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A journey through one of the world’s last, best travel secrets.

Pune, the old capital of the Maratha Empire, is a cultural and educational hub often referred to as the Oxford of the East. A big attraction is the leafy quarter of Koregaon Park—full of drama, mysticism, and sprawling mansions, all built around ancient banyans.

The best hotels in Chile provide guests with a unique sense of place. Palacio Astoreca blends in with the colorful mansions of Valparaíso, while Tierra Atacama is as otherworldly as its surroundings. For a local feel, book a room at La Rêve.

Located in the northwest corner of France, the provinces of Alsace and Lorraine are at once proudly French and slightly German. Here, you’ll find traditionally French attractions like soaring cathedrals, manicured parks, and art nouveau mansions, but you’ll also encounter half-timbered houses, historic breweries, and lots and lots of sauerkraut. Visit cities like Metz, Nancy, Strasbourg, and Colmar and you may find yourself wondering what country you’re in, or ride a bike over the Pont de l’Europe and see both France and Germany in one day.

If Rome is the eternal city, Athens may be immortal, with its impossibly ancient monuments and vibrant cultural scene. Visitors can choose to stay at one of the world’s most historic and luxurious hotels, fit for gods and goddesses. Neoclassical mansions have been restored with sophisticated modern decor and contemporary Greek cuisine. Choose from a hotel location on Syntagma Square or in the lanes of Plaka for maximum convenience, or venture a bit further west to enjoy bohemian nightlife in Psiri. Acropolis views are always worth the upgrade, especially from a rooftop pool on a balmy Athens summer day.

How do you make sense of diverse, dizzying São Paolo? Talk to the people who make the sushi, spray the graffiti, and build the giant watermelons.

The end to a perfect day in Bozeman is waiting for you somewhere on the doorstep of the beautiful Lehrkind Mansion Bed & Breakfast, quite possibly the most picturesque building in all of Montana. The Victorian marvel is a perfect base for a few days of exploring Bozeman, with a great library filled with inspiring tomes and photography books that will stir your Montana wanderlust further. Each of the mansion’s nine rooms has its own unique character, though The Muir Room is where you want to stay if you’re a writer looking for a spark.

The Governor’s Mansion State Historic Park is a Victorian-style mansion in central Sacramento. The interior’s details, including marble fireplaces from Italy and decorations from France, are beautifully maintained and evoke the rich history of California in the 20th century. The property was built in 1877 and bought for use as the governor’s residence in 1903. The last governor to use it as a residence was Ronald Reagan. Tours are available on the hour from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays and cost $5 for adults and $3 for children over five. Don’t miss the gardens. On-street metered parking is available nearby.

While San Francisco and L.A. often steal the limelight from Sacramento, I often remind myself that Sacramento has long been the center of much of California’s history. The Leland Stanford Mansion is one place where that history is reflected. The mansion, located in Downtown Sacramento just blocks from the Capitol, is worth visiting not only because of its historical value but also for its beautifully restored interior and exterior. The mansion was built in the Renaissance Revival style soon after Sacramento was founded in the mid-1800s. Seeing the architectural details up close is impressive. In 1861, it was bought by Leland Stanford, Governor of California, a U.S. senator, and founder of Stanford University. One interesting fact is that after Stanford’s death, his wife donated the mansion to be used for the children of California, and in 1900, it became an orphanage. After a $20-million renovation, the mansion opened for tours in 2005. It has also been designated a National Historic Landmark. Tours are offered here Wednesday through Sunday every hour beginning at 10:00 a.m. (the last tour begins at 4:00 p.m.). The tour allows visitors to see what such a residence would have looked like in the 1860s and 1870s. You can also walk through the Victorian gardens. The tour can accommodate groups, but groups of more than 10 must make reservations two weeks in advance.

Formerly Las Alcobas, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Napa Valley.

Located just a short walk from the downtown area of the charming small town of St. Helena, Alila Napa Valley blends old and new in totally indulgent ways. The center of the 64-room property is a Victorian-style mansion that dates back to 1905. The house has been renovated and is now home to Violetto, an intimate, fine dining restaurant led by award-winning Executive Chef Thomas Lents. The nightly tasting menu, inspired by Northern Italy and Southern France, highlights local ingredients from Napa with items like homemade pastas, fresh salads, and duck confit. Guests can also join for a la carte snacks in the lounge and bar or on the beautiful, wrap-around veranda (don’t miss the chickpea panisse).

