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Hilton Molino Stucky on Giudecca Island is a zippy five-minute boat ride (free for guests) away from bustling Piazza San Marco, and ideally located for those craving a tad more tranquility without missing out on any of those sweeping Venetian vistas. Once a working flourmill, this brick, industrial-era fortress has been reimagined as a luxury hotel with all of the modern bells and whistles. Take a break from museum hopping with a day spent surveying the city below from the city’s only rooftop pool (followed by quality time spent in the spa). Of course, with several dining options just steps from your room, you could happily spend most of your time right here.

If mixing business with pleasure, this hotel—with Executive Suites, a ballroom for events, several conference rooms, and a business center—makes for a superbly scenic day at the office.

We’ve been coming to Momoya for over three years and the only problem is more and more people are realizing this restaurant consistently delivers the best bang for your buck in Manhattan. Yes, I’ve decided to tell the world now that it’s been “discovered.” You won’t find cheap prices here but the quality is premium. If you had the same meal at Blue Ribbon expect to pay at least 75% more. And they have one of our favorite sakes—Wakatake—a Daiginjo. Come before 7pm and you won’t have to wait in line. (If you do get stuck having to wait, then head across the street to Bar Veloce and have them call you.)

The Carré Saint-Louis (also known as St. Louis Square) is one of Montréal’s most important literary streetscapes. Famed Québecois poets Émile Nelligan and Gaston Miron called this home. Brightly painted Victorian/Second Empire graystone rowhouses line the square—one of the best leafy spaces in the city. (It’s been called “the closest thing to a European neighborhood square you’ll find this side of the Atlantic” by the Project for Public Spaces.) A few blocks away is the fabled Schwartz’s Deli. Grab a “smoked meat” to go, then come here to chow down by the fountain, surrounded by trees and 19th-century façades. (The nearest subway is Sherbrooke station on the Orange Line.)

Young and poor, but frequent-flier-mile rich, my wife and I were able to go to Corsica for our first anniversary...Staying with friends always helps...They lived in Ajaccio, (birthplace of Napoléon Bonaparte), and at sunset one evening, they took us for a drive a couple of miles to the west of the city. Dotting the island’s coast are the distinctive Genoese towers, fortifications built during the 16th century, and here is the view from one of them, from La Tour de la Parata, perched on cliffs at what feels like the end of the world...Ahh, to be newly married and in the Mediterranean...

Why we love it: A city slicker–approved beach retreat with a vibrant art collection

The Highlights:
- The secret indoor pool up a staircase from the main pool area
- Fresh-baked breads by pastry chef Simone Colla served daily in the Filosofía restaurant
- An entryway featuring a rare sculpture by KAWS and vintage armchairs hung like swings from the ceiling

The Review:
The people watching is just as entertaining as the artwork at Casa Malca, a mansion once maintained by Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar but now owned by New York gallerist and art collector Leo Malca. Set on a Caribbean-facing swath of sand next to the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve—and just a short bike ride from Tulum’s beachfront boutiques and restaurants—the hotel features 71 rooms, complete with polished concrete floors, floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the ocean, and bold artwork from Malca’s personal collection. A black-and-white print inspired by Keith Haring covers the lobby bar, while antique baby dolls adorn the walls in one of the hotel’s three restaurants. The pool and beach areas are more sedate, with cerulean daybeds and colorful hammocks studded like jewels among the leafy palms.

The 17th century mansion that houses Oaxaca‘s contemporary art museum is commonly referred to as “La Casa de Cortes,” although it was in fact built over a century after the death of Hernan Cortes, it is certainly lavish enough to have been worthy of the great conquistador. The front of the building has the family seal of the Lazo de la Vega and Pinelo families, who were the home’s original inhabitants. The state government acquired the building in 1986 and it housed a different museum prior to the opening of the MACO (Museo de Arte Contemporareo de Oaxaca) in 1992. The museum has 13 exhibit rooms, with the permanent collection on the second floor, and downstairs areas are used for temporary exhibits, which change frequently.

