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Tradition meets innovation at Wirthaus in der Au, where Bavarian specialties are updated for modern tastes—especially the dumplings, which are so popular the restaurant sells its own dumpling cookbook. Open since 1901, and conveniently located near the Deutsches Museum, the restaurant is a local favorite not only for its hearty, certified organic fare (roast duck, white sausage, potato salad, soft pretzels), but also for its great selection of beer (including Paulaner), welcoming atmosphere, and historic décor (which ranges from painted ceilings and sturdy wooden seats to a fabulous stein collection). If the weather’s good, grab a seat in the beer garden, where you can enjoy a brew or homemade lemonade under the generous shade of chestnut trees.

Set on almost four acres in the Catskill Mountains, a couple of hours outside of New York, The Villa at Saugerties is a tranquil four-room inn surrounded by stunning gardens, complete with weeping willows, streams, and a lily pond. All four rooms here are impeccably maintained, with gas fireplaces and lovely bathrooms complete with Moroccan tiling. While the Villa’s pleasant grounds and the 40-foot swimming pool are enough to keep guests from leaving the property, there’s also plenty to do in the sylvan surrounded, from hiking and mountain biking on local trails to touring the myriad quaint old towns for which the Hudson Valley is known. The gourmet breakfasts here cooked with local ingredients get rave reviews, as does the warm hospitality from the inn’s owner-operator couple, Amanda and Joe.

Although Troutbeck’s current incarnation only opened in 2017, the estate property has stood in the Upstate New York town of Amenia for considerably longer. It started in 1765 as an inn and tavern and, over the years, has hosted some of America’s most celebrated literary greats, from Mark Twain to Ralph Waldo Emerson. While the historic home now includes plenty of modern comforts, it also retains many of its old-fashioned features, from the wood paneling in the cozy living room to the enchanting Walled Garden, which was constructed over a century ago to house the then-owner’s collection of clematis. The property also has a lovely outdoor swimming pool, tennis courts, an elegant ballroom that’s popular for weddings, and a range of stylish rooms and suites, many with big windows, four-poster beds, and deep soaking tubs.

Since the 1931 opening of the King David Jerusalem, nary a hospitality award has gone unclaimed, nor a foreign dignitary ignored, by this palatial limestone landmark. Though the building’s original splendor—with its Assyrian, Hittite, Phoenician, and Muslim motifs—is still very much on display, local wunderkind Adam Tihany recently refreshed the interiors for 21st-century tastes. The resulting design jives perfectly with the hotel’s location in Yemin Moshe, at the crossroads of old and new Jerusalem. Hotel guests also rave about the spectacular views of the Old City walls, minarets, and golden Dome of the Rock. For the most surreal vistas, book an upper-floor suite, then tear yourself away to visit the hotel’s tree-flanked pool and gorgeous gardens, or take a 15-minute walk to the ancient walls.

Somewhere between private villa and luxury hotel room, the suites at Pietermaai are as close as you can get to a chic, European pied-a-terre in the Caribbean. Plus, they’re located just a stone’s throw from Curaçao’s liveliest restaurants in the up-and-coming Pietermaai district, the popular Punda shopping area, and the atmospheric Floating Market (which doesn’t really float). The loft-like suites are outfitted with kitchenettes, wooden floors and shutters, and an outdoor sitting area. Some have a plunge pool or duplex layout, and the two-bedroom penthouse apartment is oceanfront. When not relaxing in their rooms, guests can take a dip in one of the hotel’s small pools, surrounded by lush gardens, or set off in search of sand with beach towels provided by the hotel.

Whether it’s brunch, happy hour, or date night, Barcelona Wine Bar’s shared-plate dining and drinking experience is a D.C. socialite staple. Mingle over pitchers of red wine sangria with a rotation of farm-to-table tapas, including a light spinach and manchego frittata with a bacon crunch at brunch and a spicy eggplant caponata with sweet pepper, basil, and parsley at dinner. People-watch from the garden patio or gather inside the rustic-chic dining room, where the Jamon Mangalica ham being hand-sliced will inspire you to order the charcuterie. After crisscrossing arms with your dining partners to share bites of elevated, familiar flavors, finish on a comfort-food high with a spoon fight over their luscious flourless (gluten-free) chocolate cake. You can do it all again at a second location on Wisconsin Avenue in Cathedral Heights.

Closed until 2024 for renovations.

Set on three-and-a-half acres of garden grounds atop Mönchsberg Mountain, the castle-inspired Hotel Schloss Mönchstein is like something out of a fairytale. Be sure to arrive hungry: In addition to a restaurant that serves Austrian and international fare and an indoor/outdoor orangery with light bites and drinks, the hotel has several private dining rooms, including one nestled in the castle’s tower and dubbed the Smallest Restaurant in the World, as well as a neo-Gothic chamber filled with black-hued antiques. The 24 guest rooms have regal touches like damask-patterned velvets and marble bathrooms with soaking tubs and walk-in rain showers, and a vast menu of treatments at the on-site spa, including Dermalogica facials and body wraps, are fit for royalty. After a day of pampering, an infinity pool and hot tub offer panoramic views over the city below.

