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Since its opening along a dazzling stretch of sand known as Cabbage Beach in 1962, The Ocean Club on Paradise Island has been the preferred stay of old-money patriarchs and traditionalists. Though much at the serenely posh resort has remained unchanged, the 105-room property has been modernized to meet today’s standards with spa-sized marble bathrooms, sweeping WiFi, and a restaurant run by star chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. But it’s the feeling of a privileged, unhurried yesterday that continues to draw an appreciative upper-crust crowd. An on-site tennis pro provides tips for improving your backhand, Versailles-inspired gardens complete with a 12th-century Augustinian cloister offer moments of quiet contemplation, and rounds of golf end with martinis at the resort’s bar. These details, plus knowing that a personal butler and afternoon champagne and strawberries are included in the price, keep guests returning year after year.

The Hermosa Inn, first opened in 1936, has the kind of history that a cowboy keeps under his hat. With 43 rooms and casitas spread across six acres of Arizona desert in the upscale Phoenix suburb of Paradise Valley, the inn was originally the home and studio of cowboy artist Lon Megargee. A $5.5 million renovation completed in March 2017 updated the hotel for the modern era. It still retains a historic feel, but without the possibility of escape it had when Megargee, a welcoming host clearly uninterested in background checks, built a tunnel from the main building to the stable in case a visit by the sheriff made it necessary for less law-abiding guests to execute a quick getaway. But then, with Camelback Mountain as a backdrop, few guests nowadays are in a hurry to leave.

Tucked away unassumingly in Copenhagen‘s hip Meatpacking District is one of the city’s top seafood restaurants, Kodbyens Fiskebar Restaurant. The industrial-style interior has design elements taken from the neighborhood and may not seem the setting for a Michelin-worthy meal, but the casual vibe in my opinion, only enhances the experience. The chef is fanatical about sourcing the freshest seafood. If you haven’t booked a table in advance, try going early and score a seat at the bar. The bartender will insist you have a glass of white wine with your oysters (try the briny Marennes). And don’t miss the excellent razor clam with maltbread, fennel, tarragon and dill.

After falling in love with Salvador Dali at his museum in Figueres, we caught one of three buses out to the cliffside town of Cadaques where you can get to know Dali a bit more intimately by touring his house. Full of odds and ends, including mini cages where he kept crickets and a polar bear draped in jewels, his house also includes spectacular views (including this one) of the serene Port Lligat. Tips: You must book tickets in advance to tour his house, and double-check the bus schedules because there are only three buses per day that go from Figueres - Cadaques and back.

There is a sliver of Africa where four countries almost converge: Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Botswana. The Chobe River is one of the many separation points between Botswana and Namibia and it’s also where I experienced one of my favorite wildlife adventures of all time. The boat I called home for a few days is permanently moored in the middle of a vast river system of wetlands and river grasses. The marshland is rich in wildlife; hippos, birds of all kinds, Cape Buffalo and hundreds of elephants converge on this one spot. The elephants were perhaps the most impressive, in size as well as sheer numbers. While boating along the river one day the driver shushed us, cut the engine and pointed to the riverbank. There on the shore were two young elephants walking with great purpose towards the water. I had never thought about whether or not elephants could swim , but I soon got my answer. They plunged into the river without fear and began to swim with zeal and power to the coveted river island. They also didn’t seem to care about us as they came within a few feet of our boat. Watching these majestic animals ford the river and then emerge with a great splash was extraordinary. It’s one of the travel moments that makes you feel both alive and incredibly thankful.

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.

Declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1985, the Jardin Menara was created in the mid-12th century by the Almohad dynasty. Since then, its gardens have been added to and embellished by varying degrees for other sultans but always centered around a huge, flat reflecting pool, which captures the Atlas Mountains in the most sensational way on a clear day and forms the focus of a space that covers nearly 250 acres. An elegant pavilion was installed during the Saadian rule of the 18th century and proved a popular summer escape from the heat among city dignitaries. Unlike other, more formal gardens of the city, Menara’s vast olive groves, orange orchards, and cypresses feel more natural and create a true escape from the fray. Although extremely popular with picnicking Moroccan families in the afternoons, the place is blessedly free of tourists and a lovely, peaceful place for a stroll.

Beach bars and restaurants comprise the bulk of nightlife options in St. Kitts, the one major exception being The Royal Beach Casino at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort. The 35,000-square-foot casino has more than 300 slot machines as well as blackjack, roulette, craps, and poker tables; the island’s only sports book; and an upscale lounge. If you’re looking for something more local and low-key, there’s also a small casino called MaPau with cheap drinks at the cruise port in Basseterre.

