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From the dusty street, the Hotel El Convento in León, Nicaragua, beckons with its stately façade and red Spanish-tiled roof. Step inside and you instantly feel at home amidst ornate period furnishings that are surely a far cry from the building’s humble beginnings as the 1639 San Francisco Convent. The elegant Restaurante El Victoriano offers an indoor-outdoor retreat centered on the hotel’s manicured, tropical courtyard—an example of the colonial hacienda style found throughout León. The restaurant is a meeting place for people from all walks of life—aged former Sandinistas who now hold positions of leadership, locals splurging on a fine meal, or foreign students from one of the city’s many Spanish language schools seeking tranquility and an excellent cup of coffee.

Italy’s beloved region of Tuscany brings to mind bucolic vineyards, rolling hills, and roads lined with towering cypress trees. But there’s plenty else to delight and even surprise travelers. Consider the quaint town of Punta Ala: located along the southern Tuscan coast, it’s under the radar of most travelers, yet the go-to summer escape of generations of Romans and Florentines.

Punta Ala strikes a balance between relaxation and understated elegance that encourages lingering, and the same goes for its premier place to stay: Baglioni Hotel Cala del Porto. Set against the backdrop of the Mediterranean Sea and with two adjacent beach clubs (La Vela and Alleluja), the hotel’s 38 airy rooms offer views of the gardens and marina. In the heart of Maremma, Hotel Cala del Porto is perfectly located for day boating trips out to the island of Elba, wine tasting at notable Tuscan wineries, and some of the best golfing in Italy. The regional park Bandite di Scarlino beckons with hiking trails ideal for early morning risers.

Secluded and service-oriented are the adjectives that best describe Rosewood Mayakoba, a resort in Playa del Carmen that opened in 2008. At 1,600 acres, the resort is expansive, offering plenty of room for guests to feel that they have their own space. Rooms, too, are spacious and have either tile or wooden floors, comfortable beds and chairs, and a layout and design that draws guests to outside spaces such as patios and balconies. The sense of privacy is reinforced by special en suite features, including private plunge pools, garden showers, and sundecks. Service, which includes butler, concierge, and valet support, is first-class. Staff can facilitate or organize a wide range of experiences, both on the hotel property and in the surrounding area. These range from horseback riding on the beach and ocean kayaking to private dining and aerial tours of the Mayan site Chichén Itzá.

A pilgrimage to this enchanting park is a must for any Antoni Gaudí fan. Located atop Carmel Hill to the north of the city, the park was inspired by English landscape gardens, but its fantastical elements make sure you know it was created by Catalonia’s most eccentric architect. Though there are multiple entrances, the most impressive is via a grand staircase guarded by an enormous, mosaic-tiled dragon. It leads to a sprawling plaza with a mosaic-covered cement bench stretching some 328 feet around the perimeter. Park Güell was originally designed as a gated residential development, but it failed; a show home built to lure buyers is now the Gaudí House Museum (not included with park admission). Visitors should reserve an online ticket to avoid lines.

This beautiful Parisian cemetery is on the Boulevard de Menilmontant and next to the Metro station Philippe August, in the 20th arrondissement. Upon entrance to the main gate, grab a map so not to get too lost. The art work on the memorials and the stories behind the names on the headstones inspire a mood of great tragedy and romance. The locals call it the la cite des morts (the city of the dead). The cemetery makes the ideal place to explore if you’ve seen a lot of Paris before and want to dig a bit deeper. Seek out the tombs of 1) Oscar Wilde (for all of those declarations and kisses left behind); 2) Georges Rodenbach, a Belgian writer and poet of the 19th century with a breathtaking tomb; 3) Victor Noir, who became more famous in death (by duel) than life. Seek the answer to the riddle of why his tomb is seen as good luck for fertility You’ll also see the gravesite of Gertrude Stein and Alice Toklas, buried side by side in a testament to their love. The list of the celebrity dead goes on and includes Gericault, Piaf, Chopin, Heloise and Abelard. Even Jim Morrison. An afternoon here is guaranteed to leave you grateful for the treasures you found but weren’t expecting.

As of May 2018, El Conquistador Resort and Las Casitas Village are closed indefinitely, due to damage sustained during Hurricane Maria.

Situated atop a 300-foot bluff on the eastern tip of Puerto Rico, El Conquistador Resort, a Waldorf Astoria Resort, spreads across 500 acres overlooking the converging waters of the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. A stay at El Conquistador is a transformative experience. Guests can relax at the Eucalyptus steam room, enjoy exotic cocktails while gazing at the El Yunque Rainforest, or even kayak around a private island. Guestrooms and suites are divided into five villages, and feature ocean views, 23 restaurants, an 18-hole golf course, a state-of-the-art aquatic playground/water park for families, and the resort’s private island, Palmino Island, featuring water sports and white sand beaches.

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.

Old San Juan is known for its atmospheric and historic hotels, but none quite match the Gallery Inn for personality and creativity. Composed of six intertwined town houses, this endlessly fascinating hotel beckons guests to wander through its nine interior gardens and patios, and seven parlors and porticos. Dating to the mid-1700s, the oldest building, La Cueva Del Indio, is located above Old San Juan’s north walls, meaning the views out to sea are the same ones that captivated the conquistadors.

