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In a pastel villa that presides over pine-covered slopes and the deep blue waters of the Ligurian Sea, Belmond Hotel Splendido was a 16th-century monastery before it became a cliff-side luxury hotel at the turn of the 20th century. Today, it is one of Portofino’s most iconic resorts, with 70 sunlit rooms (think herringbone hardwood floors, marble baths, and wrought iron terraces) that have hosted the Duke of Windsor, Ava Gardner, and Catherine Deneuve. You’ll get the VIP treatment while sipping champagne on a sunset cruise aboard the hotel’s Chris-Craft Corsair 36, dining on seabream ceviche at La Terrazza, or indulging in a chamomile footbath at the spa. A shuttle can run you down to intimate sister property Splendido Mare, which overlooks the central Piazzetta and is a dressed-up version of a fishing village pied-à-terre, with 16 whitewashed rooms and its own buzzy restaurant.

Some of the world’s most jaw-dropping images of hotel infinity pools have been taken on Santorini, aka the honeymoon island. What makes The Grace stand out? With only eight rooms, 12 suites, and one villa, guests receive the staff’s undivided attention. Even before your arrival, you may be asked whether you’d like to organize a romantic surprise for your partner, or if you’d like your bathrobe to be personalized with your initials. Of course, the hotel’s pool, perched like a bird’s nest over the caldera and the blue hues of the Aegean, makes a pretty strong argument. Guests spend much of their time lounging around its perimeter and dining outdoors on a variety of dramatic terraces. Naturally, all the clean-lined rooms have equally stunning views of the sea and, after a 2016 revamp, are all white with brushed-concrete floors and handmade walnut desks, putting the emphasis on the azure setting. Drop your bags, then grab a cocktail at the Champagne Lounge to take in that sunset everyone keeps raving about.

Spain takes its food seriously. After all, it’s the country that gave birth to El Bulli and, as of 2015, has 169 Michelin-starred restaurants (11 in Madrid alone). So it comes as no surprise that a top hotel on a main boulevard in the capital should be home to one of these temples to gastronomy, the two-Michelin-starred Santceloni. But the Hotel Hesperia Madrid doesn’t content itself with just a world-class restaurant. No, this sleek retreat—decorated boldly by some of Spain’s top designers, including Pascua Ortega, Erico Navazo, and Mercedes Gonzalez López-de-Carrizosa—is devoted to the best of contemporary Spanish dining, with a total of three acclaimed restaurants and a sultry scotch bar attracting the most discerning palates in Madrileño society. In between decadent meals—and exploring the ritzy shopping and myriad sights just outside the hotel’s front door—work up an appetite at the open-air gym up on the rooftop, yet another of the Hesperia’s claims to fame.

It’s not quite Providenciales’s celebrated Grace Bay—the Atlantic surf rolls in with a little too much force for that—but North Beach, on remote, undeveloped Salt Cay, is one of the prettiest stretches of sand in all of the Turks and Caicos. Salt Cay also has the advantage over its more famous counterpart in that just about the only thing on it is the tiny Castaway, whose guests almost always have miles of pure white sand and turquoise ocean entirely to themselves. About a mile and a half from “town” lies a scattered settlement of fewer than 150 people who make up most of the island’s residents. Castaway, which consists of four suites in two beachfront cottages, offers a Crusoe-like experience, except with private dining and Wi-Fi. Each suite has a king bed, to which two more single beds can be added, a full kitchen, and a deck where in season it is possible to watch migrating whales parade by.

Istanbul’s Ottoman heritage and contemporary urban pulse collide at this city retreat. The hotel sits within Akaretler’s historic row houses where high-ranking officials of Sultan Abdulaziz’s reign once lived. Designed by Mahmut Anlar, the interior is stamped with vibrant jewel-toned hues and bold geometric shapes that create an ultra-modern vibe down through the regal 1875 foundations.

Rooms are doused in hot-pink highlights and open out to private terraces or gardens, with suite rooms offering beach-style cabanas for a slice of inner-city resort living. Munchie boxes, Bose radios, and king-size beds with 350-thread-count linens make rooms extra welcoming.

The W Hotel’s whatever-whenever service philosophy takes a highly customized approach. Staff can arrange tailor-made itineraries that help guests discover hidden sights and the newest restaurants and nightlife. The hotel’s iPhone app allows guests to scope out the city scene from the comfort of their room and order in-room dining at a touch of a button.

In some ways, the Cliff House Hotel is just a resting place for people looking to eat in its highly regarded Michelin-starred restaurant, but the hotel’s loft-style bedrooms are also among the most modern and stylish anywhere in this country. (Plus, each room has a terrace or veranda, and even the rain-forest showers have sea views.) The House Restaurant, though, is a highlight, and it’s unusual in Ireland because Dutch chef Martijn Kajuiter prepares food that is highly wrought, inventive, and beautifully plated—but also deliciously unpretentious. That sense of unfussiness might have something to do with the dining room itself, which is neither too stark nor too clubby, and edged by a glass wall overlooking the calm blue waters of the Celtic Sea. The hotel overlooks Ardmore Bay, 140 miles south of Dublin, and the spa’s impressive yoga program, indoor infinity pool, stone outdoor baths, and Jacuzzi can help guests counterbalance any evening’s indulgences.

