Search results for

Let me put the good news front and center: This is not your father’s Ritz-Carlton (nor your mother’s). For example take the infinity pool, which practically drops you in the Atlantic. Then, there’s the art deco décor, which comes alive with the Latin beat infused throughout the property. Finally, consider the location: the completely restored landmark hotel is literally steps from Lincoln Road, the epicenter of South Beach life – at least the part of life that’s off the beach. I, for one, could not have been happier reading in a poolside chaise or taking a soak in the Jacuzzi, unless it was when I headed up to the state-of-the-art spa, and then down to the beach, where attendants are standing by to cater to your (nearly) every whim. Sunrises are breathtaking — instead of taking photos to post online, I suggest you do what I did: Stand there and let the new day bathe you in its rays. But there is one important way that this Ritz-Carlton is like every Ritz-Carlton: The top-flight service. I barraged handsome Patrick, the day concierge, with a series of questions: “Where can I have dinner that is quiet and outside?” “Can you find me a yoga studio with ‘flow’ classes?” And so on. Let me say this: He knows his stuff and so does the rest of the staff. I was genuinely sad to leave, wanting more time at the pool, at Bistro One LR. Basically, more of everything, which is the ultimate compliment for any hotel. (A $28 resort fee is charged per night, per room)

Ollantaytambo’s namesake archaeological site is one of the best examples of Incan architecture in the region. It’s easy to spend a half day exploring the temples and other structures there, especially if you factor in time to hike up beyond the ruins. Meanwhile, the quaint town itself remains much as it was in Incan times, with original houses, streets, and waterways. Some buildings are open to the public, offering a fascinating glimpse into a centuries-old way of life. Most Machu Picchu–bound trains leave from the station here.

From the fertile lands of Anatolia to gourmet kitchens around the world, Nar Lokanta is a restaurant with a gourmet shop that offers a range of natural products grown, produced and packaged to the highest international standards in Turkey. The olive, hazelnut and pistachio oils as well as nuts, dried fruits, preserves and Turkish delight make ideal gifts for your friends back home—or for yourself.

This isn’t downhill ski country, but the nordic trails in and around Rocky Mountain National Park are remarkable. You can see the Stanley Hotel—which is actually a compound of white-painted buildings at the base of some enormous stone formations—from miles away as you roll into Estes Park. Built in 1909 as the private guest house of F.O. Stanley, it is now one of the most historic (and, say some, haunted) hotels in the country. It is famous for its role in Stephen King’s The Shining, but also for its proximity to the National Park, its partnership with local outfitter Kent Mountaineering, and for its pop-up weekend dinner club and extensive whiskey bar (over 1200 expressions and counting).

Together with the Portas da Cidade (the arched gates to the city), St. Sebastian’s Mother Church is Ponta Delgada’s most iconic example of Azorean white walls with black basalt trim. Built in 1547 and refurbished through the years, it reflects the changes of styles in Portuguese church architecture. Manueline, Baroque and Gothic are its main influences, with the altar of carved and gilded wood being the center of attention.

The Viceroy Riviera Maya is a 41- villa resort set on the sugary-white-sand beach along the Riviera Maya. Surrounded by a lush jungle ambiance dotted with dense with ferns, palms and guava trees, it offers a luxurious retreat for guests 16 and older. Guests are treated to an ancient Maya blessing, performed by the onsite shaman - guaranteed to transform worries into a relaxed mindset to mesh with the tranquil resort. The spa employs Maya healing techniques and traditions, while a lagoon pool, fine-dining restaurant, seaside grill, private pier, fitness center and a library lounge are some of the many guest amenities. A menu of artisanal soaps offers a choice of scents. Once the selection is made, the Soap Concierge slices personalized bars from large blocks of soap for their use. Pet packages are available and include a blessing from the shaman, personalized, hand-made portable pet palapas and personalized menus designed by resort chefs.

