Search results for

Exarcheia is the most unique neighborhood in Athens, by far. It’s not for everyone. It’s gritty, graffiti-laden, and crawling with punk rock kids who are far more harmless than they appear.


But behind its rough exterior you’ll find a dozen bookshops, tiny cafes where old men sit sipping Greek coffee, and an onslaught of art exhibits with political undertones. The neighborhood’s cultural identity is diverse: you can smoke hookah with Syrians or you can dine with the artsy Greeks. Embrace every second of it.

There are no shortages of places to eat and drink in the Belgian coastal town of De Panne. If you’re looking for a snack and a good deal, head to Patisserie Antoine, just a couple blocks from the North Sea. You can get a couple of croissants with a coffee for about $5. Of course, there are many other enticing things on the menu as well as a mouthwatering selection of cakes and tarts.

Seclusion and tranquility are the new forms of luxury in a world that is so accessible and plugged in. Aqua Wellness Resort successfully marries contemporary luxury accommodations with serene surroundings, providing a memorable and rejuvenating experience for travelers. Accessible by a two-and-a-half-hour drive or 40-minute helicopter ride from Nicaragua’s international airport in Managua, Aqua offers peace and privacy so that you can enjoy the beautifully wild landscape of Nicaragua’s Pacific “Emerald Coast.” 24 Tree Houses accommodating 50 luxurious villas and suites dot Aqua’s forested hillside, which overlooks a private, white sandy beach.

If you’re looking for a place reminiscent of the smoke-filled cafés of bohemian Paris, look no further than Cafe Cinema. Sitting alongside a popular tourist route in Hackescher Markt, the small, hole-in-the-wall cafe attracts both tourists and locals. In the evenings it’s a great spot for a beer and interesting conversations, and the daytime sees visitors working quietly and enjoying coffee. In summertime, the alleyway nearby has picnic tables, which make a great spot for people watching. The alternative atmosphere can be hard to find in Berlin Mitte, and this is one of the coolest spots in the area.

The Bean Counter is a locally owned café in the heart of Georgetown. This small, cozy eatery with chartreuse walls is a neighborhood favorite. Stop by for a quick breakfast or come for lunch, when you’ll find a nice selection of soups, salads, and made-to-order sandwiches and wraps. If you want to do like the locals, try the laudable Cuban sandwich. In the afternoon, the Bean Counter is the perfect place for a cup of freshly brewed organic, fair-trade coffee and a homemade cookie. Order at the counter and then slip out through the narrow side alley to enjoy the secret garden in the back.

Standing in Plaza Congreso, you might find yourself staring up at the Moulin Rouge-like windmill adorning an Art Nouveau building on the corner. Approaching the door, you’ll see it’s covered in cobwebs - this architectural landmark, once a glamorous cafe where politicians had coffee and tea between meetings, has been abandoned for years. Confiteria El Molino (‘el molino’ means ‘windmill’) has been closed since 1996, though local activists keep pushing to fund its restoration. So far, it hasn’t happened, and the fairy tale-like building on the corner adds an eerie ghostly feel to the busy urban intersection.

It’s a weekend ritual for my cousin and his friends to pop into either The Loading Bay or Origins Roast right next door for breakfast. With a gorgeous view of the mountain, both cafés have coffee to die for and stellar food. This particular beauty of a breakfast was from The Loading Bay; banana topped with walnuts accompanied with creme fraiche, served on top of toasted rye and drizzled with honey. Both venues are open for breakfast and lunch; the Loading Bay is also open for burger night, on Thursdays, served with their famous fries (sprinkled with truffles).

OK, America has plenty of beautiful little mountain towns. I just happened to catch this one on a quiet, low-season day and I was utterly charmed. The secondhand bookshop was a thing of joy - run by a woman who knew her Dorothy Parker from her Dorothy L Sayers - and the Dripolator coffee shop, above, had a great vibe, with its beaten up sofas and community notices pinned all over the walls. And then there’s the mountain views, and the clear air. If you’ve had a big night out in Asheville, I can’t think of a better place to deal with your hangover.

Twelve years after Ace Hotel transformed Manhattan’s NoMad neighborhood into a destination worth visiting, the brand opened its second NYC property on the edge of Brooklyn’s residential Boerum Hill neighborhood and Downtown Brooklyn in the summer of 2021. Built from the ground up, the 13-story building features a concrete Brutalist facade designed by Roman and Williams. Inside, organic elements like green leather couches, wooden walls, and textile and fiber art pieces add warmth to raw concrete pillars and ceilings in the expansive lobby and throughout the 287 rooms.

One of the most charming souvenirs from the Big Island is a Hula Lamp. The lamps are a great way to bring the spirit of aloha into your home. They are a much grander version of a dashboard hula doll. Charles Moore is the artist who began creating the lamps based on vintage topless hula lamps he had seen from the past. He’s created a variety of designs, colors, and shades for the hula lamps so anyone can find something they like to suit their home. He’s always thinking ahead to new ideas including hula coffee tables, vases, and sculptures. When you walk into his shop, you’ll be impressed by his creations and likely end up taking one home!

