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Housed in Johannesburg’s historically significant University of Witwatersrand, the Origins Center details the history of humankind through displays, artwork, and more. Touring the interactive exhibits, either with a guide or a headset, will not only change the way you think about human existence, but also provide further insight into the way we’ve developed over the ages. While the museum focuses most on South African human development, there’s enough on offer to keep everyone engaged. Be sure to check out the 11 panels depicting the history of the San people in South Africa. Created by local women’s groups, the works serve as a timeline, covering everything from the distant past and the colonial period to issues affecting the San community today.

Cape Town’s Mount Nelson Hotel is a city icon. And who better to preside over the entrance than another icon? Mahatma Gandhi, who had a strong connection to South Africa (he worked in the country as a young man, and developed his political views and thoughts on social injustice and civil rights here), is immortalized in a statue at the hotel. Say hello as you visit the Mount Nelson — affectionately known as the Pink Lady, for its rosy hue — for its celebrated high tea.

Why we love it: A landmark-turned-hotel with elegant decor and top-notch dining

The Highlights:
- Five-star hospitality from one of Europe’s first luxury hotel groups
- Three-Michelin-starred cuisine at 15 Stamford
- An outdoor saltwater relaxation pool

The Review:
Located in Singapore’s civic and cultural district, the Capitol Kempinski Hotel is a modern-day union of two historical landmarks: The Capitol Building and Stamford House. Reimagined by late interior designer Jaya Ibrahim and his team (now part of BLINK Design Group), the property stays true to its roots with a colonial-meets-Art-Deco design, including high corniced ceilings, dramatic archways, and grand windows that reveal sweeping city views. Equally elegant are the 157 guestrooms, which boast Chengal wood flooring, custom lacquered Indian rosewood furniture, and cornices resembled fish scales—a reference to the Merlion, Singapore’s official mascot.

The hotel takes pride in its culinary programming, placing a heavy emphasis on high-quality ingredients and a carefully curated wine selection (reflecting the Kempinski brand’s origins as a 19th-century wine merchant). Nowhere is this more evident than at signature restaurant 15 Stamford, where three-Michelin-starred chef Alvin Leung serves reinterpreted Asian classics like Assam suckling pig with fresh fig and Hokkaido scallops with shiso and soy jelly. For something more casual, sample the specialty rums and chocolates at The Bar at 15 Stamford; take your afternoon tea at The Lobby Lounge; indulge in German breads and pastries at Berthold Delikatessen; or fill up on German-Austrian fare at Frieda. When you need a break from all that eating, pay a visit to the outdoor saltwater pool or spa, where the team performs calming treatments with award-winning products from Gaylia Kristensen.

Why we love it: A sleek property with the perfect combination of comfort and upscale amenities

Highlights:
- Gorgeous views of Dominica’s northern coast
- An emphasis on adventure travel
- Smart design that incorporates local art and products

The Review:
At Wanderlust Caribbean Boutique Hotel, five tropical-themed condos overlook Hodges Bay on Dominica’s rugged northern coast, near the village of Calibishie. Each room features a private oceanfront balcony for taking in the views, complete with a sunbed, hammock, and small table crafted from wood from the surrounding forest. Also included are a kitchen and sitting area, plus a spacious bathroom with a powerful shower. Expect tropical hardwood accents, plus bright pops of local art reflecting the ocean and island life. Two of the condos have air conditioning, and all boast fans and louvered windows with mosquito screens. Amenities like free Wi-Fi, high-quality linens, and in-room dining plush up the experience, while details like refrigerators, board games, DVDs, and Dominican coffee make guests feel at home.

After a rebranding, Wanderlust now focuses on pampering adventure travelers. Owners Tom and Sharie Decherd—longtime Dominican residents—offer guided tours, but are also content to let guests do their own thing. Within walking distance, you can swim at four pristine beaches, explore red volcanic cliffs, kayak a river, and hike in a rainforest. Other area highlights include a fishing village, art gallery, and chocolate factory. Back at the hotel, savor the stunning coastal vistas, along with delicious food, in the terrace cafe and rooftop bar. If you’re a Pirates of the Caribbean fan, be sure to look for Treasure Island just offshore. Note: Unsuitable for guests with disabilities, the hotel welcomes children aged 12 and above.

This novel walking tour combines a power work-out with sightseeing. You’ll climb a steep hill to reach a look-out spot with sweeping views of Vallarta and Banderas Bay, then descend to see Elizabeth Taylor’s and Richard Burton’s former homes (and the bridge that connected them), a tortilla factory, Cuale gardens, and a chocolate shop. Lots of samples and healthy snacks are included, as are plenty of photo ops.

Often referred to as Belize‘s original eco-lodge, Chaa Creek opened in 1981 as a simple rain forest hotel. In the decades since, it has become one of the country’s most popular options for upscale jungle accommodations, winning awards for its hospitality and its practices emphasizing environmental sustainability. Guests have two main options in terms of room types and price points. Luxurious rooms and suites are in the main lodge, featuring polished wood or tile floors and locally made furniture; the simpler, more budget-friendly casitas sit along the Macal River. The latter are sparsely furnished and offer few distractions. Guests of either room type have access to the property’s amenities and grounds, which include a natural history center and butterfly exhibit, a rain forest medicine trail, binoculars for bird-watching, and canoes for paddling along the river.

