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The Spirit of Istanbul

Berlin: Off the Wall

Oslo radiates Scandinavian cool. Radisson Blu Scandinavia puts visitors in the heart of the city, close to main attractions such as the Ibsen museum and National Gallery while the Hotel Continental places guests directly across from the National Theater. For a taste of European grandeur book a stay at the Grand Hotel Oslo. Art lovers will want to check in to First Hotel Grims Grenka or the culture-filled Thief, which is located on its own island.

Vietnam’s capital offers hotels with pockets of peace—lakeside tai chi sessions and ancient pagodas—amid the city’s motorbikes and hawker stalls. For a classic stay, book a room at the Sofitel Legend Metropole, a landmark in Hanoi’s French Quarter. Culture junkies should base themselves at the Hotel de L’ Opera Hanoi or the Hilton Hanoi Opera. InterContinental Hanoi Westlake is just north of the bustling Old Quarter, but offers a serene waterfront setting.

“Everyone from the late blues musician Stevie Ray Vaughan to the Butthole Surfers has played at the Continental Club. Musicians who do big gigs in Austin like to play small shows here afterward,” says Liz Lambert.

This 7,000 square-foot, $13,000 a night suite is the ultimate in luxurious Hong Kong living. Perched on top of the amazingly well situated InterContinental Hong Kong, the Presidential Suite has everything you could possibly want including private terrace, pool, jacuzzi, gym, office and a master bath that has both a sauna and a steam room. There’s no better place to stay in Hong Kong if it’s luxury you’re after.

One of my favorite spas in Jamaica is located at the well-known Jakes Resort, in Treasure Beach. Small, cozy and away from the big resort towns, it’s a wonderful place to unwind. Opt for a long full body massage in one of only four oceanfront treatment cabanas, with doors open on the sea ahead. The spa prides itself in using fresh ingredients from its on site gardens. When you’re done, walk over to Jack Sprat for a quick bite with a view and take a nap on the beach—not necessarily in that order.

I have dreams about the family style BBQ from the Salt Lick, it’s that good. Located beneath the oak trees in a sprawling space in Driftwood, Texas, it is the perfect place to gather with friends and family and celebrate all things Texan. On the weekends, there’ll be live music to entertain you or dance to during the wait for your table and you’ll want to bring your own alcoholic drinks if you agree that a Shiner Bock beer is a must to wash down all that meat. All you can eat ‘Family Style’ is $19.95 per person and make sure that you bring cash, they don’t accept credit cards. Thankfully for me, they’re now shipping their goods worldwide!

In the center of Trieste, the capital of Italy’s Friuli–Venezia Giulia region, the vast Piazza dell’Unità d’Italia looks out over the deep, blue waters of the Gulf of Trieste. This elegant seafront square is bordered on three sides by ornate Viennese-style government buildings and flanked by the winding streets of ancient Roman “Tergeste” and the grid-like Borgo Teresiano neighborhood. Facing the sea is the Municipio (city hall) building, with its clock tower and two bronze moors. On either side of the square are the stately Lloyd Triestino building and the Palazzo del Governo, whose golden, mosaicked façade sparkles in the sunshine. In front of the Municipio, the angel-topped Fontana dei Quattro Continenti pays tribute to the four continents that were recognized in the 18th century: Europe, Asia, Africa, and America. At the water’s edge sit the intriguing bronze statues of two young women known as Le Sartine, or “the seamstresses.”

You can’t go wrong with any of the Intercontinental David’s rooms, all 555 of which look out onto the Mediterranean, but those seeking the ultimate view should at least consider the Jaffa Suite for its privileged perspective on Old Jaffa, or the Tel Aviv Suite, where the panorama includes Jaffa, Tel Aviv, and the sea. On the other hand, this hotel is so centrally located that you could simply walk to anything you want to see, from the evocative old city of Jaffa with its minarets, stone walls, and bobbing boats, to the Neve Tzedek district full of bohemian cafes and boutiques. Although you’ll be tempted to fill up on produce, halva, and pastries at the nearby Shuk HaCarmel market, save room for at least one dinner at the Intercontinental David—especially the traditional Shabbat meal that takes place in the third-floor Jaffa Court on Friday nights.

