Terrasse has the feel of a Parisian café, while Le Beaulieu restaurant serves classic French fare and a decadent Sunday brunch. Spices Garden showcases Vietnamese flavors, and three drinking dens—sleek Angelina, gentlemanly Le Club Bar, and poolside Bamboo Bar—appeal to every kind of spirits lover. Between the central courtyard garden and the pool sit the SoFit gym and Le Spa, with eight rooms for soothing East-meets-West treatments.

After driving just over six hours from Denver into the northern reaches of Wyoming, I needed to crash for the night. Taking the Buffalo (population 4,585) exit off the interstate, I cruised towards downtown passing a Holiday Inn Express, a Super 8, and a Day’s Inn. Did I really have to spend the night in a modern matchbox of a room? No, in fact, I didn’t. I used one of my lifelines and called a friend, asking her to do a quick Google search. Bingo! She said, “Go to the Occidental!” almost in the same tone Horace Greeley had uttered, Go West, young man.” In the front window, a sign read: “Wireless in 1880 and still wireless. Internet in all rooms!” I opened the front door and walked directly into the 19th century – a Tiffany chandelier, an embalmed moose head, and a roaring fireplace in the lobby of this 130-year-plus historic hotel. According to the owner, the Occidental’s been witness to a parade of Western icons: Butch Cassidy, Calamity Jane, Buffalo Bill, Owen Wistler, and Teddy Roosevelt. I kind of liked the idea I’d be sleeping under the same roof, as had this gang of five. Fully restored in 2007, the names of the rooms themselves conjure up another era: The Bordello, Cowboy Bunkhouse, and Madam’s Retreat, to name a few. I happily wound up in the Cottonwood Suite, boasting a four-poster king bed, an ensuite bathroom, and dressing room. Twenty-first century comfort amidst 19th century antiques. If you’re in the area, this is the place to spend the night.

We all have a mental image of upscale European alpine villages from countless spy movies and Vogue fashion shoots. There’s the little café with etched glass and women sipping Alsace with perfect hair and puffy parkas. The men are capable sorts, usually lean and well-traveled. Jet-setters, rich ski bums, and other dubious types mill around low-slung Citroëns with skis on the back, while the air feels charged with intrigue and adventure simmering under the laissez-faire insouciance. Sorta like the Arrabelle at Vail Square. “There’s no other place like this in North America that captures the iconic ambience of classic Old World European cities like Salzburg, Innsbruck, and Prague,” says John Dawsey, director of sales. “During the design phase, we really wanted to capture a feeling aligned with a cultured European central plaza.” The Arrabelle consists of 86 suites overlooking the town square, which converts into a skating rink in winter at the gondola base of Vail Mountain. The charm is in the details: working wood shutters, copper drainspouts, and subtle fairy-tale stenciling around the Bavarian Biedemeier-style architecture. The lobby’s windows are Czech, no less. Off the lobby, the Tavern is always buzzing with locals and visitors in the shadows sipping hot chocolate and Grand Marnier. The menu is meat-friendly. Try the Bone-in Veal Schnitzel with saffron risotto because that’s what spies and dangerous women eat.

Why we love it: A stylish stay that brings contemporary luxury to island life

The Highlights:
- A minimal design that highlights the stunning natural scenery
- The longest pool in the Caribbean
- A lavish spa equipped with a hammam

The Review:
When Silversands Grenada opened its doors in 2008, it was a game-changer for the island. A member of Leading Hotels of the World, the oceanfront property offers an unmatched level of luxury, which starts as soon as you’re picked up from the airport in the house Tesla. Once on site, sleek design and clean lines let the ocean be the focus, though superior rooms, the longest pool in the Caribbean, two restaurants, and a rum and cigar bar also deserve attention. There’s even an incredible spa with a hammam, experiential shower, and ice room; a state-of-the-art fitness center; and a heated pool shaded by slatted wood and decorated with Foscarini ceiling lights hanging overhead.

Still, you could be perfectly happy just staying in your room. The 43 suites—some of which are among the largest accommodations on Grenada—all feature outdoor space as well as king-size beds surrounded by remote-controlled curtains for a touch of romance. A white, teak, and neutral-toned palette creates a bright, airy feel, while light-filled bathrooms include a double vanity, soaking tub, and rain shower. For even more luxury, opt for one of the nine villas, each of which comes with three or four bedrooms, plus a private pool.