If Stockholm epitomizes cool, then the 19th-century Lydmar Hotel has somehow managed to improve upon that ideal. How many hotels give each floor its own distinctive living room—a private lounge away from the bustling lobby that buzzes with a stylish city’s most beautiful and well-connected denizens? And how often is that lobby also an art gallery, a worthy destination in itself and a gateway to rooms where the likes of Damien Hirst would feel right at home? Surely it’s rare to find a rather small hotel like this—home to three of a city’s hottest bars, including two with unobstructed waterfront views of the Royal Palace and surrounding harbor. Few are bold enough to acknowledge that the best spa in a city that celebrates wellness is located next door in another hotel, and that it would be better to get its own guests unfettered access to that luxurious haven than to try to build its own. The Lydmar is a hotel unlike any other.

San Juan’s Condado neighborhood is Puerto Rico’s version of Miami Beach. It’s a great place for beach-lounging and people-watching, with a multitude of bars, cafés and resorts along the sand. Be aware that the water can get rough in places, so use caution when swimming. La Ventana al Mar Park sits right on the beach, and the footpath along the jetty offers great views up and down the waterfront.

There’s a carefree summer camp spirit at Ruschmeyer’s, a boutique retreat in Montauk where a central garden full of hammocks and picnic tables creates a relaxing backdrop. First built in 1952 in a shaded stretch of lakeside woodlands in Montauk, the hotel now features recently renovated rooms inspired by camp cabins with cedar-plank walls, a hammock, and some with an outdoor charcoal grill. Ruschmeyer’s has an appetite for culture, seen in a rotating series of music performances, guest DJs, and artists-in-residence. This is a place to play, and the hotel happily arranges paddle boarding, fishing, and yoga. Start your stay on the central lawn, called the Magic Garden, with a game of ping-pong before drinking and dancing the night away at the hotel’s bar, the Electric Eel.

The famous Hotel St-Barth Isle de France officially became a Cheval Blanc property in 2014, reopening as the Cheval Blanc St-Barth Isle de France. In 2018, after a renovation made necessary by Hurricane Irma, the property also debuted a design concept by architect Jacques Grange, complete with 19 new rooms, freshly landscaped gardens, and one-of-a-kind artwork by Jean-Michel Othoniel. In addition to two gourmet restaurants overlooking the ocean, the resort features the only Guerlain spa in the Caribbean, staffed by Cheval Blanc’s trademarked “alchemists”—employees whose sole purpose is to tailor-make memorable experiences for guests. While Cheval Blanc is always popular with couples, its clientele shifts depending on the time of year. Around the holidays and spring break, families come for offerings like the “Pour les Bébés” menu of homemade baby food. In the late spring and summer, honeymooners are drawn by poolside champagne tastings.

A laid-back beachy vibe with a compelling overlay of French style is the hotel’s hallmark. Comfy rattan furniture is offset by a palette of blues and light shades, and rooms are stocked with custom Leanor Greyl products to protect from salt and sun.

Encompassing early 200 acres of rolling parkland, Villa Borghese is Rome’s verdant heart and everyone’s favorite place for an afternoon walk. The vast gardens are criss-crossed with picturesque paths, where visitors can meander past ancient statues and fountains, sit by a lake or caffè, and take in a film at one of two cinemas. For culture vultures, there is a Shakespearean Globe Theatre with a robust summer schedule, a historic puppet theater, and several world-renowned museums including Galleria Borghese with its enviable collection of Bernini sculptures and Caravaggio paintings. Younger kids enjoy playgrounds, electric train rides, and a kids museum, while children of all ages can get active with skate, bike, and paddleboat rentals.

This 1st-century wonder will take your breath away. Not only is it one of the city’s most ancient sites, it’s been in continuous use for centuries. Originally built as a private temple, today it is a Catholic church and the resting place of Italian kings and the artist Raphael. Make the most of a wet day in Rome and watch as the rain falls through the center oculus.

Built in the 1930s as a private villa, this boutique hotel was renovated in 2012, but still makes guests feel as if they’re staying in someone’s home. Perched on a steep hillside across the bay from the Old Town, it features stone terraces, vine-covered pergolas, and colorful gardens, all of which offer breathtaking vistas of the Adriatic and Dubrovnik’s signature tiled roofs. The 13 rooms—all but one with sea views—have high ceilings and arched windows lined with white shutters to soften the afternoon sun, while modern bathrooms come stocked with plush bathrobes and decadent Bulgari amenities. When not enjoying their daily delivery of fresh fruit or cookies, guests can head to the bathing platform at the bottom of the stone stairs, the outdoor pool at the neighboring Grand Villa Argentina, or the spa at the Hotel Excelsior.