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A-ji-shi is a stand-up sushi bar located in Taipei’s Shidong Market. There’s only a fixed menu and it is pricey by local standards. But the fish is fresh and the sushiman well-trained.

Tucked away above Mikkeller, a craft beer bar on a leafy backstreet, Upstairs has quietly established itself as one of Bangkok’s most exciting restaurants. Recognition of Korean-American chef Dan Bark’s skill came when French fine-dining bible Michelin granted the restaurant a star. Although functional and pleasant, the minimalist dining room gives scant notice of the elevated gastronomic experience provided by Bark and his team. A ten-course tasting menu changes regularly depending on the whim of the chef, featuring creative, unfussy dishes that Bark labels “progressive American” cuisine. If you are feeling flush, the best way to enjoy the food is to go with the beer pairing, which involves specially selected craft brews, cider, and mead.

Why we love it: A boutique stay in Faubourg Marigny that’s full of history, character, and style

The Highlights:
- High design mixed with historic details
- A restaurant from a James Beard–nominated team
- Character-filled common spaces like the parlors and sun room

The Review:
Located in New Orleans’s culturally rich Faubourg Marigny neighborhood, the 71-room Hotel Peter and Paul comprises a historic church, rectory, schoolhouse, and convent, all built in the 19th century. When converting the site, local resident Nathalie Jordi and New York–based interior design firm ASH NYC took pains to preserve original features like cypress wood moldings, stained glass windows, and marble fireplaces, while adding signature details like antique chandeliers and custom rugs handmade in India. As a result, each guestroom has a personality all its own, evident in touches like canopy beds, Italian linens, and trays of locally sourced snacks.

That love for local eats extends to The Elysian Bar, where the team behind James Beard–nominated wine bar Bacchanal serves regionally focused fare like roasted Gulf shrimp and braised beef short ribs, and Sundae Best, which offers small-batch ice cream made with seasonal, locally sourced ingredients. Also on site is a cheery cafe for coffee and pastries; two grand parlors for reading the paper in a vintage rattan chair; a sun room modeled after Claude Monet’s Giverny home; an amber-hued bar serving low-proof spritzes for aperitivo hour; and a tranquil brick courtyard lined with palms, ferns, and vines. More impressive still is the decommissioned Catholic church, designed by famous New Orleans architect Henry Howard. Here, the hotel hosts a mix of private and public events, from weekly concerts to yoga and floral design classes.

In 2016, Ace added another link to its chain of ultracool hotels when it opened an outpost in a renovated 1928 building in the Central Business District of New Orleans. While the Ace employees here are just as edgy as their counterparts elsewhere, they temper that cool with the warm ease of New Orleans’s locals.

Guests enter the hotel through a lobby of mismatched low-slung sofas and vintage coffee tables set in conversation-friendly groupings beside a lovely and ornate wooden bar. Most of the furnishings and artwork complement the hotel’s dominant forest green hue, which itself seems to have been inspired by the color of the streetcars that trundle past on Carondelet Street. Afternoon and evening and late at night, the lobby bar is kept busy by hotel guests as well as a stream of others drawn here by the stylish vibe.

Why we love it: A luxury resort with top-notch amenities in the heart of Malta

The Highlights:
- A variety of room types to accommodate all travelers
- Five on-site bars and restaurants, including the historic Villa Corinthia
- A regal pool surrounded by loungers and gardens

The Review:
In 1959, the Pisani family patriarch bought the historic Villa Refalo, intending for it to be a home for him, his wife, and their six children, as well as a restaurant. When he died unexpectedly, his children took over the property, first turning it into a wedding hall, and then a luxury hotel called Corinthia Palace. Even though the Pisanis have since expanded the Corinthia brand to 14 hotels around the world, they still own and operate the Malta original, running it with all the amenities required of a five-star stay. Here, guests find five bars and restaurants, a swanky outdoor pool and garden area, tennis courts, a deluxe spa and fitness center, and friendly, attentive service. The afternoon tea, served in your choice of British or Maltese style in the Orange Grove Brasserie, is a must, while the daily breakfast spread is generous and tasty.

Ranging from superior rooms to executive suites, accommodations feature comfy beds and private balconies or terraces. All come with complimentary access to the Athenaeum Spa, but higher category options also include entry to the Executive Lounge, where guests can enjoy a daily breakfast buffet and complimentary wine, spirits, and canapés each evening. Speaking of the spa, it’s currently being renovated and will be unveiled in April 2020 with a new design by Goddard Littlefair, a new parternship with ESPA for treatments, and new facilities including seven treatment rooms, a relaxation lounge, and a thermal area.

Downtown Orlando is a very social place, with blocks of bars and restaurants that stay busy from happy hour through late night. Along Orange Avenue—but delightfully removed from the more boisterous downtown stretch—this rooftop lounge overlooking Ivanhoe Row is a local favorite for drinking craft cocktails al fresco. Ride the glass elevator up the third-floor deck, where a horseshoe-shaped bar is shaded from the sun but open to the breezes. Seasonal sangrias spiked with whatever fruit is at peak ripeness go down easily. And another house favorite is the Majors Mule, which puts a tequila twist on the ginger beer and fresh lime classic.

