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Miami comes to Los Angeles at this Sydell Group hotel that took over the historic Commercial Exchange building in the center of downtown. Although it has deluxe amenities like a doorman and room service, the Freehand L.A. has a range of room types, from 167 private accommodations to 59 shared rooms with four, six, or eight bunk beds. The hotel deftly manages to combine the social culture of a hostel with innovative design by Roman + Williams, exceptional food and drinks, and stellar communal spaces where locals and travelers mingle naturally. Places to hang out include the lobby area outfitted with handcrafted furnishings, vibrant tapestries, earthy decorative elements, and murals by local artists; the lobby bar, serving tea-infused cocktails and light bites; the grab-and-go Café Integral; the plant-filled restaurant; and the rooftop pool, which is home to the award-winning Broken Shaker lounge. Providing more greenery off the lobby is a floral-filled concept store by Venice’s Flowerboy Project.

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.

Occupying the top nine floors of the Nihonbashi Mitsui Tower, designed by renowned Argentine architect César Pelli, the Mandarin Oriental showcases postcard views of Mount Fuji to the west, Tokyo Skytree and the Sumida River to the east, and Tokyo Bay to the south. The hotel also turns to nature for its design inspiration. The property itself resembles a tree, with its entrance at the bottom of the tower representing the base; on the top floor, fabrics and carpets suggest leaves and branches, creating the feeling of a forest canopy. The 157 rooms and 22 suites were designed with such flourishes as bonsai trees and cherry blossom motifs. At the 37th floor spa, a signature “Totally Tokyo” treatment uses pine, bamboo, plum, green tea, and rice hulls to stimulate the senses and restore a sense of clarity. For dinner, choose between French, Cantonese, and Italian restaurants.

Lose yourself in the fantasy of living life on a small estate in the foothills of Table Mountain at Stellenberg Estate. This private garden is exclusively open to the public one weekend each year (usually the first weekend in November) and is worth the visit if you’re traveling to Cape Town during this time. One of the oldest properties in Cape Town, has been called home by several prominent families over the years. Fortunately, despite changes of ownership, the property managed to escape the ‘Victorianization’ many other homes in the region underwent and retains its classic 18th century Cape Dutch feel. The house is off-limits to visitors and that’s okay because the main appeal are the gardens. The estate is divided into different gardens, each with their own unique characteristics: a white garden, a walled garden, a formal medieval garden, an herb garden, and more. After wandering through each of the areas of the storybook home, there is a small corner of the property where they serve refreshments. Both savory finger sandwiches and sweet cakes are offered, along with coffee and hot or cold tea. There is a small entrance fee, but expect no more than R50-R60 ($6). After all the wonderful inspiration the garden provides, you will be tempted to purchase a plant or two as you walk through their nursery before exiting. The Stellenberg Nursery is open to visitors Monday - Friday, 8:30-16:30.

It’s quite a surprise to see a working chocolate factory in an airport, and Chitose Airport in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan, has one: the Royce’ Chocolate World. You can view the process from finish to end along the stretch of the terminal. They have recently renovated the terminal and it looks like a small amusement park. Aside from the chocolate factory, they even have a Doraemon Park. Royce’ was founded in Sapporo and they’re known for making very good quality chocolates. I first encountered Royce during a visit to Hong Kong, and I’ve always managed to bring some home. They’re popular in Asia. But since then, branches have also opened up back home in the Philippines. In fact, they have also very recently opened their 1st US store in New York and a second shop in Russia. My favorite is still their Classic Bitter Nama Chocolate made with dark chocolate. Each box comes with a small spatula used to lift each piece of chocolate from it’s casing. The chocolate pieces are also sprinkled with powdered chocolate on top. Aside from the usual milk chocolate and white chocolate flavors, they also have Maccha or Green Tea flavor. Their Nama chocolates are also available in chocolate liquor versions. Some other unique items included their chocolate covered potato chips or some with strawberry or lemon fillings.

Our guide warned us about the freezing water before we left the warm surround of our tour bus. That was of course after he had also told us that the ‘Fountain of Youth’ so sought after my humanity since time immemorial, was just outside our window in the form of the River Sligachan on the Isle of Skye, in Scotland. Scandinavian blood may run in my bones but freezing cold water is not my “cup of tea”, so I merely exited to take photographs whilst others in my group did in fact dip their hands and faces in the rushing river. How did Sligachan come to be known as the ‘Fountain of Youth’? The story goes that a poor Highland maiden was horribly disfigured by a clan rival to her own but then was saved by a faerie queen. The queen immersed the girl in the Sligachan River and when she emerged, she was beautiful and scarless once more. Whether you believe the stories or not, and the Scottish have many, the area around the river is stunning in its wildness and subtle colour. It’s an incredible place to stop and take photographs but do leave yourself at least 35 - 45 minutes. Hike up and down the river, away from the bridge that is so well known [and where visitors are normally dropped off], and make sure to get a few landscape photographs that don’t have hordes of tourists in them!