Behind the old mansion is the spa, whose building was designed to replicate an old barn with clapboard walls and high ceilings. The vibe is distinctive yet without pretense. Angled around these buildings are stand-alone, three-story structures that house the majority of the guest rooms. Featuring a warm, minimalist aesthetic that highlights, rather than distracts from, the beautiful vineyards it overlooks, each of the spacious guest rooms are decked out in natural materials such as oak, jute, and Carrara marble. Rooms come with cozy bathrobes, well-stocked mini-bars, and inviting balconies with fire pits that will make you want to lounge and linger.

All of this is centered around a large, open-air bar, event reception area, and swimming pool. Though compact, the pool is nestled in an exquisite setting with vineyard views. If you can manage to peel yourself away from the hotel, the property also has bicycles that guests can use to get around town or pedal around the newly built Napa Vine Trail. Or, simply walk a few hundred feet to the winery next door, Beringer, for a sampling of their world-renowned wines. Whatever you choose to do—be it lounge with a glass of wine at the new poolside bar, or retreat for a massage in the on-site spa—you can’t go wrong at this beautiful Napa wine country resort.

What began in 1854 as a high school—then grew into a college and, later, a law school—has served as one of San Antonio’s top hotels since 1968. Located near the River Walk, not far from the city’s historic district, the leafy former campus is centered around a seven-story, Spanish colonial-style main building with 338 guest rooms. Each one mixes original touches like wood-beamed ceilings, exposed brick walls, and French doors with modern amenities like HDTVs, marble baths, and Wi-Fi (complimentary for loyalty club members). Some even look out on the River Walk, while others offer views of a verdant garden. Healthy extras like in-room fitness kits, a 24-hour gym, and a year-round heated pool help offset the indulgences served at the on-site restaurants and bars, which include the fine-dining Las Canarias (don’t miss the popular Sunday brunch.) Younger guests can look forward to game-filled backpacks and scavenger hunts, while adults will enjoy the award-winning spa and restaurant at La Mansion’s sister property, Mokara, located across the river.

Just 20 minutes by car from central Paris, the Saint James Paris feels like another world: A stone-gated driveway opens onto a 19th-century private mansion that resembles a bucolic countryside estate. Surrounded by landscaped gardens, this family-owned hideaway is both a private members club and a boutique hotel. The 50 guest rooms were renovated in 2021 by designer Laura Gonzalez in eclectic, mix-and-match styles to resemble a collector’s home.

Colombian fashion designer Silvia Tcherassi took the design world by storm when she transformed a 250-year-old mansion in the center of Old Town Cartagena into a contemporary refuge that honors both past and present. Mansion Tcherassi’s seven rooms blend fashion-forward decor (think sparkly gold throw blankets) and original features such as restored stone walls and private balconies, but the vibe is much more understated, with ethereal fabrics, soft colors, and natural wood, in the 42 neutral-hued rooms at sister property Tcherassi Hotel & Spa. You can order fresh-caught seafood and icy raspaos (traditional drinks made with fruit and condensed milk) at the restaurant, while carpaccios, pizzas, and ceviches are on the menu on the rooftop lounge; the Italian restaurant at the mansion extends to a cozy patio facing a plunge pool and vertical garden made with thousands of local plants. After a day spent exploring Old Town’s historic buildings, relax with a Chinese medicine–inspired treatment in the spa, or take a dip in one of the property’s four pools.

One of Philadelphia’s outdoor treasures, Fairmount Park is one of the nation’s largest urban park systems. The park was originally founded in order to protect Philadelphia‘s drinking water supply. The tract of land at Lemon Hill was the first land purchased to create Fairmount Park in 1855. Lemon Hill refers to both the house pictured and the hill itself, situated on a spectacular site overlooking the Schuylkill River, with views of the Art Museum and the city’s skyline. The Lemon Hill mansion is one of several original park mansions still in existence. Each house has its own unique personality and history, and all are open to the public.

Built from 1892 to 1894, this uniquely intact Victorian mansion was the home of German-American philanthropist and beer magnate Christian Heurich. Considered the world’s oldest brewmaster, he ran the Christian Heurich Brewery on the site where the Kennedy Center now stands—until his death in 1945 at the age of 102. At this museum, visitors can learn the story of one of D.C.'s most successful entrepreneurs and his family, his influence on America’s brewing industry, and the construction of his 31-room mansion. As D.C.'s first fireproof home (he had a fear of fire), it is replete with hand-carved wood, 15 fireplaces with individually carved mantles, hand-painted ceiling canvases, luxurious furnished rooms, original Heurich family heirlooms, a bierstube (“beer room”), elevator shaft, and gas and electric lighting fixtures.