Perched on Laurier Boulevard in one of Quebec City’s main commercial districts, the Hôtel Plaza Québec draws its fair share of business travelers. But it’s an even better choice for families thanks to its indoor swimming pool and hot tub set within a ground-level tropical garden; there are also two play rooms, a movie room, and regularly scheduled activities for the young set. While standard rooms are cozy enough for solo travlers, larger accommodations range from suites with kitchenettes to loft-apartments that can sleep as many as 13 people. Drop your bags, then take advantage of the hotel’s proximity to Old Town’s most popular attractions (about five miles away), as well as the impressive Aquarium du Quebec and the Parc de la Plage-Jacques-Cartier, with its riverside beaches and walking trails.

The Hotel Flora is an ivy-clad 17^th-century palazzo tucked down a narrow alleyway in San Marco. It’s hidden from the crowds, but still an easy stroll to the buzz of San Marco Palazzo and the Grand Canal. Like all grand Venetian homes, it’s had its share of interesting inhabitants over the years, including a School of Painting, a salon for well-known local artists. Continuing the artistic legacy, the Romanelli family—photographers, writers, and antique collectors among them—has owned the hotel for the last 50 years.

In the classic manner of a pension, the hotel is intimate and the staff welcoming and friendly. Rooms are cozy and decorated with traditional antique furnishings, heavy drapes, and bold brocade wallpaper in some. Pop down to the Victorian-styled bar for an aperitif, or linger over an espresso with a good read in the hushed garden.

Set back in a leafy area behind Casino Square and facing the sea, the sprawling, elegant Hotel Hermitage is a slightly less ornate alternative to the glittery fussiness of Hôtel de Paris, though it’s equally steeped in neoclassic grandeur. Many of the rooms and suites feel more contemporary than the hotel’s hand-painted Belle Epoque frescoes and stained-glass winter garden lobby dome designed by Gustave Eiffel. Accommodations range from rooms with clean lines, soft colors, and walnut furnishings to the most sought-after suites, with private terraces and lovely sea views. Because of the hotel’s spaciousness, it’s particularly well suited to families who want a touch of nostalgic glamour along with high-tech plasma screens and other modern amenities. The hotel’s V.I.K. (very important kid) program offers everything from a game room with activities to access to the private beach and pool for children.

One&Only Royal Mirage, the calmest and most elegant of Dubai’s mainland beach resorts, consists of three Arabian-styled palace hotels set amid a lush, 65-acre palm garden fronted by a three-quarter-mile white-sand beach. The Palace, the oldest and largest hotel, still has the feeling of an intimate escape despite the past decade’s frenetic high-rise construction along the coastal highway. The Arabian Court draws local couples and, in winter, sheikhs who take trained falcons to tea in the lobby. The most exclusive joint, the Residence, is closest to the spa where guests indulge in massage-themed vacations. All rooms share a French-Moroccan decor and courteous staff who continually offer fruit skewers, cold towels, and drinks around four of the U.A.E’s most beautiful outdoor pools.

In the heart of SoHo, the colorful Crosby Street Hotel is a boutique from the Firmdale Hotels group out of London. In 2009, owner and design director Kit Kemp opened this fresh, whimsical property, full of art, bold patterns, and a feminine touch that is frequently missing from the more common masculine-themed hotels of New York. Rooms feature floor-to-ceiling warehouse-style windows, with gorgeous views over SoHo and lower Manhattan. The ground-floor bar is a popular gathering place for New Yorkers, but many common spaces at this hotel are reserved just for guests. The Sculpture Garden and vibrant Drawing Room with deep, plush couches provide space to relax after a day of shopping in SoHo’s boutiques. There is also a 99-seat cinema where films are screened weekly.

A historic New York state resort, Mohonk Mountain House first opened in 1869 in the Hudson Valley, about 90 miles from New York City. This Victorian castle has welcomed five U.S. presidents (including Bill Clinton) in addition to countless artists, authors, and actors. Surrounded by thousands of acres of nature, the resort is perched on a cliff overlooking Mohonk Lake. Guests travel specifically for the dramatic, vibrant fall foliage and expertly manicured gardens. Rates are all-inclusive and comprehensive—all meals and activities are included for a single nightly rate. Yoga classes, boating, tennis, horseback riding, and rock climbing are all popular activities. During the winter, ice skating and cross-country skiing lure guests into the great outdoors. Rooms with wood-burning fireplaces and a huge spa with heated indoor and outdoor pool create a peaceful retreat.

Fuxing Park has quite the history. It was a Ming Dynasty private garden until the French took it over in 1909. Then came the Japanese occupation of Shanghai during World War II until the early 1950s, after which the park again became Chinese. Today, the park is a vibrant gathering spot, wide open to the public. No matter the season, it’s full of locals playing mah-jong, practicing tai chi, writing calligraphy, and flying kites amid the sycamore trees. Come early on a weekday morning to see the dancers, then walk over to the Mattress flower beds.

Thai cuisine, with its balance of three to four fundamental taste senses, may be complex but that doesn’t make it difficult to pick up the basics. Bangkok has a plethora of cooking schools, some of which are attached to renowned Thai restaurants such as Bo.lan and Blue Elephant. Blue Elephant is one of the most respected venues in the city and its tuition reflects its exalted status. Two courses are offered daily, with the morning session featuring a visit to a local market and the afternoon session including a detailed introduction to Thai ingredients. A homier option is Amita Thai Cooking Class. Classes are held in an antique canalside home and include an explanatory visit to the resident herb garden.