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Chris Blackwell, the music legend who introduced Bob Marley to the world, reveals the real Jamaican scene.

Our choices, ranging from classic watering holes to the upstarts. Cheers.

AFAR chose a destination at random and sent writer Mickey Rapkin with 24 hours’ notice to a Central European city where tech trumps goulash.

A visit to Sipsmith Distillery in London explores an artisanal approach to British gins.

Overview

This landmark hotel, built in the Swiss rustic style popular at the turn of the 19th century, has hosted Winston Churchill, Arturo Toscanini, Albert Einstein, the Shah of Iran, Henry Kissinger, and the Rolling Stones, among others. Situated high above Zurich, with a sweeping forest and a golf course for company, it offers breathtaking views of the city, the lake, and even—on clear days—the Alps.

Renovated in 2008 by Lord Foster for a cool 385 million Swiss francs, it now features a bold, contemporary edifice that wraps around the turreted original, two entirely new wings (the Spa Wing and the Golf Wing), and a completely revamped interior. While the rooms in the Main Building (the historic structure) are appointed with traditional furniture and hand-painted wallpaper to give a regal, turn-of-the-century feel, the newer rooms are equipped with balconies and bathrooms of white marble or sand-colored Jura limestone. Imagined by London-based United Designers, they also come with flat-screen televisions with integrated Bang & Olufsen CD and DVD players.

The four signature suites sprawl over hundreds of square meters and feature steam showers, whirlpool baths, and even (in one case) a grand piano. The hotel also offers an expansive spa and wellness center.

There’s a reason that Zona 10 in Guatemala City is called Zona Viva, or the lively neighborhood. Allegretto, a restaurant, bar, and dance venue with a self-described “European ambiance,” is part of that reason. During the day, locals pop in for coffee on a lunch break. In the evening, you might see them again sipping a cocktail on the patio during a convivial happy hour. Depending on your mood, you’re welcome to a seat indoors or out for an espresso, wine, or a mojito.

Get a bird’s-eye view of Laguna and its famous sunsets at the Rooftop Lounge, which sits atop La Casa del Camino hotel. Drinks here include a lengthy list of red, white, and sparkling wines as well as specialty cocktails like mojitos in strawberry, mango, and ginger flavors. To pair with your sips, there’s a range of small bites, from barbecue meatballs with blue cheese slaw to bacon-wrapped dates and coconut-breaded shrimp. Just be sure to come prepared with sunglasses and a hat, as shade is limited, and bring your four-legged friend—the bar is dog-friendly.

The Mandarin Oriental was an early arrival to the Sanya beach boom, and their Sunset Bar is a fantastic place to have drinks in the evening. It has a huge open space with a stunning view of Dadong Bay; it really is the best place in town for sundowners. The cocktails are surprisingly good—try the mojito—though they hit the wallet pretty hard. For non-drinkers, they advertise a full high tea in the afternoons. I just love those little cucumber sandwiches with the crusts cut off.

The best thing about the Manchester Bar’s two locations in the Gothic Quarter, and Raval (Valldonzella 40) is the selection of music by greats like Bowie, Radiohead, The Arctic Monkeys and The Talking Heads. The drinks are reasonably priced and the mojitos are great. Opening hours are from 7pm to 3am daily. For a less crowded atmosphere, regulars recommend sitting down for a drink earlier in the evening when you have a moderate chance of scoring a spot on a chair or a sofa.

Its proper name is Neumos Crystal Ball Reading Room, but pretty much everyone just calls it Neumos (pronounced new-mows, a reference to the previous venue in that space, Moe’s Mo’Roc’N Café). The space includes the Pike Street Fish Fry, the Moe Bar, and a new downstairs venue, the Barboza. Neumos features indie rock, metal, hip-hop, punk, and electronica bands, plus DJ nights and special events. Happy hour is 3-7 p.m. every day, and includes $3 wells, selected $3 shots, $4 mojitos and margaritas, and $5 well shot + beer. On weekends, wells are $2, and Bloody Marys and mimosas are $4.

Philadelphia has famous local restaurateur Stephen Starr and chef Douglas Rodriguez to thank for Alma de Cuba, a dark and atmospheric multilevel restaurant serving inventive Latin-fusion cuisine. The lounge of this beloved Philly spot offers a great tapas menu and a well-curated craft-cocktail list (starring the best mojitos this side of Cuba), which make its weekday happy hour one of the city’s favorites. The kitchen is known for its lechón asado (roast pork), as well as creative riffs on ceviches and variations on guacamole, including a divine one spiked with smoked hazelnut.

Sugar cane and rum are big business on Puerto Rico. Locals love piña coladas, mojitos, coquitos (the Puerto Rican version of eggnog), and daiquiris—all of which are made with rum. Don Q and Bacardi both offer tours—complete with tastings—that will transport you back to the romance of early 1900s Puerto Rico. At Casa Bacardi in Cataño, just outside San Juan, you can watch a documentary about sugar cane, the rum-producing process, and the Bacardi family; study old letters and furniture; smell diverse rums in their barrels; and watch a mixing demonstration. Casa Don Q in Old San Juan invites you to read about the rum-making process, and listen to an explanation about different Don Q rums and how to mix them. Miller/Flickr.

Just down from the Central Park in Old Havana, you’ll find Bar Monserrate, which a Cuban friend initially described as a neighborhood “dive bar.” That’s all I needed to make the scene my own. Being a dive bar genre expert, my first impressions suggested it fit the bill. Old, worn, - and we’re talking about some of the regulars sitting at the bar, - and unpretentious. The dichotomy in the “dive” classification becomes apparent with the introduction of my waiter - crisply outfitted in a sharp, white coat and ready to work. Absent is the dive bar attitude of “your here, get over it” vibe, replaced with recommendations for food and drinks. Then the band starts to straggle in for the evening’s entertainment. When the music starts, the place lights up, ever so dimly, while locals dance on the sidewalk just beyond the open storefront and patrons inside pound down their mojitos. Dive on in at Bar Monserrate, Cubano style!

This airy, oceanfront restaurant can get crowded, so expect a wait whenever you go. It’s worth it, however, for the stellar menu of Hawaiian seafood dishes, plus the tropical cocktails. Pair a ginger mojito or strawberry piña colada with pupus (appetizers) like macadamia-crusted calamari and soy-ginger ahi poke, topped with local Surfing Goat Dairy cheese. Then move on to entrées like citrus-herb grilled fish tacos or the coconut-crusted catch of the day. If you’re not one for seafood, there are also excellent burgers and a teriyaki sirloin on the menu.