This centrally located 40-suite hotel is part of an ultramodern stone-clad residential complex on Lodhi Road, the main axis of the government bungalow quarter laid in the 1940s by the team of Edwin Lutyens, urban planner of the British Raj. No longer managed by the Aman chain, which opened the property in 2013, the hotel has become a bargain given the huge size of the rooms and unusually luxurious amenities such as gender-segregated Turkish hammams and a Pilates reformer studio. Each room has a balcony and private plunge pool, good for cooling off after a jog to the nearby Lodhi Gardens or a round of tennis on the hotel’s private grass courts. Sprawling across seven acres, the hotel offers serenity in spades and service equal to that of the far more bustling Delhi palace–style hotels. A library with rare books on India and a cigar lounge enhance the clublike atmosphere. The architecture recalls a modern art museum, and indeed the hotel is filled with contemporary works on loan from the Apparao Gallery in Chennai.

When in Dublin city center, it’s hard to miss the Jeanie Johnston tall ship tied to a quay on the River Liffey. The ship you see is actually a replica of a ship that transported emigrants to Canada during the Great Famine, taking a total of 2,500 people over the Atlantic between the years 1848 to 1855, a period when a million people left Ireland and another million died of starvation. A guided tour above and below decks on the ship tells stories of the ship and some of those who traveled on her, enduring harsh conditions during voyages which could take up to six weeks.

Burano is quaint and touristy in the same breath. Some might argue that there is not much to see beyond the multi-colored buildings. But there is definitely something worth eating - sardines! Sit in the sun at Riva Rosa and enjoy along with seafood risotto and spaghetti alle vongole.

Opened in 1926 by Maude N. Bouldin as a women’s hostel, Hotel Figueroa served as a safe haven for female travelers for several decades. Nearly a century later, it remains one of the best-preserved buildings in Downtown Los Angeles and has become a member of The Leading Hotels of the World. The Mediterranean-style property recently underwent a two-year-long renovation, in which its original Spanish Colonial design was fully restored. Now, rooms feature leather headboards, curvy lines, and original artwork for a stylishly feminine look that suits the building’s history. Feather-top mattresses are fitted with Sferra linens, while spacious glass-enclosed showers boast subway tiles and brass fixtures. Some rooms and suites even have spacious sitting areas and balconies.

There’s so much to see at Montserrat, the picturesque mountain located a few hours outside of Barcelona. Nature lovers will enjoy the wide range of hikes while, non-sporty types can bask in the breathtaking views available from almost any vantage point. Take the two funiculars, Santa Cova and Saint Joan, to visit the corresponding difficult to reach chapels. With travel, plan to spend a whole day at Montserrat. Between the mountain, basilica, museum, and monastery. Food is available from several shops and cafeterias, but many visitors plan ahead with a picnic. On Sundays local vendors sell cheese and honey outside the monastery. Purchase a ToT or Trans Montserrat card in Barcelona, they include transportation and funicular rides to different parts of the mountain. The ticket is good for a certain length of time, no need to specify a specific day, so wait for nice weather. Barcelona’s transit system is very easy to use, but trains to and from the mountain can be busy. Arrive early to guarantee a seat for the two hour journey.

A Lisbon favorite, this family-run chocolate-and-coffee café is continually showered by locals with love and devotion. Here, both the coffee and cocoa beans come from São Tomé and Príncipe. The former are roasted in-house and perfectly executed in one of Lisbon’s best espressos, while the latter are churned into artisan chocolate bars in outstanding flavors like ginger, orange, sea-salt-and-pepper, and toffee. If you order an espresso, you’ll get a free sample of chocolate so you can suss out your favorite before committing to a pricier piece of heaven.

Completed in 1614, Johannisburg Palace is one of the most important Renaissance castles in Germany. Located along the Main River, the immense, four-winged complex served as the second residence of the archbishop-electors of Mainz until 1803. Today, it’s home to innumerable cultural and historical treasures, including a unique collection of cork architectural models called Bringing Rome Across the Alps. The State Gallery displays early German and Dutch paintings, with a special emphasis on Lucas Cranach the Elder, while the Princely Apartments offer a fine array of neoclassical furnishings. In the Palace Church, modern technology brings the Renaissance altar to life in a new way, using light and sound installations to highlight the 31 alabaster sculptures and almost 150 relief figures. Also not to be missed is the Palace Museum, showcasing the history of Aschaffenburg, as well as the gardens, where the fruit trees and flower beds are particularly splendid in summer.

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.

This rustic barn turned tasting room, museum and shop highlights Tasmania‘s apple- and cider-producing heritage, while also serving as the home of Willie Smith’s Organic Cider and Charles Oats Distilling. It offers a delicious food menu, too, featuring the stars of southern Tasmanian produce (Huon cold-smoked salmon, Spring Bay mussels, Summer Hill bread) plus cider pairings. A hive of activity year-round, the Apple Shed really heats up in the Austral winter, when you can sip spiced cider (Willie Smith’s Original plus ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, and pimento) during live music on Fridays as well as the first Sunday of the month. Better yet, come for the Huon Valley Mid Winter Festival: a pagan-inspired weekend of music, merriment, and wassailing—scaring nasties out of the orchard to ensure a bumper autumn crop.