There are wild times to be had at Val d’Isère’s most happening slope-side bar, where skiers can take advantage of buy-one-get-one-free beers at happy hour, or swing by at 6 p.m. when the live music and DJs really get the party rolling. Here, dancing and general exuberance are the order of the day, especially during special events like themed races or the annual closing party (when the bar sets up a waterslide for skiers). While Cocorico closes at 8 p.m., the party continues steps away at Doudoune, a club run by the same team that stays open until 5 a.m.

This family-run hotel, originally opened in 1886, is steeped in history from its classic furnishings to its esteemed guests. Literary legends William Faulkner and Ernest Hemingway have stayed here; Tennessee Williams wrote about the hotel in his play The Rose Tattoo, and Truman Capote was known to prop up the Carousel Bar & Lounge on many a night. The merry-go-round–like bar (which makes a complete revolution every 15 minutes) is probably the hotel’s most famous feature, and a Vieux Carre cocktail there is de rigueur. Guests will also want to visit on-site restaurant Criollo, which offers an updated take on traditional N’awlins fare.

“If you’re looking to enjoy a quiet drink and you love whiskey, this is your bar. An iPad menu acts as a directory of more than 150 whiskeys and their origins, from Scotland to Japan. Malt Fun also has a list of mostly classic cocktails. Call ahead to reserve a seat.” —Bartender Tree Mao on the French Concession. Read more about his local’s take on Shanghai here. This appeared in the January/February 2015 issue.

Dive bar enthusiasts will appreciate the laissez faire attitude of the Hair of the Dog Pub a short walk from the Tennessee Aquarium. It’s designed like an English pub, but carries a full selection of American craft beers. It’s not a family spot to speak of, as smoking is allowed and you must be 21 years old to enter. The food is equally good, like the Turkey Reuben or the fish and chips.

If you are in Venice, you will surely get familiar with local spritz (a fizzy, refreshing aperitif) and cicchetti, or small snacks. If you want to have a local experience, be sure to stop by Cantine del Vino Già Schiavi while walking around La Salute area.

It’s more of a wine bar or shop than a true restaurant, with floor-to-ceiling bottles along the walls and most patrons standing as they nibble cicchetti like bruschetta with a cod spread or brie and anchovies. Buon appetito!

This abacus-inspired device tracks how many beers you take from the honor bar located next to the rooftop jacuzzi at Casa Tota (www.hotelcasatota.com). Located in the heart of Todos Santos, this new hotel is outrageously affordable (rooms start at around $85) and its restaurant serves a dangerously good margarita. Margaritas are on the house if you can out arm wrestle Casa Tota’s buff waiter, Raul.

If you’re looking for a quiet place to have a drink, don’t go to Zeitgeist. If you’re looking to have an early night, don’t go to Zeitgeist. If you’re looking for an incredibly wide selection of beers on tap, gruff but knowledgeable bartenders, good bar food, and an outdoor biergarten filled with picnic tables and young locals—then you should definitely go to Zeitgeist. The place can get pretty crowded, so be sure to follow proper protocol at the bar if you want to get served: order your beer by its corresponding number (it’s all clear on the menu) and remember that this place is cash only. Feeling hungry? Get the cheeseburger and home fries. Zeitgeist is open daily from 9 am to 2 am. .

Monk’s Cafe bills itself as “the soul of Belgium in the heart of Philadelphia.” My description of this neighborhood bar would be a crazy, packed joint that happens to offer the best beer selection around. In fact, the back bar has one of the best selections of Belgian beers on draught in the U.S. Those who feel a bit overwhelmed by all the options can use the famous “Beer Bible” to choose just the right brew. The food is also very good, and Monk’s has received dozens of “Best of Philly” awards, including the best fries in the city. I can attest that they truly are the best: They’re served with bourbon mayonnaise, the perfect accompaniment. In true Belgian fashion, the mussels are a popular item. The menu also has a few vegetarian options, including an excellent veggie burger.

There are two Paradise Beaches on Kos. One is northeast of Kefalos. It’s quite nice with facilities, a bar, and crystal clear waters. The other is southwest of Kefalos. It’s also quite nice with facilities, a bar, and crystal clear waters. The difference is the first one is very easy to get to and prone to getting covered in a crush of humanity while the second one (pictured above) is found at the end of a loooong, winding, dirt road (complete with sheer drops!) and only very lighted spotted with a few clothing optional occupants. Don’t worry, the way is clearly marked with signs pointing the way to Kavo Paradiso Beach FKK. FKK of course short for Freikörperkultur — a German movement whose name translates to Free Body Culture. Now when I say it has facilities, I mean it has around 7 or 8 umbrellas to rent with accompanying chairs. And when I say it has a bar, I mean it has a teeny-tiny shed manned by a blissfully quiet Greek fellow selling Mythos beers for 2 euros a bottle. And when I say it has crystal clear waters, I mean it! This was by far my favorite beach on a recent trip to Kos and well worth the death defying drive to reach it!