Why we love it: A centrally located stay with a homey feel and a floating bar

The Highlights:
- Self-contained cottages that feel like home
- A prime location near the Petite Cavigny marina
- A floating bar for sundowners and live music

The Review:
If you’re looking for a home rental but still want a hotel staff, Le Phare Bleu is the way to go. At this village-style resort, the suites and cottages come with kitchens and living areas for a home-away-from-home feel, plus classic Caribbean decor and wide verandas with hammocks or porch swings. Spread throughout a tropical garden, the villas also happen to be right next to the Petite Cavigny marina—an ideal location if you’re setting off on a sailing trip from Grenada.

Elsewhere on the property, there are two small beaches (though they can be muddy because of the marina); kayaks, paddleboards, and a Hobie Cat for guests to use; and a shared pool. If you’re craving company—and a break from cooking—there’s also the Island Fever Tropical Tavern, which offers food all day and breakfast until 3 p.m. on Sundays (don’t miss the rotis). On Friday evenings, make your way to the floating bar that is the Lightship. A lighthouse boat that was built in 1900 and served for decades off the coast of Sweden, it’s now where hotel guests go to party, with live music, a rum bar, and tasty snacks all night long.

Why we love it: An amenity-filled property that sits near all the action

The Highlights:
- Amenities like four pools, a treetop spa, and an open-air yoga studio
- An on-site diving school and expedition boat
- The sunset views from the Bay View rooms

The Review:
Located near St. George’s University, the all-inclusive True Blue Bay Boutique Resort is also right on a marina and just a five-minute drive from the airport, putting it at the center of all the action. Though it doesn’t have its own beach, it does offer shuttles to Grand Anse, which is a mere 10 minutes away, plus there’s plenty else to do on property. There are four small but well-maintained pools; a spa that uses local ingredients like chocolate and nutmeg for its treatments; an open-air yoga studio with treetop views; and a top-notch dive school that offers quick courses as well as multi-day PADI certifications. Guests already certified to dive can take advantage of four dives per day included in their stay, while landlubbers can opt for rum and chocolate tastings, cooking classes, non-motorized watersports, and fun kids’ activities.

When hunger strikes, head to on-site restaurant Dodgy Dock, which regularly hosts theme nights like Street Food, Romantic BBQ, and Cocoa Thursdays. Should you prefer to cook for yourself, accommodations here, which range from rooms to suites to villas, include kitchenettes and outdoor seating with epic views. Villas can even sleep up to six people and feature private plunge pools for added luxury.

Why we love it: A five-star stay that brings serious swank to Valletta

The Highlights:
- Personal butlers who attend to guests’ every need
- A lavish design with lots of marble, velvet, and leather accents
- An acclaimed three-in-one restaurant serving Mediterranean food with a French twist

The Review:
Opened in the spring of 2019, this five-star property comes courtesy of AX Group, which owns six other top hotels in Malta. Beginning at check-in with a friendly greeting (and a glass of prosecco) from your personal butler, everything at Rosselli is top-notch, from the design to the service to the amenities. The on-site restaurant Grain is actually comprised of three different dining areas: Street serves French and Mediterranean small plates, Under offers a more formal menu, and Over, located on the hotel’s rooftop, is perfect for drinks with a view. There’s also a lounge area with a restored fountain, an outdoor pool on the fourth-floor terrace, and the opportunity to book in-room massages after a long day of touring the island.

The hotel occupies a 17th-century palazzo that was once home to husband and wife Pietro Rosselli and Alusietta Massa. The couple’s family story and crest inspired all of the guestrooms, which feature richly colored textiles, marble accents, plush beds, and bespoke Italian furniture. The Don Pietro room even boasts a wellness enclave complete with a private steam room, rain shower, and indoor terrace, while the palatial Sixteen 34 Suite, named after the year Pietro and Alusietta were married, includes a traditional Maltese balcony and working lounge with a boardroom table.

Why we love it: An Arts and Crafts–style masterpiece with a friendly vibe and charm in spades

Highlights:
- Sedona’s only Arts and Crafts hotel, with real adobe walls
- Social spaces like a campfire and living room hearth
- A pet-friendly policy with no extra fees

The Review:
Within a block of Sedona’s art district, this luxury inn stands behind a veil of trees and grapevine trellises. Its pink adobe exterior complements the greenery so elegantly that the inn once appeared on the cover of The American Home magazine. Inside the Arts and Crafts–style hacienda, arches and reclaimed beams of juniper or burl wood soar overhead, while period doorknobs, light fixtures, and heater grilles transport guests back in time. Each of the 12 suites has a custom-made door and unique design, with decor ranging from early California to the Cowboy High Style made famous by Western furniture designer Thomas Molesworth. Pet-friendly rooms also include grace notes like corner fireplaces, stencil designs, French doors, and stained-glass ceiling panels.