On arrival to Istanbul, many tourists order the chicken şiş (chicken kebab) for a meal because it’s familiar and safe, but they’re really missing out on some of the best food in the world! I encourage anyone visiting Turkey to gastro-travel through the country’s tasty cuisine and sample the many Ottoman dishes and succulent regional kebabs on offer. My favorite place to take guests is Fuego Cafe & Restaurant in Sultanahmet. Fuego opened in early 2012 and is fast becoming one of the most reputable restaurants in the tourism precinct. The outstanding service by owner-operators Can, Ali, Mehmet and Salih has earned the restaurant accolades. Try the Ali Nazik (minced beef on yogurt, eggplant and tomato mash), Hünkar Beğendi (tender lamb on a bed of smoked eggplant puree) or pilic dolma (stuffed chicken with a rich saffron sauce) and wash it down with a glass of Turkish wine from the comprehensive wine list. The restaurant is also open late, so pop in for a nightcap or two on your way back to your hotel. If you’re a coffee drinker, ask Can, a former barista, to brew you a cappuccino, latte, espresso, French coffee, Irish coffee, or even a herbal tea. Fuego welcomes guests for breakfast, lunch, and dinner all through the year and can accommodate people with food intolerances—just ask your waiter for recommendations.

The newest Yountville venture by Chef Thomas Keller and his restaurant group opened in January 2019. The casual Mexican eatery welcomes diners with bright, festive decor and crockery sourced from artisans in Mexico. Though Keller’s name earned the spot a ton of buzz long before its opening, Chef de Cuisine Kaelin Ulrich Trilling is the real culinary captain of the place. In addition to highlighting dishes from his native Oaxaca, Chef Kaelin honors flavors from across Mexico in a menu which features dishes like tostada de nopales (grilled cactus), pollo en mole negro (chicken in mole), tacos al pastor (pork with pineapple) and a tres leches cake that’s worth the trip alone. But above all, Trilling and his team are committed to embodying the restaurant’s name. “A calenda is a celebration,” says Trilling, “and the name is to bring to Napa Valley a sense of fun and Mexican culture. You come in, have a great meal, but we want you to feel like you’re relaxed and hving a good time, maybe sipping a good mescal.” So far, they’re hitting the mark.

Why we love it: Local history and culture abound at this Atlanta newcomer

The Highlights:
-15 bunk rooms for fun and practical lodging
-Proximity to Atlanta’s vibrant Poncey-Highland neighborhood
-Welcome beers upon arrival

The Review:
Originally operating as a motor hotel in the 1920s, this Poncey-Highland property reopened in 2018 under the ownership of Oliver Hospitality, the same team behind hip locales like The Fairlane (Nashville) and Station House Inn (Lake Tahoe). New York-based studio Reunion Goods & Services spearheaded the design, imbuing the space with modern-day details while reviving its retro vibes with bespoke murals, custom wallpaper, and vintage-inspired artwork. Walls get a particularly feminine makeover within each of the 95 guest rooms, thanks to Atlanta artist Sharon Shapiro’s colorful depictions of women in everyday life. While the hotel caters to solo travelers and couples aplenty, it’s fun to bring a group: 15 bunk rooms welcome the cool kids here, and each of them sleeps up to four. Bring that crew downstairs for dinner at Tiny Lou’s, where executive chef Jeb Aldrich puts forth French-American fare like Tennessee rabbit cassoulet and black cocoa foie gras.

Located in the wine-growing region of Oberbergen, this long-running restaurant earned a Michelin star way back in 1969—and has held firmly to it ever since. Owner Fritz Keller’s family has been producing and importing wines since the 19th century, and Schwarzer Adler is very much an oenophile’s spot, with a list that spans around 2,500 labels (including bottles from the Keller estate as well as other European wines, with a focus on Burgundy and Bordeaux). The Francophile menu—designed by long-standing chef Anibal Strubinger (who continues to support the team alongside new head chef Christian Baur)—perfectly complements the wines, with dishes like liver pâté, lobster, and poulet Bresse with black truffles. Adding to the food’s classic feel, the dining rooms are old-fashioned and intimate, with wood-paneled walls and vintage tiled stoves. Service is friendly and efficient, and there’s a small terrace for dining outdoors in nice weather.