Owner Jan D’Esopo, is a well-known sculptor and her works dot the hotel’s meandering interior, which has enough comforts and homey character to avoid feeling like a museum. Equally unique are the 25 rooms, decorated with everything from silk screens and watercolors to sculptures and paintings. Some even feature elegant, four-poster beds and balconies with views of the ocean. Just don’t expect to watch TV—one, there are no TVs, and two, the views out over the old fortress walls are better than anything on Netflix.

In a country that produces as much coffee as Mexico, you might expect more cafés to feature domestic beans, but that’s not always the case. At Café Avellaneda, however, you can be certain that the coffee in your cup was brewed from beans grown in the Mexican states of Chiapas, Oaxaca, or Veracruz. The space is small but staff is warm and welcoming, and it’s an ideal spot for a cup of coffee before or after visiting La Casa Azul, also in Coyoacan. If you get your cup to go, head to Coyoacan’s main plaza (pictured here) and enjoy its fountain and people-watching.

Captain James Cook set up his observatory at Point Venus, one of the loveliest spots on the island. The transit of Venus, which happens maybe once a century, lets observers here see the planet move across the sun. (That’s the official reason for the name, but there’s no doubt Cook’s crew, after months at sea, had a different Venus in mind when they saw Tahitian women.) Now the point’s a windswept corner of the island that feels like there’s nothing between you and another world but the sea. The lighthouse here, Phare de la Pointe Vénus, was built in 1868, 99 years after Cook’s visit.

San Juan’s Condado neighborhood is Puerto Rico’s version of Miami Beach. It’s a great place for beach-lounging and people-watching, with a multitude of bars, cafés and resorts along the sand. Be aware that the water can get rough in places, so use caution when swimming. La Ventana al Mar Park sits right on the beach, and the footpath along the jetty offers great views up and down the waterfront.

Why we love it: A peaceful eco-lodge on Dominica’s “wild” southeast coast

Highlights:
- A “barefoot luxury” vibe
- Proximity to the beach
- Villas surrounded by a working fruit plantation

The Review:
An agritourism pioneer, Citrus Creek blends hospitality with a tropical fruit plantation on Dominica’s rugged east coast. In building the resort, owner Hervé “RV” Nizard repurposed parts of his 20-acre farm in Taberi, adding a dozen self-catering cottages and villas. Ranging from one to three bedrooms, the accommodations include a safari tent and a stone tree house. Focused on nature, Citrus Creek trades TVs for rainforest hikes and a swimming pool for plunges in a pristine river. The property also lacks air-conditioning, but shade trees and prevailing winds keep it comfortable year-round and help maintain a “barefoot luxury” vibe.

Each room has a kitchen, stocked with breakfast goodies like tea, coffee, bread, butter, jam, and honey. For those who would rather dine out, a cafe offers half-board plans and operates every day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (or later with reservations). Take your dinner on the veranda overlooking the river, choosing among French-Caribbean delicacies like onion pie, caramel pork, grilled lionfish, and smoked marlin quiche. Other on-site perks include a tour desk, car rentals, and, soon, a pier set within the jungle that will be equipped to welcome sailboats.

For a taste of Miami by way of St. Lucia, look no further than Sugar Beach. Set on a white-sand crescent between the Piton mountains—within a 100-acre former sugar plantation studded with shady palm trees—the resort’s white-on-white cottages have all the amenities worthy of a five-star retreat, from sumptuous Egyptian cotton linens to butler service and access to a private chef. (No wonder Gwyneth Paltrow and Matt Damon have stayed here.) But don’t linger too long in your room. The coral reefs in the bay are home to triggerfish, turtles, and exotic sponges that can be viewed on an instructor-led dive or snorkel trip, and whale-watching, waterfall hikes through the rain forest, and adventure tours on ATVs await. If you have more leisurely pursuits in mind, the tree-house spa offers treatments using locally sourced ingredients for the ultimate in relaxation.

When it opened in 1996, the Belmond Miraflores Park was the first hotel in Lima to take advantage of the city’s Pacific Ocean views. Set along the Miraflores malecón, the 82-room property offers some of the most privileged panoramas in the city, particularly from the heated rooftop pool. Several levels down, the ground floor was completely redesigned in 2010 by renowned Peruvian architect Jordi Puig, who added an open-air lounge and avant-garde restaurant space that now houses international eatery Traguluz. Also on-site is The Observatory, a breakfast buffet spot on the 11th floor, and Belo Bar, a park-side lounge offering pisco cocktails infused with Amazonian fruits.

Semana Santa (Holy Week) in Oaxaca is generally made up of rather somber events. In contrast with other holidays, this is the most serious, much more so than Day of the Dead, which is often celebrated in a lighthearted way. The gravity of the events being commemorated are reflected in the observances that take place during this week. The Friday before Easter, which is the day that commemorates Jesus’ crucifixion, is marked by a silent procession along the main pedestrian street in Oaxaca, Calle Macedonio Alcalá. The procession takes place in the late afternoon, and winds its way through the city streets. Observers are asked to remain silent in order to maintain the solemnity of the event. You will notice that some of the participants in this procession wear the pointed hoods which in the United States are strongly associated with the Ku Klux Klan and seen as a racist symbol. In Mexico, as in Spain where these hoods originated (long before the existence of the Klan), they are seen as a symbol of penitence; they are meant to hide the identity of the wearer so that their participation in the procession is not done for show, but as a personal expression of repentance.