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Blue Waters is luxury and elegance made manifest and placed with love amid 17 acres of lush Caribbean gardens in the northwestern corner of Antigua. What could you hope for from a resort like Blue Waters? Spacious, well-appointed bedrooms? Of course. Romantic cliffside dining that supplies stunning views of Caribbean sunsets? A soothing, bougainvillea-wrapped spa stocked with Elemis products—the leading British luxury skincare brand? How about not one, not two, but three secluded beaches at your disposal? Or maybe you’d prefer an immaculate infinity pool that juts practically right out into the Caribbean Sea? If you’ve dreamed it, Blue Waters likely has it... Or better.

In 2009, Caleb Pedersen made a backpack. He wore it around town while riding his bicycle to and from work, hanging out with friends, etc. Little did he know, his bag’s exposure would lead to other people asking, “Where’d you get that bag?” So, he started making bags, which led to the launch of his brand: Chapel. All bags are handmade in the Chapel workshop at the Woodstock Exchange. In fact, you might just bump into Caleb when you visit the shop. Everything they use to craft their bags is sourced from South Africa. Bag designs are functional and universally stylish, so you’ll look good in Cape Town and everywhere else your travels may take you.

Less than an hour’s drive north of Boston, you can find the building that graces more canvases and paper than probably any other in the world. Located on Bearskin Neck wharf, it’s a central location for exploring the cultural center of this small quintessential New England town. An easy walk will take you thru galleries, shops and restaurants, as well as leading to the harbor that provides coastal vistas the area is known for.

Another hot spot in Pigalle located in yet another former brothel. Dirty Dick, despite the name, isn’t a place of perdition but the city’s second tiki bar, where Polynesian folklore and the American fifties come to life in the details: lounge music that teeters between surf-rock and exotica, barmen in Hawaiian tops, bamboo stools, Maori sculptures, and a jungle-inspired smoking room. The cocktails, of course, are tropical and range from classic (mai tai) to homemade drinks like the Amazombie served for four people in a smoking crater. Should the bar be jammed, which is likely in the late hours of the night, head directly across the street to Glass, the other leading cocktail bar on the street.

Sixteen apartments—plus a library and wine cellar—owned by German furniture designer Nils Holger Moormann sit at the foot of the Bavarian Alps. Inside a 17th-century estate, Moormann’s modern interiors are fashioned from brick, clay, and untreated wood. The cable car near the property leads to the Kampenwand ski area. But serious skiers should head 30 miles south to the higher-elevation Wilder Kaiser–Brixental ski resort in Austria. On the night of the full moon, snowshoe about two hours to the Riesenhütte mountain chalet for a Bavarian meal served around a campfire. From $144. 49/(0) 805-290- 4517. This appeared in the November/December 2012 issue.

The fourth hotel from continually growing LA-based chain Palisociety, this 49-room boutique property celebrates its 1920s-era roots with a design that maintains original Art Deco details. Its location in Culver City also brings attention to a sleepy, untouristed enclave stepped in cinematic history. Rooms mix wood paneling with jewel tones, plaid, and comfy floral chairs, and some have French doors that open onto the hotel’s inner courtyard. Classic and contemporary art is carefully selected and intentionally placed, while retro details like rotary dial phones on the desks complete the Golden Age ambience. Amenities include oversized robes, a mini bar stocked with local snacks, and in-room tablets featuring curated neighborhood guides, room service, and more.

A trio of 1830s townhouses, Soniat House exudes an Old World elegance, from its wrought iron balconies to its white-jacketed porters. Rooms and suites have just the right amount of character so that they feel of an era without being precious or overly frilly. The hotel renovated all of its bathrooms and some guest rooms, and there are flat-screen televisions, Wi-Fi, and other modern conveniences—but the point here is really to take a step back, put your gadgets away, and enjoy the leafy courtyard. It’s the kind of place where you feel you ought to be wearing a frock and a fascinator (for ladies) or seersucker (for the gents), where time slows and an afternoon cocktail feels very appropriate. Luckily, there’s an honor bar on the first floor next to reception. Pour yourself a stiff drink and take it up to the veranda, where you might catch a ghost tour in progress or just take in the street scene.

The Hotel Ritz is closed for renovations and set to reopen in late 2019.

The thing about Madrid’s Hotel Ritz is that, despite the name, it’s not technically a Ritz. In 1910, King Alfonso XIII toured Europe and decided that the Spanish capital lacked the kind of grand hotel worthy of visiting royalty that Paris and London had in their Ritz Hotels. And so he hired legendary hotelier César Ritz to create one for him in Madrid, with the same luxury ideals and a Spanish twist.