One of the traditions associated with Day of the Dead in Oaxaca is the creation of colorful sand tapestries. You’ll find them all over the city throughout the week of the holiday, but in the plaza adjacent to La Soledad church, they set up some large ones that are truly monumental, It’s interesting to see when they’re being made, they bring in truckloads of sand and then the young artists painstakingly fill in their design to bring their vision to life. The theme of the tapestries is invariably death, but often there is a playful aspect to these creations. The ephemeral nature of this art form reminds us of the fleeting nature of life. After the holiday has passed, they scoop up the sand and return the plaza to its unadorned condition.

The fact that Oaxaca is a hub of art and creativity is evident almost everywhere you look. Besides the abundance of beautiful architecture and colorful folk art and handicrafts, several important contemporary artists hail from Oaxaca, including three internationally renowned painters: Rufino Tamayo, Rodolfo Morales and Francisco Toledo. The Oaxacan painters museum is a space that celebrates the art and creativity of these, and other less well-known but also extremely talented artists from this southern Mexican state. The two-story restored colonial mansion that houses the Oaxacan painters museum has elegant arches surrounding a central courtyard, and rooms with pristine white walls that form the backdrop to paintings and other artwork. There’s no permanent collection here, but temporary exhibits run throughout the year, and the space is also used for workshops and courses.

College-town hiking aficionados usually know where to eat, so when the guys up the street at Babbitts Backcountry Outfitters told me this was one of the best places in town for weekend brunch, I went. A lunch-and-dinner place during the week, Criollo Latin Kitchen opens up on weekend mornings with offerings from blue corn pancakes to pork belly tacos, with poblano cheddar grits, sweet ancho chili sausage gravy, and Haitian ‘ti-malice'-inspired relish to go with eggs over easy. And along with the artists’ paintings that change monthly, the food is “local” as well—the menu and the chalkboard on the wall will let you know the ranches and farms in Arizona and Colorado that are the sources for Criollo’s organic ingredients. On this particular morning, I had the “huevos motuleños,” the Yucatán’s version of “huevos rancheros.” And get some bacon—it’s hearty, comes from Black Mesa Ranch in the White Mountains, and will make you want to bring the word “toothsome” back into popular usage. Even if you’re just passing through Flagstaff on your way to the Grand Canyon, or driving from Albuquerque to Los Angeles, Criollo is worth a stop. It’s just a block north of historic old Route 66 downtown. (Criollo is owned by the same folks who opened the nationally-renown “Brix” just up the street—Flagstaff is becoming a restaurant mecca—and its newest sister restaurant is “Proper,” way down the road in Tucson. “Taco Tuesday” evenings with inexpensive margaritas can be crowded.)

Fusing the trends of sushi and build-your-own grain bowls, Sweetfin in Santa Monica, has created a customizable poke destination that is convenient, cost effective and creative at its core. The Hawaiian raw fish dish traditionally combines cubed tuna, rice, shoyu sauce, and veggies—but Sweetfin’s menu provides multiple ways to mix and match your fish of choice, base, add-ons, and sauce. You can start with a completely blank slate to create your own masterpiece, or, if options are overwhelming, you can begin with a pre-made signature bowl like the Mango Albacore with ponzu-lime sauce, macadamia nuts and ginger. Make sure to experiment with toppings including wasabi toasted coconut, charred habanero, and pickled shiitake mushrooms. No matter your choice, everything from the sauces to ice tea is homemade and gluten- and dairy-free, so you’ll feel as fresh as the nearby ocean breeze. Sweetfin started a poke revolution in L.A., and has since expanded on its OG Santa Monica location to Woodland Hills, Larchmont, Westwood, West Hollywood, DTLA, Silverlake, Venice Beach, and San Diego.

To get a real feel for the Tango culture in Buenos Aires then you must go to a Milonga (Tango club). As I walked into Sueno Porteno Milonga I felt as if I had walked back into a cheesy disco in the 70’s. But instead of the BeeGees, the speakers blared tango music. You can grab a table near the dance floor and simply watch the locals practice their best moves or if you are versed in the tango then you may want to participate. It won’t take long until you get asked to dance if you make eye contact with someone. There was diversity of fashion from casual to formal tango dresses, and a diversity in age ranging from 30 to 80 years old! This is the real deal—tango not for tourists. Don’t show up before 11 p.m. or you will be disappointed: Everyone normally comes around midnight. There is a small cover charge to pay at the door. Photos are generally allowed as long as you aren’t a nuisance.