When feeling social, guests can gather around the campfire in the courtyard or by the large hearth in the living room. El Portal also has a private garden, a fish pond, two swimming pools, and a full gym, and offers access to Sedona Spa, next door. While the inn only serves breakfast (pancakes, breakfast burritos, huevos rancheros), guests can snack on fruit, cheese, and chips and salsa during happy hour each day while also pouring themselves a glass of wine on the honor system.

Why we love it: A hip hotel known for its art, après-ski scene, and A-plus rooms

The Highlights:
- Homey yet luxurious guest rooms
- A lively après-ski scene
- An outdoor pool and two hot tubs

The Review:
Stepping into the Limelight’s lobby, you’ll feel as if you’re entering a hip bar and lounge rather than the hotel’s staging zone. During après-ski, local musicians play here, entertaining a relatively young crowd of 20-, 30-, and 40-somethings who gather on sleek banquettes surrounding the central flagstone fireplace. Overhead, an assembly of rustic wood and neon lights turns the ceiling into an art installation. For more art, explore the hotel’s ground floor, where the 23 major artworks were commissioned from such artists as Ed Ruscha and Raymond Pettibon, who riffed on the theme of topography (a fitting subject, given that many of the hotel’s 99 rooms and suites feature views of 9,151-foot Bald Mountain).

A sprawling, Euro-style breakfast buffet (the yogurt bar alone should win awards) is served in The Lounge, which doubles as the hotel’s main venue for après and dinner. Snack on pizza with the option of gluten-free crust, or follow a kale salad with bison meatballs and house-made ricotta gnudi sauced with wild mushrooms. The on-site ski and bike shop, Four Mountain Sports, lets guests get outfitted without schlepping all over town. Just don’t forget to pack a swimsuit—surrounded by pine-covered peaks, the hotel’s pool and two hot tubs are happening spots after skiing and hiking among the surrounding peaks.

Why we love it: A Mission Revival property that blends Hollywood history with hang-ten culture

The Highlights:
- A location just minutes from the secluded Cress Street Beach
- A rooftop lounge with sweeping ocean views
- Guest rooms designed by iconic surf brands

The Review:
Once the haunt of writers, filmmakers, and Hollywood celebrities, this historic hotel on the Pacific Coast Highway famously hosted a lobby backgammon game between J. Paul Getty and Howard Hughes in the 1930s. Today, the pet-friendly property maintains its original grace with Spanish-style stucco and domed arches, but 10 of its 41 suites have moved on to a decidedly different sort of California cool. Created in collaboration with iconic skate and surf brands like Etnies, Roxy, and Billabong, the Casa Surf rooms feature hand-painted surfboards, underwater photo murals, and George Nelson furniture, fully immersing guests in Laguna surf culture. For something more traditional, book one of the Spanish rooms, which include wrought-iron accents and ornately carved dark-wood furnishings.

La Casa sits just a stone’s throw from Cress Street Beach, where hotel guests enjoy access to chairs, umbrellas, and beach towels as part of their resort fee. Also included in the fee is daily breakfast, access to the nearby Art of Fitness gym and its juice bar, and reservations at the on-site Rooftop Lounge, where you can sip mojitos while watching the sun set over the Pacific. When you’re in the mood for something more substantial, head downstairs to K’ya Bistro, with offers small plates full of Mediterranean flavor.

Why we love it: A lakeside resort made for family getaways

The Highlights:
- Spacious rooms with balconies for taking in lake views
- A full-service, on-site marina for boat rentals
- A Japanese-style spa with an infrared sauna

The Review:
Imagine you had a wealthy friend with a fabulous lakeside property, and you’ll understand what it feels like to stay at the Lodge of Four Seasons. At the waterfront resort, guests mingle around the lobby bar—which boasts circular seating, live piano music, and carefully crafted cocktails—much like they would in a fancy living room. When it’s nice outside, they hang together at the lakeside pool bar, or stroll down to the on-site marina and get out on the water. Here, it’s all about starting traditions with families and friends, whether over dinner at one of two restaurants or a round of golf on the championship course.

