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When it opened in 2015, this museum drew headlines for its extensive contemporary art collection and Diller Scofidio + Renfro–designed building, which resembles a futuristic honeycomb. Then a single exhibition catapulted it into fame: artist Yayoi Kusama’s installation of thousands of twinkling LED lights called Infinity Mirrored Room—The Souls of Millions of Light Years Away. (The artist’s follow-up, Longing for Eternity, opened in 2017.)


There’s plenty to be dazzled by in this museum founded by philanthropists Eli and Edythe Broad. Hundreds of skylights illuminate the column-free third floor’s permanent galleries—featuring the Broads’ considerable collection of pieces by Kara Walker, Barbara Kruger, Jasper Johns, and Jean-Michel Basquiat. Insiders know to visit on weekdays for the most relaxed experience or around major holidays and occasions such as Halloween and International Women’s Day for engaging and sometimes provocative tours. Pro tip:

Though general admission tickets are free, it’s wise to book tickets online ahead when they’re released on the first of each month for the following month, especially if you’re taking a date or going with a group (the same goes for Kusama’s rooms). At least two weeks out, request a before- or after-hours guided group tour of one hour, not including the Infinity Mirrored Room.

And make sure to also book reservations at Otium, the trendsetting restaurant by Chef Timothy Hollingsworth located next to the Broad.

A Greek Revival family mansion built at the turn of the 20th century, Hotel Ella owes both its name and its grandeur to its very first lady of the house, Ella Wooten. Known for her impeccable style and grand tastes, Ella was a fixture of Austin high society who hired the stone carver responsible for the Biltmore Estate to craft her house’s columns and verandas and worked with Neiman Marcus’ Stanly Marcus to redecorate the interiors in 1925.

Nowadays, Hotel Ella pays homage to her good taste with fashionably understated decor, a locally sourced restaurant, and an art collection that the original proprietress would have coveted. Works include original Ansel Adams photographs and Wooten family portraits and jewelry. The owners pride themselves on making guests feel just as pampered as Ella might have, with perks like a free town car service—even though the hotel is within walking distance of downtown—and a concierge team for whom no request is too much.

Why we love it: A pedigreed stay that perfectly marries fin de siècle charm with modern luxury

The Highlights:
- A French Renaissance–style building designed by America’s first female professional architect
- Fireplaces and deep-soaking tubs in some rooms
- An in-house craft brewery that serves pints in a “bar-cade” with pinball machines

The Review:
When The Lafayette opened in 1904, it was immediately hailed as one of the country’s finest hotels. America’s first female professional architect, Louise Blanchard Bethune designed the seven-story, redbrick-and-white-terra-cotta property to blend “the best that science, art, and experience can offer for the traveling public,” which at the time meant telephones and hot water in every room. Renovations in the late 1940s introduced several Art Deco elements that still remain, while a 2012 restoration helped bring the hotel into the modern era.

Today, The Lafayette is part of the Wyndham Hotel Group’s Trademark Hotel Collection and features 13,500 square feet of meeting space. It’s also home to a 15-barrel craft brewery, where guests can enjoy beers and pub fare while playing arcade games; a small-batch coffee roastery with freshly baked pastries; and an outpost of Groom Service Beauty & Dry Bar for blow-outs, professional makeup, manicures, and more. The 57 rooms and suites feature wall murals of vintage photos, designed to complement a palette of plum, brown, and dusty gold. Some have fireplaces, deep-soaking tubs, and full kitchens, too. If you’re looking to indulge, book the Lafayette Suite, which includes a Juliet balcony, double-sided hearth, and dining table suitable for large gatherings.

Brussels’ BOZAR museum is well worth visiting for its excellent art exhibitions, concerts, and events, like TEDex Brussels. But it’s also worth visiting for its gastronomic restaurant, the BOZAR Brasserie, headed by chef David Martin. The menu changes each month and includes Belgian favourites with a fresh, modern twist. Ingredients are organic and sourced locally when possible, with dashes of international flavours like Basque pork and Anjou pigeon. The prices aren’t for the budget conscious, ranging from 20-40 Euro for a main dish. However, the set lunch menus from Tuesday to Friday make a more wallet-friendly option. Even if you don’t spring for a whole meal here, stop in for a coffee and dessert. Pictured here is the specialty of the chef: a dark chocolate ‘bomb’, filled with creamy, rich praline and accompanied with homemade passion fruit sorbet. The sweet/tart combination is heavenly. The BOZAR Brasserie doesn’t take reservations so go early and be prepared to wait. It’s worth it.

This 19th-century complex, originally built as a hospital for the disadvantaged, is host to an impressive display of modern art, most notably a series of frescoes by famous Mexican muralist Jose Clemente Orozco. The collection includes one of his most well-known murals, El Hombre de Fuego, which earned its building the nickname “the Sistine Chapel of the Americas.” A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Hospicio Cabañas is a perfect example of Guadalajara’s ability to embrace its history and its future, combining 1790s architecture, 1930s murals, and, finally, a space for rotating exhibitions of contemporary art.

Having functioned as an orphanage, an insane asylum, and a military barracks in the past, Hospicio Cabañas also has a spooky side. There are several ghost stories about the space, including a legend about a clock that stopped whenever a child died in the orphanage.

It has been a decade since the major museums on the Museumplein—a grassy square connecting Amsterdam’s main art centers—have all been open at the same time. Here’s what to check out at the Van Gogh Museum. Sunflowers, The Bedroom, and The Potato Eaters are just a few of the masterpieces on display as part of the “Van Gogh at Work” exhibit.