Luxury and personalized service are the hallmarks of this InterContinental set in an 18th-century historic building on Bordeaux’s impressive main square. With sumptuous decor that recalls the gracious mansions of yore, plus two Gordon Ramsay restaurants, one of Bordeaux’s loveliest lounges, a rooftop bar with stellar views, and a spa with a pool, sauna, hammam, and fitness room, the hotel really does have it all. Staying here, guests are based in the very heart of Bordeaux, just minutes from the old opera house as well as top dining, nightlife, shopping, and sightseeing—that is, if they can pry themselves away from the hotel.

Toro Toro by Chef Richard Sandoval is a new 300-seat restaurant and bar that combines culinary flavors of Asia and Latin America. During a recent trip, we sat down in the main dining room to sample the award winning arepas corn cakes, small plates and handcarved steak entrees. The Toro Toro brand originated in Dubai where Sandoval has showcased his homemade empanadas to tens of thousands of diners. The bar is lined with toffee-colored banquettes and stone bull statues. Be sure to try the “Machu Picchu” cocktail consisting of pisco, St-Germain and fresh jalapenos. For groups, create a multi-venue event for 300 pax with the Olay breakfast restaurant next door. Table 40 is the private dining room located inside InterContinental Miami’s contemporary kitchen. Available for group events and intimate dinner parties, Table 40 seats 14 for a luxurious dining experience featuring cuisine by InterContinental Miami’s corporate chef, Alex Feher. “We try to enrich one’s experience at the InterContinental,” says Kovensky. “Whether it’s the level of service, the artistic presentations or the F&B.”

Skip the tacky magnets this time around and instead visit Cosecha for a souvenir truly reflective of Aruban culture. The word ‘cosecha’ translates to ‘harvesting,’ and that’s just what the curators of this shop and design space have done, offering handicrafts such as jewelry, paintings on driftwood, textiles, sculptures, and more from a variety of Aruban artists. Everything for sale has been certified as locally produced with a national seal of craftsmanship, ensuring you’ll leave with something authentic. The store has two locations, Cosecha Oranjestad and Cosecha San Nicolas, the former of which is housed in the 100-year-old Zoutmanstraat 1. Built in 1910, the building emerged from a complete restoration in 2015, but once served as a government office and also housed Aruba’s archaeological museum for many years.

Known locally as Ho Tay and situated just northwest of the Old Quarter, the city’s largest lake is the backdrop to this whitewashed hotel, whose layout fittingly mimics the shape of the open lotus flowers that line its shores. The main building houses about half the rooms, most of the lounges and restaurants, and a bright atrium lobby with an elegant 23-foot crystal chandelier for a focal point. Lit at night by torches, a hedge-trimmed walkway leads to a small island where you’ll find the Sunset Bar (no surprises on the name), as well as three pavilions with additional rooms built on the lake. Accommodations start at a generous 460 square feet and feature contemporary furnishings, marble and wood floors, stone wall accents, and Vietnamese timber shutters, as well as roomy soaking tubs, padded leather headboards, and private balconies with views of the lake or Hanoi’s skyline.

Tahiti invented the concept of the overwater bungalow so, when visiting, you’re almost compelled to stay in one. The island’s top luxury resort, the InterContinental, offers 32 surprisingly affordable options, plus a few hundred rooms in three beachside buildings, two infinity pools, a swim-up bar, a private beach, and a lovely spa. Modeled after traditional Polynesian fare houses, the bungalows reach out over the lagoon and include roofs woven from pandanus leaves, private jetties that provide direct access to the water, and terraces ideal for watching the sunset. When hunger strikes, head to the onsite Tiare Restaurant, which features an open kitchen and nightly Tahitian dance performances, or Le Lotus, which is set in an overwater building and gives off a romantic vibe with live piano, gorgeous views, and French cuisine. The resort is also home to the Tiki Bar, a favorite local watering hole that serves cocktails in coconuts.