An Ozarks-chic vibe extends across the 358 spacious rooms and suites, which all feature flat-screen TVs, custom embroidered linens, and private furnished balconies with views of the lake or Japanese gardens. Choose from guest rooms in the Main Lodge and Seasons Bay buildings, or opt for a one- or two-bedroom condo with a kitchen in the Avila complex. Settle in, then head to Spa Shiki, where you’ll find eucalyptus-infused steam rooms, an infrared Himalayan salt stone sauna, a salt-purified whirlpool, and a relaxation room with a fireplace for relaxing post treatment.

Why we love it: A roadside motel reborn as a stylish wine-country hideaway

The Highlights:
- Fun revived-retro style
- Wine country views for days
- Flavor-packed seasonal menus

The Review:
Mid-century roots meet rustic chic at this boutique property set on five acres overlooking the winelands of North Santa Barbara County. Originally built in the 1950s as a motel—it’s conveniently located just off the 101 freeway—the Skyview emerged from a multi-million-dollar renovation with a style that pays homage to its history, but also includes all the needed modern conveniences. Ranging from Cozy and Classic to Deluxe and Junior Suite options, the 33 rooms offer comfort in the form of mid-century-inspired furnishings, warm hardwood flooring and accents, high-speed Wi-Fi, leather club chairs, down duvets, and locally made bath products. Higher categories feature etxras like fireplaces, private patios, outdoor showers, or firepits.

The restored 1950s-era pool is now heated, ringed with striped loungers, and served by attendants (a menu of snacks and drinks is available), while the stylish lobby is the place for complimentary breakfast backed by wine-country views. The lively Norman restaurant culls produce—and wine—from the surrounding region for its fresh, flavorful menus; brunch on the terrace is particularly popular. Unlike in the past, when the motel’s guests were probably just looking for a clean roadside stop, Skylark is now a destination of its own—a hub for exploring wineries, borrowing a bike to visit the galleries and restaurants of historic Los Alamos, or just sipping a drink around the outdoor firepits.

Why we love it: A kitted-out heritage hotel presiding over the capital

Highlights:
- A historic seaside property
- On-site dive shop and kids’ club
- Hot tubs and an infinity pool cantilevered over the ocean

The Review:
Charming elements remain from Fort Young Hotel’s past as a military fortification, like bronze canons and thick stone walls. Set on a cliff south of Roseau, the heritage property also has 72 modern rooms, all with air conditioning and balconies—most with sea views. Some spaces are massive, such as the oceanfront suites, which each contain a kitchenette, dressing room, two bathrooms, a whirlpool tub, and a dining area that can seat eight. On-site restaurant options range from a mellow seaside bar to The Palisades (one of Dominica’s more gourmet experiences), while amenities include a dive shop and kids’ club.

On the wellness front, the hotel offers a 24-7 gym with floor-to-ceiling windows and Caribbean Sea vistas. Outside sprawl two sundecks, along with an infinity pool and jacuzzies—hot and cold—cantilevered over the ocean. The spa renovations will wrap up in 2019, but guests can still enjoy massages in their rooms or on their balconies. The hotel is also just a short stroll from Roseau’s center, ferry port, botanic gardens, and Saturday markets, not to mention the cathedral and the Dominica Museum. Note: cruise ships dock nearby and can obliterate the water views while in port. Also, post-hurricane renovations will be underway through autumn 2019 and may add some noise during business hours.

Situated in the center of the USA’s largest Japantown, this Joie de Vivre Hotel unveiled a $32 million renovation in May 2018. While the property’s historic exterior hasn’t been changed—it was once a 1960s Community Center and the former Japanese Consulate—the interiors have been redone by Brooklyn-based MARKZEFF Design with custom leather furniture, shibori accents, and contemporary Japanese art. Each of the 13 new Garden Suites face the Japanese zen garden that includes a koi pond, firepit, and a custom Godzilla mural by San Francisco-based artists Yukako Ezoe and Naoki Onodera of Bahama Kangaroo. At the center of the renovation is the living-room like lobby decorated with mid-century couches and lit with vintage factory pendants. The seasonal cocktail menu at the lobby bar focuses on Japanese whiskey and sake, while the bar menu includes Japanese-inspired bites like shishito peppers and chicken katsu sliders. There are happy hour specials every weekday from 4 to 6 p.m. and every Monday between 5 and 6 p.m. the bar hosts a vinyl hour where you can pick a record to play from the hotel’s collection of classics. For wellness-minded travelers, the new 3,000-square-foot fitness center located one level below the lobby looks out onto an open-air tea garden and features a yoga room and a Peloton bike (guests also have complimentary access to the nearby Kabuki Springs & Spa communal baths).