What he got was a grand belle epoque landmark on the Paseo del Prado, Madrid’s central promenade, next to the stock exchange and the Museo del Prado, just a couple blocks from the Parque del Retiro. Opulent suites have hosted dignitaries and celebrities for over a century, while the elegant lobby bar—with its live piano or Spanish guitar music, and antique furnishings—has been a fixture of Madrid society since its opening. The current Goya Restaurant is still considered one of the city’s best, despite its somewhat more Old World style than contemporary Spain is used to, and its leafy garden terrace hosts a parade of international glitterati. Recently acquired by Mandarin Oriental, the hotel is undergoing some updates, guaranteed to maintain its standards of decadence, just as Alfonso himself would have imagined.

Why we love it: An extravagant hideaway where guests can live the palace life

The Highlights:
- Meticulously restored rooms with balconies and original Maltese tiles
- An infinity pool with panoramic city views
- A glamorous restaurant in the tradition of Europe’s grand cafés

The Review:
The only hotel in Malta to be a member of the Leading Hotels of the World, The Phoenicia combines historic elegance with modern sophistication. Built in 1939, the five-star stay sits on 7.5 acres just outside the entrance to Valletta’s old town, within easy walking distance of the city’s top sites. An infinity pool and adjacent bar afford epic views of the harbor and ancient bastion walls, while The Phoenix Restaurant serves traditional Maltese cuisine amid high ceilings, chandeliers, and velvet banquettes. Also on site is Café Phoenicia for casual dining, The Club Bar for craft cocktails, and The Palm Court Lounge for afternoon tea.

Rooms, dreamed up by London-based Peter Young Design, feel fresh and modern, with a white, blue, and pink color palette and original Maltese tiles that recall the Mediterranean. Many feature private balconies for taking in the scenery, but all come with spacious bathrooms, plush robes and slippers, and minibars stocked with complimentary drinks.

The most rugged, sketchy roads always seem to lead to the best surf breaks. This photo captures the early morning drive over the hill to Cerritos beach in Baja Mexico. Down below I discovered perfect, glassy rights and only a few early risers in the water. In the distance at the point is Hacienda Cerritos, a boutique hotel from which you can stumble out of bed and down to the surf. Mario Beceril, a Baja native, runs a great surf school from the beach for anyone who needs a lesson. mariosurfschool.com

After five days of cooking classes--learning from Estela Salas Silva and Jon Jarvis how to make typical Poblano dishes including sopa de tortilla, crema de chile Poblano soup, tamales, tinga, sopes, pipian verde and pipian roja, mole Poblano, chipotles en conserva, ensalada de nopalitos, and more--the payoff includes a diploma, a loose-leaf folder of recipes, and a deeper knowledge of central Mexican cuisine, culture, and history.

The vast wilderness of Glacier 3000 continues to beguile visitors year after year. While you can ski here, most take a snow cat or dog sled across the plateau, or hike to the precipices and look down on the surrounding area. Glacier 3000 is also home to the world’s highest rollercoaster, which hurtles around corners and dips drastically, imitating the sensation of freefalling toward the ice at heart-racing speeds.

Having recently opened its doors to the public, the Factory on Grant Avenue in Norwood aims to be a destination for promoting the arts, crafts, design and a bit of individuality as it hopes to inject some renewed interest in the old neighborhood. The Factory features an artisanal bakery, a glass blowing studio, a screen printing workshop, an art gallery, boutique clothing stores and even a flower shop. Over the years, the popular Grant Avenue in Norwood has declined somewhat, with a proliferation of massage parlors and mini supermarkets. With the new Factory having opened early in 2014, Norwood seems to have a new buzz about it which, hopefully, will lead to other new ventures and establishments popping up too.

In Oaxaca, religious celebrations leading up to Easter tend to be quite somber, which is appropriate considering what the days commemorate. Although a lot of people take advantage of the two-week school break to go to the beach, those who stay in town partake of these somewhat mournful observances. Silent religious processions and passion plays are commonly held on Good Friday. Easter Sunday is generally a quiet day, but there are some festive celebrations that take place. In front of the church in Etla people carry religious images draped with flowers. Bands play music, and the people carrying the images dance around as they balance the weight on their shoulders.

Bavaria Film Studios is to Bavaria what Universal Studios is to California. The 90-minute guided “Filmstadt Complete” tour starts off with movie magic by way of a 4D motion simulation cinema. Your guide then leads you into studios where movies and television series were filmed. Many of the sets are from German movies, which not everyone will be familiar with, but it’s still interesting to see how movies are made. The standout of the tour, and a movie that most people will be familiar with, is a visit to part of the Never Ending Story set. If you’re lucky, you’ll even have a chance to ride Falkor and watch yourself fly over mountains on the screen while listening to the theme song “The Never Ending Stoooooorrrry.”