Search results for

At the town of Rendsburg, the famous High Bridge is a must-see for bridge enthusiasts. Built in 1913, this protected landmark consists of both a steel railroad span and a lower section suspended by cables that ferries passengers and automobiles across the Kiel Canal. A spectacle to witness in action, the so-called “iron lady” transporter crosses the canal every 15 minutes and makes the bridge one of only a dozen transporter bridges still in operation today. Ship passengers are greeted by ship spotters from a welcoming platform on land, while a recording of the national anthem of the passing ship’s country is played over loudspeakers.

Among vacationers who’ve been coming to Grand Cayman forever, there’s a whole faction that essentially camps out at Rum Point all day every day, and you’ll understand why as soon as you see the place. Tucked away, super low-key, and graced with a ridiculously photogenic pier—its perfectly weathered planks cutting a striking figure against the tranquil, turquoise surroundings—this beach is the ultimate spot for settling into a lounger or hammock between water-sports outings. Rum Point’s namesake booze—which used to wash ashore by the barrel, according to legend—is available in all manner of cocktails here, of course. But order at least one mudslide at its spiritual birthplace: the beach’s beloved Wreck Bar.

I love all of the McMenamins properties I’ve stayed at over the years on travel through the Pacific Northwest, but I may have a new favorite: McMenamins Edgefield in Troutdale, right at the western mouth of the Columbia River Gorge. As always, the hotel honors the past of the building it now resides in, it has great food and drink, and every inch is covered in whimsical art that demands you have a good time. Historic Edgefield was built in 1911 as the county poor farm, and it’s now a 74-acre hotel and playground, home to award-winning farm-to-table cuisine, a winery, a brewery, three pubs, movie theater, golf course, you name it. With 100 guest rooms and hostel accommodations, the instant you step on the grounds you’ll be able to tell that community and creativity are cherished here. If you’re traveling solo or out on a long trip and looking to save some money on the hotel part, I’d encourage you to look at their rooms that don’t have a private bathroom en suite. Instead, you head to the large, comfy, and private communal restrooms to get cleaned up. Brilliant. This is a great spot to launch your explorations along the Columbia River Gorge, and if you live in the Portland area, it’s a great place to gather for a weekend bike ride, grub with fellow friends, and a few cold pints around the outdoor fire pits when things get cold. With films and live music nightly, it’s hard not to want to just live here forever.

The King Cole Bar is about as legendary as any bar in New York. Located in the St. Regis Hotel at Fifth Avenue and 55th Street, it has been the place to go for a cocktail since it opened in 1932—Salvador Dalí, John Lennon, and Marilyn Monroe are just a few from a long list of famous names who have dropped in for a drink. The bar sits off the St. Regis New York’s lobby and is presided over by the famous King Cole mural painted by Maxfield Parrish, with John Jacob Astor IV playing the part of the king, jesters to each side of him. Today it is still the ultimate setting to start a celebratory evening, or end one with a nightcap; it cemented its place on most lists of New York’s top bars with an extensive renovation in 2013. While the bartenders can prepare anything you might be in the mood for, you may want to order a Bloody Mary. The King Cole Bar boasts that it was the first spot where the drink (then known as a Red Snapper) was served in the United States (a claim, it should be noted, that is disputed by some other bars).

There’s a reason this is one of the most iconic spots along the Grand Canyon. Located on the Havasupai Indian Reservation and hidden deep within a 20-mile round-trip hike, Havasu Falls’ sparkling turquoise waters are a popular destination for seasoned hikers who come for the amazing views, rock climbing, and swimming. The hike to the falls and back is best enjoyed with a preplanned route and plenty of stops for rest, food, and water. Because tribe members of the Havasupai, which means “people of the blue-green waters,” maintain the trails and work to keep their land as unspoiled and pristine as possible, reservations for campsites are limited and day hikes and drones are not allowed.