The Japanese-inspired Nobu Ryokan Malibu, located on the ocean just north of Los Angeles, sets the tone with its smooth teak exterior. An entrance gate leads to a garden where water flows over honey-colored rocks into a pond, and palm trees shade stone paths lined with black Japanese grass. In the 16 guest rooms, there are no exposed nails or screws, just smooth surfaces of teak and Jerusalem limestone and linen. The art on the walls is original—a watercolor of sparrows in muted tones, a panel of delicately carved black lacquer depicting waves and leaves. The furniture is oak, all right angles and brass fittings, and the bedside lamps look like lanterns. The bathrooms feature skylights, rain showers, and deep teak soaking tubs.

Hotel guests get first dibs on reservations at Nobu restaurant, just two doors down. If that seems too far away, you can get Nobu food delivered to your room: think scallop tiradito, salmon sashimi, and smoked duck with cherry and hibiscus. Another highlight of a stay here are the well being experiences, including yoga with partner studio ALO and an affiliation with Malibu Fit Concierge that offers private fitness classes and guided hikes.

Nobu has partnered with Surf Air to transport guests from various cities in California and Texas. Surf Air flies small planes out of regional airports (if you’re coming from the Bay Area, for example, it’s a 90-minute ride). A car in L.A. takes you on the 40 minute ride north on the scenic Pacific Coast Highway.

Among Charleston’s two dozen thriving breweries, Revelry may have the best digs. It’s located in the peninsula’s NoMo neighborhood and sports a spacious, laid-back rooftop deck bar that’s perfect for viewing sunset over the Holy City skyline. The whole place is adorned with art—including on its cans’ labels—by recognizable local artist, Chris Kemp. Fortunately, what’s inside the cans is equally memorable. Brews like “Gullah Cream” and “Poke the Bear” (an American Pale) are among the city’s signature ales for any beer lover seeking the best of Charleston. Happy hour features live music Friday through Sunday, making Revelry a go-to gathering place.

The most stunning dining room in celebrity chef Neil Perry’s restaurant empire has got to be Rockpool Bar & Grill in Sydney. Seated amid soaring green marble columns and Art Deco windows in a space designed by Emil Sodersten, diners can choose between the finest steaks, seafood, cocktails, and wines—more than 3,000 of them—that Australia has to offer. Dry-aged beef and sustainable fish are simple yet succulent, cooked over an open flame or in the wood-fired rotisserie. Start with the signature Four Raw Tastes of the Sea before savoring the Wagyu or Cape Grim steak, or opt for classy appetizers and cocktails in the candlelit bar, adorned with 2,682 hanging Riedel riesling glasses.

On the Asian side, south of the First Bosphorus Bridge, Kuzguncuk is a charming detour from the well-worn tourist trail and easily combined with a visit to nearby Beylerbeyi Palace. The neighborhood’s multicultural past is very much present, with synagogues, Armenian and Greek churches, and mosques located side by side. You can also expect to find cafes, art galleries, and fresh produce shops. Venture off the leafy main street (Icediye Caddesi) to admire the pretty facades of narrow townhouses and decorative wooden Ottoman abodes, many dating back to the 19th century. To find Kuzguncuk, take the ferry or Marmaray Rail to Üsküdar and follow the Bosphorus shoreline about a mile north (by foot or blue minibus) to Icediye Caddesi.

If you are unable to make a trip to the residence of the Dalai Lama in Dharamshala, India, pay a visit to the Tibet House in Delhi. Also titled the Cultural Center of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the Tibet House was founded in 1965 to preserve Tibetan principles and create a safe space for Buddhist teachings. There is a museum, gallery, and library housing valuable art, artifacts, manuscripts, and books. The five-story building is a modest yet sacred facility consistently brimming with activity. Check out the calendar for upcoming festivals, exhibits, conferences, and special events.

There are two ways to walk up to the Galata Tower from Karakoy Tram Station: One is to follow the pedestrian traffic and ascend an uninviting steep staircase close to the tram way; the other is to take the more picturesque Kamondo (Camondo) steps on Bankalar Caddesi. Neo-Baroque and early Art Nouveau styles were fused here in the 1870s to create this curvaceous thoroughfare up one of Istanbul’s steepest hills. Abraham Salomon Camondo, of the wealthy Sephardic Jewish Camondo family, funded the construction. He inherited the banking and business success of his forefathers and went on to become the prime banker for the Ottoman Empire in the district of Galata where the stairs are located.

One of the best coffee shops in the city, the Haas “Collective” (haas means “rabbit” in Afrikaans) has grown organically over the years to include not only coffee, but also design, art, and advertising. Formerly located in an old slave home in the Bo Kaap, Haas now takes up a refurbished colonial building in the city, where you can also have light meals at the plush yet relaxed venue. Selected artworks for sale include must-have gilded African bowls by Michou.

This sleek, LEED-certified beech-wood concert hall at Place des Arts is the performance space that Montreal’s award-winning symphony orchestra has deserved for years. Designed expressly for impeccable unamplified acoustics, the shoebox space can transform depending in the needs of the performance, accommodating up to 120 musicians and 200 voices onstage at once. Its flawless sound quality was achieved by building the structure like a box inside a box, protecting the inner sanctum of the hall from all and any exterior noise pollution. Sitting in one of the many balconies, you’ll forget anyone else exists, despite the 2,100-seat capacity – the concentration this space inspires is remarkable.

Frederiksholms Canal is a small canal that is connected to Copenhagen Harbor and which surrounds and creates the small island of Slotsholmen. Slotsholmen is significant because it serves as home to Christiansborg Palace, the seat of the Danish Parliament, as well as museums, and the Royal Danish Library. More than just a glorified moat, the canal has a number of historical boats moored along its banks and serves as a lovely spot to enjoy the Danish weather. For a quirky surprise look into the canal’s depths just off of Højbro bridge for an other-worldly piece of submerged art.