If you weren’t sure what you were looking for, you might miss Marco Stabile’s Ora d’Aria restaurant on Via dei Georgofili. The hint of a large birdcage peeking through a tall window in an expansive and otherwise-unadorned wall is all that alerts you to the presence of greatness. White Saarinen tulip chairs are the next thing you see once you’ve decided to explore past the birdcage, and while the dining rooms, both upstairs and down, are not elaborate, they are perfectly suited to let Chef Stabile’s food be the true showpiece. Though his cuisine is not traditionally Tuscan, and nor are all of his ingredients, Stabile’s culinary creations are a delight, finally winning over the hearts of food-savvy Florence residents and every visitor who learns that a meal at Ora d’Aria is a must when in the Tuscan capital. If you’re looking to save a little while still experiencing excellence, Ora d’Aria is also open for lunch.

It’s hard to say what’s the biggest draw at Capri Palace Hotel & Spa, a whitewashed retreat overlooking the Gulf of Naples with 68 rooms that blend stylish minimalism with beach-chic comfort. As the name implies, wellness junkies beeline to the property to indulge in anti-aging facials, body scrubs and massages, and signature leg treatments at Capri Beauty Farm, a 10,800-square-foot oasis of calm. Then there are the dining options. With its inventive coastal cuisine and impeccable service, L’Olivo is the island’s only restaurant with two Michelin stars, while the hotel’s beach club eatery Il Riccio earned a star of its own for its seafood-heavy Mediterranean menu; given the accolades, both spaces are much better looking than they need to be. Another strong contender: the pool. Though small, it features a wall studded with windows, so you can swim with a side of voyeurism.

Looking for some down-home comfort food with an upscale twist? Head to Yardbird Southern Table & Bar, named one of Bon Appétit’s 50 Best New Restaurants and whose fried chicken was declared the best in the South by Southern Living magazine. From start to finish, and despite the hefty servings, each course leaves you wanting just a taste more as they remove your plates. Fried green tomato BLT with tomato jam and house-made pimento cheese, Mama’s Chicken Biscuits with pepper jelly, and a heavenly pasta dish served with duck meatballs are a few of the highlights. Add to it the fun, lively vibe and it’s easy to see how this could quickly become a regular dining spot if you lived in South Beach.

In recent years, one restaurant has set the bar for cool in Cabo San Lucas. Bar Esquina, the Bahia Hotel & Beach House’s on-site bar and grill, features a chic casbah-like design aesthetic, a menu built on Mexican and Mediterranean flavors, and a commitment to organic, locally and responsibly sourced ingredients you taste in every bite. The menu is ever-evolving, but there are standouts you can always expect to find. The tuna tartare is a tiered, artistic creation, featuring tempura and an avocado-yuzu mousse. The Caesar is the signature Bar Esquina salad, here wrapped in a long, flat crouton and served with poached egg and prosciutto. Entrée selections include a generous filet mignon with potatoes au gratin and the short-rib pizza with blue cheese and arugula.

Named after the Creole word for “almond tree,” this flower-filled, open-air restaurant enjoys pride of place at the pioneering eco-boutique Rosalie Bay Resort. The kitchen employs healthy ingredients fresh from its organic garden in dishes like vegan gumbo, hummus with plantain chips, and a beet-goat-cheese salad. Omnivores should try the grilled lobster tail or citrus-honey chicken.

Sea Glass Bar & Lounge is located in The Cove Atlantis Hotel. It has a chill vibe, serves fantastic tapas and cocktails all day and all night long, and has a number of gaming tables that are never too far out of reach—he perfect escape at the heart of The Cove Atlantis.

Probably the most visited attraction in the city, the V&A combines many elements of the greatest commercial waterfront projects around the world. There are plenty of draws for tourists (the Cape Wheel, helicopter rides, boat trips to Robben Island) and locals (450 retail outlets, from H&M to a major supermarket), but it remains a working harbor, with small seagoing vessels sailing between the main harbor and the dry dock that lies adjacent to the excellent Two Oceans Aquarium and Watershed craft and design hall. There’s even a fast-growing residential section, connected by canals that stretch toward the city. The latest addition, however, is the Silo District, which became one of Cape Town’s must-visit attractions soon after opening in late 2017. Here, a number of restaurants and boutiques, anchored by the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa, are located amid old grain silos.

At the base of Blackcomb Mountain, Four Seasons Resort and Residences complements its sylvan surroundings with a kind of chalet-luxe style accentuated with natural materials. Public areas feature wood beams, granite, and limestone, and guest rooms in earthy tones include gas fireplaces and mountain views. Groups might prefer the private residences in the property’s adjoining condo; the largest has four bedrooms and a den, offering homey comforts plus the benefits of the facilities next door. The hotel curates experiences you won’t find anywhere else, including private dining in a cave in Canada’s largest ice field or customized ski tours with an Olympic athlete. Guests who want to embrace the healthy West Coast lifestyle can sign up for complimentary weekend fitness and yoga classes upon check-in.

The nine-mile dirt road through Pike’s Peak National Forest is a properly isolated, remote, and grand driveway to Lost Valley Ranch, one of the few guest ranches in Colorado that is so close to Denver. (It is only about two hours by car from Denver International Airport, and a short drive from any other front range city.) The drive leads you through the still-recovering burn area of the 2002 Hayman Fire, then dips down into a green oasis, in a cozy corner of the Goose Creek drainage. Lost Valley is a traditional, medium-size ranch with plenty of history and a robust kids and teens program in the summer. It’s all about horseback riding in the morning and afternoon, a lazy schedule punctuated by the dining room bell and yelps of happy children and ranch dogs playing in front of the main lodge. Lost Valley Ranch books week-long, all-inclusive packages throughout the summer season; shorter stays are available in spring and fall. Rates begin at $3,020 per adult, and cheaper for children (how much cheaper depends on age), and include meals, lodging, horseback riding, evening entertainment, and children’s programming (Trap shooting, town purchases and massage therapy are extra).