Opened in early 2018, Harbor Club is a modern resort housed on Rodney Bay Marina on St. Lucia’s northwest coast. The overall feel is crisp and aquatic, with the bright-white building resembling a cruise ship on the harbor. Given the hotel’s marina setting, there is no direct beach access, but there is a sparking complex of swimming pools with mountain and water views. The hotel also provides complimentary shuttle service via a fast boat to the beach on Pigeon Island Nature Preserve, as well as towels and chairs for a day on the sand. Guest rooms are like spacious ship cabins, decorated in cool shades of blue with views of the marina or mountains. Eight swim-up rooms on the ground floor even feature private patios directly over the swimming pool area. The hotel’s half-dozen restaurants include Caribbean-Asian fusion spot 14North on the top floor, a modern sushi bar, and farm-to-table eatery Julia’s, and more options are available a short walk from the property. A full-service spa and fitness center, nightly live entertainment, and sunset cruises round out the amenities.

This property hits the sweet spot for Yosemite lodging—it’s conveniently located in the heart of the valley, is more affordable than the Majestic, and has better views than any other accommodation, looking directly out to Lower Yosemite Falls. All 241 rooms, spread among 15 two-story buildings, were recently updated to include TVs, mini fridges, phones, coffee makers, and Wi-Fi. While not air-conditioned, they come with fans and some even have patios or balconies. There are also four larger family rooms, complete with a king bed and two bunk beds. The lodge has its own pool, gift shop, and outdoor amphitheater, where rangers and naturalists give presentations during warmer months, as well as two restaurants. The more formal Mountain Room features soaring ceilings, waterfall views, and dishes like lobster beignets and grilled pork mole, while the Mountain Lodge—popular with the valley’s climbers—serves beer, cocktails, and a small but tasty bar menu, which can be enjoyed either inside by the double-sided fireplace or outdoors on the deck. There’s also a food court, which is slated for a complete makeover in the spring of 2018.

Medellín’s urban renewal, following decades as one of the world’s murder capitals, has drawn international attention. Perhaps nothing symbolizes the revival more than the Metrocable, a system of cable cars that connect the city center to steep hillside neighborhoods that were once reckoned to be the city’s most dangerous. Grab a ride on Line K up to Santo Domingo and treat yourself to spectacular views. Once on the ground again, take a short wander around the neighborhood for a taste of the real Medellín and its friendly residents (known as Paisas), and see the small shops and the beautiful library whose original benefactor was the government of Spain. From Santo Domingo, another cable car continues to Parque Arví, an expansive nature reserve and weekend escape favored by overheated locals.

This urban icon started as a hippie food truck housed in a surf shop parking lot on Vancouver Island. It has since blossomed into three restaurants, two burrito bars, a taco joint, and two food trucks, located everywhere from Hastings-Sunrise and Yaletown to Gastown and the Financial District. Chef Stefan Hartmann, who once ran a Michelin-starred restaurant in Berlin, now captains these elevated spots along with founder Jason Sussman. Expect nuanced options like chorizo-kale, pork al pastor with pineapple, and chicken with pickled vegetables, all on soft wheat tortillas for six to seven dollars. Also noteworthy are the meat-free dishes like “vegetable scrapple”—a delicious fritter of squash and chickpeas, topped with herbed tomatoes. And don’t overlook the octopus tostada—Tacofino not only sources seafood sustainably but also participates in Vancouver’s Climate Smart program and is working toward being a zero-waste business.

Despite its name, within this mall are shops selling all manner of electronics, watches, clothing, handbags, suitcases, and, of course, jewelry, including hundreds of pearls in every conceivable shape, size, and color. You can buy jewelry already on display—necklaces, earrings, brooches, bracelets, etc.—or choose your pearls and have something custom made. Unless the design is very complicated, a pearl necklace or bracelet made to your specifications can generally be done on the spot or within an hour or two. Hongqiao Market is a popular place for buying souvenirs, especially tea sets, calligraphy scrolls, paper fans, and chopsticks. Bargaining is essential here, particularly for jewelry. Note that there is a market of the same name and style in Shanghai.

There’s plenty to do in Paracas, from sandboarding in Paracas National Reserve to boating around the Ballestas Islands to flying over the nearby Nazca Lines—that is, if you can tear yourself away from the pool at Hotel Paracas. The 120-room resort was all but leveled by the 2007 Peru earthquake, but reopened two years later with a fresh new look, including a blue-taupe-and-white color scheme to reflect the surrounding ocean, desert, and sky. A great choice for families, Hotel Paracas features a children’s club and kids’ pool as well as three restaurants, including a casual seafood spot, an Italian trattoria, and a fine-dining option. Also on-site are two bars serving drinks and light fare, plus a spa and 24-hour fitness center. Guests even have access to complimentary bikes and water-sport equipment.