Though this restored 1740 mansion and historic landmark’s top billing is 20 guest rooms awash in tropical chintz and colonial-style furnishings, Graycliff is much more than a hotel. The restaurant has the feel of a residential dining room, albeit one that oozes traditional elegance and serves elevated takes on Bahamian specialties. You can pair dinner with a tasting in the property’s wine cellar, where the 250,000-bottle collection includes a rare (and expensive) 1865 Château Lafite and a 1727 Rüdesheimer Apostelwein, the world’s oldest. Prefer something stiffer? The cognateque offers tastings of its 9,000 varieties. The staff can arrange rolling lessons at the on-site cigar company, but if the way to your heart is through your stomach there’s also a culinary academy and a chocolatier. And while the hotel is located in the heart of Nassau, just across from the pink-and-white residence of the Bahamian Governor General, guests enjoy complimentary beach access at private Blue Lagoon Island.



The Graycliff Restaurant at the historic Graycliff Hotel was one of the first five-star restaurants in the Caribbean, and it’s the perfect place to go for an exceptional fine-dining experience, with a menu that combines Bahamian specialties with European cuisine. The restaurant has five dining areas, including a garden gazebo, plus private dining in the wine cellar and at the chef’s table. The chef’s secret recipes are masterfully prepared and take advantage of fresh local ingredients like conch and lobster. After the meal, you can take a cognac or a handmade cigar from the in-house cigar makers. Dinners at Graycliff have a dress code of no shorts or sandals, and jackets recommended for men.

Ard Bia at Nimmos (Gaelic for “high food”) is a lovely space in a stone building near the Spanish Arch in Galway, and one of the city’s most popular restaurants, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Inspired by many cuisines, from Irish to Mediterranean, with influences from the Middle East, India, Lebanon, and New Zealand, the dishes range from pan-roasted West Coast monkfish to pea and mint gnocchi to lobster borek with bisque aioli.

Though the venerable Vietnamese leader asked to be cremated, Ho Chi Minh’s remains now reside embalmed inside this imposing, pillared, gray-granite memorial. His resting place is hugely popular, drawing Vietnamese in droves as they pay their respects to the most important figure of contemporary Vietnam. The mausoleum only opens in the mornings, and visitors must abide by a number of rules (these include no hats, no shorts, and no photos inside). Yes, it’s a chance to see the actual remains of a hugely influential leader, but the experience of queuing up for entry is also a way of mingling with ordinary Vietnamese.

You’ll find people queuing outside the doors in Gastown throughout the week to take advantage of L’Abattoir’s excellent bar-only Happy Hour from 5.30-6.30pm which offers half-priced appetizers from their award-winning menu, daily red and white wines for $6, beer for $5, and cocktail specials for $7. Away from the Happy Hour the bar program at L’Abattoir is one of the best in the city with an exceptional bar team shaking (and stirring) up classics and their own creations. My tip? Start the night with a light, bright Gastown Swizzle and end it with a deliciously boozy Donald Draper.

Cape Town’s Table Mountain National Park, which hugs the perimeter of the city, is so popular that the line for the cable car to the top can be longer than a queue for a Disneyland ride. But why stand in line when you can put your feet to use? There are several routes that lead to the top of the 3,562-foot, flat-topped mountain, including the two-mile Platteklip Gorge trail. Yes, it’s steep, but startling views of the city and the Atlantic await. Trek, get hungry, then picnic on local provisions—crackers, Dutch-style Gouda, and biltong, the thick-sliced South African jerky—before riding the cable car back down.