Towering palms and a true Scottsdale vibe greet guests of the Westin Kierland Resort & Spa, located in northern Scottsdale. Families will love features like the Adventure Water Park, which has a lazy river perfect for floating on a sunny day, a water slide, and even a spot to do some desert-style surfing on the FlowRider. A kid-friendly light show takes place seasonally at night, and the projection onto the hotel makes the building look like it has come to life. For the grown-ups, the property is an even better place to play. By day, go for a round of golf on the award-winning links, lounge at the adults-only pool, or enjoy a massage at Agave, the Arizona Spa (the namesake plant, native to the area, is used in many of the treatments). By night, choose from four on-site dining options—not including cozy in-room bites. Be sure to make a reservation at Deseo, where Chef de Cuisine Derek Biazo serves up delicious contemporary Latin American small plates (try the hamachi ceviche with truffle ponzu sauce, and definitely don’t skip dessert or the exceptional wine list). Tipplers will also appreciate the open-nightly Scotch Library, which boasts more than 300 labels and kilt-clad Scotch Ambassadors who can guide you through a tasting. The Scotch Library is one of the hotel’s many tributes to the area’s history and culture. Scottish immigrants played a role in establishing the early economy of Arizona, and homage to that heritage is evident not only in the Scotch Library but also in the sunset bagpipe shows and the offering for golfers to play Scottish-themed golf. Other nods to local culture include the rehabilitated desert reptiles in the lobby (don’t worry, they’re enclosed) and room decor highlighting important personalities and moments from Arizona’s history like female pilot Ruth Reinhold, who taught pilots in World War II and eventually became Arizona Senator Barry Goldwater’s personal pilot.

Casa Morada’s dressed-down modern coastal style reflects a love of the ocean, island plant life, and luxurious comforts. The 16-suite boutique hotel—once a 1950s roadside motel—underwent an extensive renovation in the early 2000s that transformed it into one of the Key’s sexiest spots. The Raymond Jungles–designed gardens are lush, the outdoors showers and jacuzzis are impossibly romantic, and the resort’s private island features a freshwater pool. If you can rouse yourself for anything other than relaxing by the water, try your hand at a game of bocce, snorkle around the only living coral reef in North America, go on a sunset sail, or charter a boat tour with local resident Captain Bill to visit the Mangrove Islands or Three Sisters Bird Rookery. Pro Tip: Morning yoga classes are offered every Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday at 9, but guests can book a private session anytime.

Encompassing 35 private villas on the Motu Onetahi coast of Marlon Brando’s very own French Polynesian island, Tetiaroa, The Brando is arguably the most luxurious place to stay in the entire South Pacific country. All of the villas at this all-inclusive resort have their own private pools along with direct beach access, and there’s a gorgeous spa offering a range of healing modalities, including traditional Polynesian taurumi massage. For those who want to add a bit of activity to their stay, there’s plenty to do on the island and in its surrounding waters, from snorkeling and scuba diving to discovering the flora and fauna of the surrounding landscape under the tutelage of a research scientist. Travelers with an interest in Polynesian culture may also want to try their hand at the traditional outrigger canoe, perhaps taking a trip out to one of the surrounding private islets that share an atoll with the Brando.

My first night at Galley Bay, I decided to take in their signature dining experience at Ismay’s. This is their top-of-the-line restaurant. Menu items include baked escalope of mahi mahi with olive and pine nut crust parsley; roasted cherry tomatoes, chilled caponata, sweet potato wafers, and balsamic reduction; and gratin of shrimp, crimson grapes, fresh dill, and champagne cream. Certainly impressive names, but perhaps the most impressive is the name of the restaurant itself. You see, when the then unnamed restaurant was being built in 2008, employees overwhelmingly suggested it should be named after one of their own: Ms. Ismay Mason. Ismay had been with Galley Bay for 45 years at that time during which she’d never called in sick and was a steadfast member of the team and community at large. Five years later, when Ismay finally retired, the tribute to her contribution toward the exceptional vibe of Galley Bay continued with the formation of The Ismay’s Foundation which provides for further career training and education within the community. Incidentally, I had the grilled beef mignon and sauté of shrimp, fondant potato, lemon, parsley and white wine emulsion.

The Rock Bar at the Ayana Resort & Spa has become an icon of Bali‘s new wave of luxurious resorts that incorporate modern architecture with the natural beauty of the island. The bar teeters over the edge of the precipitous cliffs facing out into Jimbaran Bay, which is one of the best places in Bali to watch the sun sink into the Indian Ocean. The Rock Bar is by no means cheap, but it is worth going once for the experience and to make your friends back home really jealous. Smart dress is required at the Rock Bar, so don’t turn up in board shorts or you’ll be turned away from the inclinator which carries guests down the cliffs to the bar. The line for the inclinator can get busy before sunset, so arrive early to get to the bar in time.