Two things you need to know about gondola rides in Venice: They’re worth it; and the price is agreed beforehand. Knowing those two things, you can happily hop aboard this traditional Venetian mode of transport and relax, because, touristy as it is, it’s not a rip-off, and it’s a must-have experience. You can pick up a gondola almost anywhere in Venice, and you can see whatever sights you want from one... My own recommendation is to head away from the Grand Canal to the quiet backwater canals where you can really imagine yourself centuries back in time. We engaged our gondolier at the station near Rialto Mercato and asked him to take us across to Cannaregio, a more residential area that still boasts some extraordinary palazzi and churches. We barely met another boat, apart from the odd Venetian getting himself home on his motor launch, and unexpected delights loomed upon us silently and suddenly, like Marco Polo’s house, or the Chiesa dei Miracoli. All in all, much better than joining the heavy gondola traffic in San Marco.

Mérida’s many historic plazas are jam packed with open air event throughout the year. Popular with tourists and locals alike is Yucatecan “Jarana”, a traditional form of dance accompanied by live music. One of the best places to see the show is at “Serenata Yucateca”, a free event each Thursday in the newly restored Plaza Santa Lucía, a traditional square just four blocks from the main Centro plaza. The musicians, singers and dancing “mestizos”, decked out in their colorful costumes begin the show at 9 PM, as they have for the last 40 years. There are plenty of benches to sit to enjoy the show. Also, with restaurants and bars spilling out on the sidewalk, its a great way to catch a dinner and show. Santa Lucía in not just a park, it is also the name of the neighborhood that has come alive since the recent renovation. With traditional cafes, restaurants and shops such as La Chaya Maya and Coqui Coqui Perfumerie, it is fast becoming the “it” place to be in downtown Mérida. Many colonial houses with a private pools are available to rent in Santa Lucia and in the surroundings so you can close the action. (Images courtesy of Merida.gob.mx and aany.org)

High-elevation baking might not always (ahem) rise to the occasion...but at Clafoutis, the French family that owns and cooks at this bakery/restaurant has acclimated perfectly to the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. While it might be hard to tear yourself away from red-and-geeen-chile-on-everything while in New Mexico, if you do want to take a break from capsaicin for your morning eats, this is the place. Just to the northwest of the city’s historic core, Clafoutis is one of Santa Fe‘s morning institutions. You can get things to go, but if you wait for a table, you’ll be served café au lait in a bowl along with “Bonne Maman” jams to transform perfectly-textured baguettes into “tartines.” “Bonjour” greets you as you walk in the door, and your eyes will feast on the piles of pâtisseries beckoning from the counter. My wife and I had one of the best chausson-aux-pommes--in or out of France--that we’ve ever tasted. And, in a nod to local tastes, they even offered green chile to go with les oeufs... Be forewarned, though--parking is extremely limited, and weekend mornings are formidably popular. Un peu de patience: so worth the wait!

Opened as the Grand Hotel Royal in 1896, the luxurious Corinthia Hotel has a long and storied past. It was here that the first film was ever screened in Budapest, and the building weathered fires and war before relaunching in its most recent incarnation in 2004. Travelers who really want to learn about the hotel’s history can take one of two weekly tours with manager Tibor Meskál, who has worked on and off here since 1961. Though the original interiors were demolished long ago, the property nevertheless retains a regal atmosphere. Italian limestone, Spanish marble, and gilded molding lend a sense of grandeur in the Grand Ballroom, a marble lobby is accented with swirling golden filigrees in the flooring, and guest rooms feature warm wood furnishings and creamy palettes. Even the leisure facilities skew toward the opulent: the courtyard-style indoor swimming pool is topped with a stunning stained-glass ceiling.