Spread over six levels, rooms feature either terraces or balconies with garden or ocean views as well as spacious bathrooms with separate showers and tubs. Suites also include a dining area, and some even have private plunge pools.

New Delhi’s first modern business and luxury hotel, built in 1965, is a contemporary white box amid a sea of greenery. After a $100 million makeover overseen by starchitect Adam Tihany, The Oberoi now has 220 large rooms inspired by Sir Edwin Lutyens’s original plans for the city, with peacock-blue accents, spacious bathtubs, and super fast WiFi. Beloved restaurant threesixty˚ maintains its see-and-be-seen status thanks to its airier layout, and a new rooftop bar has become the go-to cocktail spot on warm-weather days. But the enthusiastic, attentive staff remains unchanged, earning adoration from repeat guests who appreciate the brand’s reliable and faultless service. Indoor and outdoor pools, a spa, proximity to a large golf course, and the convenient location just south of Delhi Gate make this hotel a great place to relax at the beginning or end of a countrywide tour.

This veteran hotel on Tibidabo’s Hill has a history that stretches back to 1924, with its heyday in the ‘50s as a hot spot for wealthy Catalan families and, later, for visiting stars like Ernest Hemingway, James Stewart, and Princess Fabiola. After closing in 1979, La Florida reopened in 2001 in a more postmodern incarnation that blends original features such as wrought iron and antique tapestries with bold stainless-steel and glass accents. Internationally acclaimed artists such as Dale Keller, Rebecca Horn, and Cristina Macaya designed the art nouveau-inspired guestrooms, and the hotel is dotted with contemporary art by a similarly impressive cast—sculptures by British artists Ben Jakober and Yannick Vu and paintings of flowers by Catalan artist Isabel Cruellas, for example.

All the rooms have oak floors, luxurious furniture and fittings, and generously sized marble bathrooms with in-floor heating and separate showers and bathtubs. Terrace rooms face the city and seaside, junior suites have separate living areas, and the presidential suite has an outdoor Jacuzzi and hammocks where you can take in views of the Mediterranean. The hotel features a wonderful restaurant, spa by L’Occitane, open-air swimming pool, and in-house café and bar with regular live music.

Beloved by artists and curators attending the annual Art Dubai fair, XVA Art Hotel wraps around the three courtyards of the restored 19th-century home of the Seddiqi family, prominent traders who became the emirate’s Rolex dealers. Longtime resident Mona Hauser, founder and owner of the XVA Gallery of contemporary art, decorated each second-floor room of the traditional wind tower house in collaboration with a regional designer or artisan such as Nada Debs, a Lebanese designer known for her custom mother of pearl inlaid furniture. The on-site alfresco vegetarian lounge café—praised by chef Gordon Ramsay as his favorite place to eat in Dubai—is a hangout for independent travelers and resident creatives who linger over mint lemonade, salads, soups, and cheesecake. There is a running trail along Dubai Creek and the hotel can recommend nearby beaches, as well as spa services and fitness centers at all price points.

Reachable only by boat, Puyuhuapi Lodge & Spa has incredible views of virgin forest, mountains, and water. The Aysén region is one of the least accessible, less touristy areas of Chile, and it’s really worth going the extra mile. The hotel was created by businessman Eberhard Kossmann, who in 1986 sailed with his family through the fjords south of Puerto Montt. He fell in love with this spot and by a stroke of luck was offered to buy the plot of land a few years later—and so began his first venture into tourism.

Built from local wood, Puyuhuapi Lodge & Spa sits alongside the Termas de Puyuhuapi (Puyuhuapi Hot Springs), and all the hotel’s hot water and heating is sourced from the thermal waters. Guests spend days exploring this beautiful part of Chile on excursions that range from hiking and kayaking to bird-watching and trips to glaciers. Evenings are spent soaking in the hot springs and relaxing in this picture-perfect wooden lodge on the waterfront.