Housed in a 19th-century French hospital, the Covent Garden Hotel is the oldest and most historic of Tim and Kit Kemp’s celebrated Firmdale hotels portfolio. Opened in 1996 by the husband-and-wife team, it bears a staid style that reflects its early position in the cannon of hotels, which have since become far more exuberant and quirky. The hotel’s muted, pared-back look will undoubtedly appeal to those who crave discretion. It’s not unusual to spot venerable British actors tucked away in a corner, quietly conducting a meeting. This is, after all, the heart of Theatreland—or London’s West End—where a recognizable clientele comes with the territory. However, the Covent Garden Hotel is by no means the see-and-be-seen spot of its media-magnet sister properties, including Charlotte Street Hotel, The Soho Hotel, and Ham Yard. Instead, go here to sequester yourself with a book in the upstairs drawing room, which, with its crackling stone fireplace and wood-paneled walls, resembles the traditional lounge of an English country house.

Coco Chanel famously made the Ritz Paris her home for 34 years, but the grandest hotels need a little brightening once in a while. The Ritz, which originally opened on Place Vendôme in 1898, reopened in 2016 after a four-year, $450 million renovation. Starchitect Thierry Despont wisely retained iconic features like the red entry carpet and the hotel’s signature amber scent, but he incorporated brighter fabrics to the public rooms, subtle touches like a heightened lobby ceiling and the addition of peaceful landscaped gardens, and bold statements such as a retractable glass roof on the patio. Overall, too, the number of guest rooms was reduced to 142, and the number of staff was raised to 630. Guest rooms are light and airy, with cream walls, Empire furniture, swags of floral silk fabrics, and marble fireplaces with gilt details. Some rooms have balconies, perfect for morning coffee. Down in the Ritz Club, the pool, serenely set in a columned art deco room, is long enough for laps. The Chanel au Ritz Paris is the brand’s first freestanding spa, with treatment rooms featuring (of course) Chanel skin care and beauty products.

A collaboration between New York interior designer Tony Chi and Tokyo-based Shinichiro Ogata, this sleek Andaz property incorporates natural materials like washi paper and walnut wood high atop the multiuse business and lifestyle Toranomon Hills building. Rooms come with skyline views deep soaking tubs, and black-and-white closets and cabinets that recall the sketches of Piet Mondrian, but you won’t be cooped up for long. Snag a seat at the eight-person sushi bar, or dine on grilled snow-aged beef (that is, steaks aged in a natural yukimuro refrigerator of the white stuff) at the Tavant Grill, then end your evening with tea-infused cocktails at the rooftop bar.

If your dream vacation involves the ultimate in luxury, the St. Regis should be at the top of your list. The 151 rooms feature hand-crafted chandeliers, original artwork, and macassar ebony furnishings, as well as Italian marble bathrooms that have soaking tubs and TVs hidden in the mirror. But the real draw is the service: All guests have access to the butler desk, which can fulfill requests both big and small, from unpacking your suitcase to delivering the morning newspaper, and designated pool chamberlains mist guests with Evian and deliver frozen-fruit skewers and coconut water at the 40,000-square-foot Pool Piazza, complete with red-striped chaises and waterside bar. While the promise of massages in the Remède Spa and afternoon tea in the English-style Astor Court make it hard to leave the resort-like premises, the hotel’s location a five-minute walk from the Buckhead shopping complex may sway you. And if you need help hauling your spoils to your room, remember there’s a butler waiting just around the corner.

A serene respite from the towering urban sprawl nearby, this traditional Tang Dynasty–style landscaped garden is based on the design of the famous Jiangshouju Garden in Shanxi Province. Winding paths lead visitors past pines, cypress, and fragrant flowering trees. Set on Diamond Hill in Kowloon with the vast northern mountain range as the backdrop, the lovely park has been designed with artificial hillocks, ornamental rocks, waterfalls, and koi ponds to encourage quiet walks and reflection. Think of it as an outdoor museum for the soul and a place representing Chinese cultural ideals. A striking gilded pagoda and a pair of arched red wooden bridges are the focal points of a lotus pond and a favorite photo subject. To linger longer, enjoy a meal at the vegetarian café on-site.