To succeed, a restaurant that opens in Honolulu usually has to cater to locals or derive its patrons from the ever-widening pool of visitors in Waikiki. Morimoto Asia Waikiki does both with great style. On a recent visit just before sunset, we left our car with the valet at the new Alohilani Resort across from Waikiki Beach and walked up the entry stairs to the second floor restaurant. The interior was unmistakably Chef Masaharu Morimoto. Spare yet elegant, open and inviting Morimoto Asia Waikiki welcomes the early set who may be dressed casually, to the dinner date or bar set who might want to dressy-it-up. Our table was what they call “outside”. Settling in on the covered lanai with beach and ocean views, we lingered over the drink menu. Would it be a Morimoto Sparkling Sake from the well-curated sake menu? A glass of chardonnay? An Asian Whiskey? A Morimoto Black Obi brew? We opted for cocktails with the help of our server‘s descriptions. I love Mai Tais and Morimoto Asia Waikiki calls their version a P.O.G. Tai in a nod to the Passion Fruit Orange Guava juice mixture so famous in Hawaii. They make theirs with fresh juices and with white and dark rums and a splash of Cointreau. It had just the right balance. My dinner companion tried a North Shore Mule made with premium vodka, passion fruit juice, kabosu (a citrus) juice and ginger beer. It was so incredibly refreshing and a perfect libation to toast the surfers riding the waves as the sun turned the sky orange and slipped below the ocean. Looking around the room, the clientèle were a mix of visitors, business people entertaining guests and a few locals, but it was early. We took a look another look at the menu as our server walked up again to deftly explain the nuances of each dish. The menu is built to share which is great because there are so many things you’ll want to taste. Chef Morimoto’s concept for this restaurant is a combination of Pan-Asian foods. You’ll find Chinese, Japanese, Thai and Korean style dishes and flavors along some Western twists to ingredients. Like the steamed “pancake” served with the Morimoto Peking Duck is more of a tortilla. And yes, in addition to the eclectic menu you can have a N.Y. Strip steak if you’d like. We ordered a Beef Carpaccio starter flavored with yuzu soy and ginger. It was one of the most tender and delicious I have ever tasted because it is made with Japanese Washugyu beef. Arriving at the exact time we were ready for it, the creamy Buri Bop was mixed at our table by our waiter. After enjoying that simple rice dish, the Morimoto Asia Waikiki signature dish, the Morimoto Peking Duck arrived. Succulent and tender, it’s served with apricot sweet chili sauce and hoisin miso by our waiter who assembles our first bites enveloped in a steamed pancake, table-side. There so many options to suit your own style and preferences. Two local ladies next to us made a meal out of Tonkatsu Ramen and Chicken Pho accompanied by their bottle of wine. Too stuffed for dessert we would have had the Almond Pudding with kuromitsu (black sugar syrup), tropical fruit and oshiruko (sweet bean) or the little filled doughnuts with whipped cream,or the choice of strawberry yuzu, coconut, or passion orange guava sorbets. But alas, we just couldn’t do it. Making our way out of Morimoto Asia Waikiki we noticed the restaurant was full and the bar was packed. The pleasant hum of people enjoying their experience filled the bar. Looks like the locals love this place too. Dinner reservations a must, open for dinner only. Note on Chef Morimoto. He began at age 24 in his native Japan hometown of Hiroshima, with his own restaurant. After learning the art of his sushi he moved to America which presented him with possibilities to expand his repertoire. In 1999 he became Food Network’s Iron Chef, his name and skills familiar to millions of Americans. After a stint at Nobu as Executive Chef he opened in Philly. Following he opened Wasabi in Mumbai and New Delhi. Morimoto New York followed. There are a string of Morimoto restaurants from Bangkok to Tokyo including his Morimoto Ramen and Sake. Dubai has opened a Morimoto Dubai and the new concept Momosan by Morimoto restaurant is also opening at Alohilani Resort for casual dining to include ramen, gyoza, yakitori and the Oahu North Shore island classic garlic shrimp.

One of the most popular atolls to visit, Arno is reachable by a 45-minute boat ride from Majuro. It offers white-sand beaches and waters with plenty of marine life—including sharks. There’s a simple cabin to rent for overnight stays and a tiny snack shop (it’s a good idea to bring your own food and water, as well as mosquito repellent). If you’re lucky (or ask nicely), the friendly locals may make you some coconut crab.

A three-day safari in Kruger National Park is a must for anyone visiting South Africa. Entering the gates is like Jurassic Park and you feel transported back in time to the creation of Earth where the wild animals, especially the elephants, are dinosaurs filled with ancient knowledge of the land’s beginning. Although you may not see anything like the infamous “Battle at Kruger” YouTube video, you will certainly witness some interesting animal behavior like hippos bathing, monkeys mating, giraffes snacking or even two elephants flirting in the brush.

Crazy Uga’s main draw is an espresso machine—the only one on the island—which is essential for visiting Kiwis craving their morning flat white. The café also serves satisfying food, including freshly baked muffins and tuna panini. The lush views from the balcony are another reason to make this your breakfast or lunch spot. Crazy Uga’s is closed on Sundays.