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The W Taipei is located in Taiwan’s modern Xinyi District. Just south of the W Hotel are the World Trade Center, a massive shopping district, and the iconic Taipei 101. The booming economy has spawned a trend of unique boutique restaurants and lounges, and the alleys in this part of Taipei are populated with inspired designs and creative concepts like smith&hsu, where blends of juices and traditional Chinese teas are served alongside British tea snacks in a warehouse-style setting.

The Hotel Locarno occupies two adjacent buildings in the cosmopolitan district between the Tiber River and Piazza del Popolo. The original property, built and inaugurated in the 1920s, houses the majority of the standard and deluxe rooms, while the annex, a former palazzo owned by a Venetian family, houses the more luxurious suites. Both of the adjoined structures blend Old World charm and art nouveau elegance, and their rooms preserve turn-of-the-20^th-century decor, including lavish drapery, oil paintings, embellished ceiling stuccoes, and period furniture.

The two buildings are joined by a wisteria-filled courtyard, where breakfast is served in fine weather. The rooftop bar offers aperitivo (the Italian version of happy hour) cocktail service and sweeping views over the city and across the river to St. Peter’s cupola. The bar is open to the public and attracts a well-heeled Roman and expat crowd.

This luxury hotel melds historic charm with 21st-century designer sass. Located deep in the middle of Barcelona’s bustle, it occupies a 1920s building that’s been lovingly reworked by architect Oriol Tintoré. Original features, most notably the winding neoclassical stairway, are immediately apparent in the stately lobby entrance, and these heritage touches continue into the hotel’s public spaces and many of the rooms. Not that the rooms are traditional; on the contrary, they’re very slick, decked out with modern conveniences such as media hubs, complimentary minibars (restocked daily), and rain showers. The rooms, arranged so they face outward, are generously flooded with daylight, which highlights the restrained color palettes and elegant wooden floors. Shared facilities at the hotel include a roof terrace with infinity pool, a Mediterranean bistro-style restaurant, and a comprehensive spa and wellness center.

Hotel Monaco is charming, boutique hotel nestled in the heart of historic Old Town on a lively block of King Street, walking distance to the waterfronts and lots of shopping and restaurants. A sumptuous lobby greets guests with rich decor of peacock blue walls, crimson accents and cozy seating nooks. Rooms are colorful, comfortable an roomy. As with most Kimpton hotels, this one has excellent service and personal perks such as complimentary morning coffee and tea service, free afternoon wine receptions, courtesy shuttle service to Reagan National Airport, Dive-in movie nights by the pool, and umbrellas for use on rainy days. This is also one of the few pet-friendly hotels in the area and dog owners can bring their pets to Yappy Hours on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Guests can mingle with Alexandria locals and enjoy drinks with their canine companions on Jackson 20’s patio. TIP: Joining the Kimpton’s free InTouch loyalty program will get you complementary wi-fi access and $10 in credit to raid the mini bar GET THERE: 12 blocks from King Street metro (blue & yellow lines), free King Street trolley between station and hotel, a courtesy hotel shuttle service to Reagan National Airport

Enjoy private candlelit dinner at Zamas

Considered “an urban renaissance”, this up-and-coming area in Shanghai is tucked a block off the Bund (right behind the Peninsula Hotel) and boasts charming cafes, high-end dining, the Rock Bund Art Museum and more. If you’re looking for a scenic stroll, you won’t want to miss this. Looking for fine dining? Check out Light & Salt 6/F 133 Yuanmingyuan Lu

The Limmat River and Lake Zurich might be the showstoppers, but it would be a pity to overlook the charming Schanzengraben Canal. Built as a city fortification system in the 17th century, the canal is now lined with wooden boardwalks and sandstone slabs, and runs from the Gessnerbrücke past the Mannerbadi to the mouth of the lake at Bürkliplatz. It’s at its prettiest near the Baur au Lac hotel, but the action—water polo!—happens near the Selnaubrücke.

Berlin: Off the Wall

Previously known as the Hotel de la Poste, the 97-room property transitioned to the W French Quarter in 2000 and has since undergone a $9-million overhaul. The newly redesigned rooms channel the city’s jazz and voodoo culture, while the new bar and restaurant, SoBou, serves modern Creole fare and has an excellent cocktail program run by Laura Bellucci. Another addition with the renovation, which was completed in 2012, is the FIT gym, open to guests 24 hours a day.

Of course, one of the hotel’s main selling points is its central location on charming Chartres Street, which is lined with antique shops, art galleries, vintage book stores, and the like. And should you want a quiet corner to while away the afternoon, the hotel’s outdoor courtyard is the perfect place to do so.

The journey is part of the experience at Hoshinoya Kyoto, where a charming wooden boat ferries guests to the hotel’s scenic perch on the banks of the Oi River. Here, tucked away in a grove of old cypress, maple, and cherry trees, the Hoshinoya offers a respite from urban life. Rooms feature traditional ryokan elements, like onsen-style cedar baths and picture windows overlooking the misty forest outside, and the restaurant serves nine-course, kaiseki-style dinners. A few free activities, including morning stretching sessions and tea ceremonies, contribute to the hotel’s Zen-like atmosphere. Guests can also take ikebana lessons, rent kimonos, and book meditation trips to the nearby temple.

Originally opened in 1946 as a luxury hideaway for the rich and famous, the Hotel Bel-Air’s brilliance as a Hollywood icon has, if anything, increased since its renovation, finished in 2011, by the renowned design teams at Alexandra Champalimaud and the Rockwell Group. Surrounded by 12 acres of fragrant, exotic gardens, the decadent rooms have housed everyone from Grace Kelly to Oprah, from Richard Nixon to the Prince of Wales, all of whom sought serene privacy—and the staff’s renowned discretion.

Build in the XV century, Convento do Espinheiro was since early fascinating because its history, charm and rare beauty. Through centuries was one spot of election by the royal family whenever they moved to Évora. Luxuriously redecorated, the Convento do Espinheiro is today considered a national monument, that works with renown brand Luxury Collection of companyStarwood Hotels & Resorts. This Hotel is inserted in a sumptuous garden of 8 hectares and its interior was brilliantly decor, keeping its character. By booking accommodation in Convento do Espinheiro you begin a collection of unique experiences with a guided tour to the history of this place, as well, a tasting of its magnificent wines from Alentejo that can be found in the Gothic Cellar, escorted by the sommelier.

Although French Polynesia is often billed as a luxury destination, there are actually a number of affordable resorts and private home vacation rentals on the islands that won’t break the bank. Yes, you’ll find overwater bungalows galore on French Polynesia’s islands, but if you know where to look, you’ll also find family-run pensions and resort options that offer affordable luxury, allowing travelers on budgets to experience the awesome beauty of French Polynesia.

It’s not very often that we get to witness the making of a nation. With Qatar, we are invited to do just that. To watch in awe as a tiny pearl-diving seaside village transforms itself into one of the most vibrant cities in the Middle East. And it’s not just glitzy shopping malls, fine cuisine, five-star hotels, and futurist architecture, with 350 miles of sandy coastline Qatar has a lot to offer by way of sun and sand. It rarely rains and the sky is always blue. Which means, there is lots to do.

Wine bars, craft beers, cocktail bars: Rome will quench your thirst in the most delicious of ways. Whether you choose to do your people watching at the Stravinskij Bar at the Hotel de Russie, the Jerry Thomas Speakeasy, or a spot far more relaxed, you can’t go wrong. Though Italy, of course, usually puts people in a wine mind, Rome goes big on craft beers at spots like Ma Che Siete Venuti.