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Why we love it: A sprawling retreat offering high design and a beachfront location

The Highlights:

• Guest rooms with private plunge pools or whirlpools
• The only Thalasso therapy wellness spa in Baja
• Five separate pools, plus 4,000 square feet of beachfront

The Review
Though the Baja Peninsula has welcomed a slew of luxury properties over the past few years, it seems the 128-room Solaz is only in competition with itself. First, there are the sophisticated stone-and-wood interiors, which balance high-tech details (remote controlled lighting) and luxe amenities (outdoor showers, private plunge pools) with locally sourced decor and wall sculptures by Mexican artist César López Negrete.

Guests even have the option to add personal butler service, which can arrange everything from swimming with whale sharks to ordering a bottle of local wine from the property’s wine cellar. Outdoors, the landscaping features endemic desert plants like agave and cacti, with a hardly a palm tree in sight.

Then there’s the spa, a 10,000-square-foot refuge that features the region’s only Thalasso therapy seawater treatments and a Himalayan salt igloo. Five pools (including two sleek infinity ones that overlook the Sea of Cortez), four dining outlets (a Mexican breakfast spot, a seafood restaurant, a poolside cafe, and a coffee lounge), a beachfront fitness center, and 4,000 square feet of white-sand shoreline complete the desert dream.

Baja California Sur’s capital deserves more than a day trip. The cosmopolitan city is home to some of the peninsula’s finest restaurants, and its beaches rival any in the world. Ensenada Grande, on Isla Partida, is part of the Espíritu Santo Archipelago and is, in a word, stunning. Golden sands give way to clear waters that are framed by volcanic formations (ask your guide to point out “La Máscara”). On the mainland, visit Balandra, a lovely white-sand beach whose waters shimmer a vibrant turquoise. It’s famous not only for its splendor but for the unusual mushroom-shaped rock known as El Hongo, as well. El Tecolote doesn’t quite have Balandra’s beauty, but it offers much more in the way of activities. Camp, grab a bite, and start here before heading on to an Espíritu Santo adventure.

My wife, Robin, and I have been camping, fishing, and hiking in the Lakes Basin area, near Sierra City, since we met. These days, our usual home base is a tiny log cabin at the edge of Packer Lake, pictured here. From trailheads around Packer you can hike to many other lakes--Saxonia, Deer, Lower and Upper Tamarack, Young America, Upper and Lower Sardine. Most of the hikes are relatively easy, and on some trails you’ll rarely encounter other hikers. In early October 2007, a brief, unseasonable storm passed through and carpeted the area with an inch or two of snow, which made for an especially invigorating walk along the Pacific Crest Trail to the lookout at the top of the Sierra Buttes.

A five-star property in an old transformer station, Hotel Herman K brings industrial-chic style to the heart of Copenhagen. Much of the building’s raw, unpolished architecture has been preserved, lending the hotel an edgy vibe. A façade of dark bronze slats and large glass doors leads to the lobby, where a custom-designed artwork by Pio Diaz hangs from 40-foot ceilings. Down moody, dimly lit hallways, each of the 31 rooms and suites hides behind a black curtain, which is pulled aside for the duration of your stay. Inside, sleek furniture, soft carpets, and concrete walls contrast with white marble bathrooms, creating an altogether futuristic feeling. In fact, guests can even control the lights and sound from bed via panels in the headboard or steam their home media directly to the TV and speakers. If you need a break from all the technology, many rooms also include private balconies or terraces.

Herman K comes courtesy of Brøchner Hotels (Denmark’s leading boutique hotel chain) and features many of the company’s signature amenities, including a healthy, organic breakfast and a “night cap hour” with complimentary drinks. Should guests want something more substantial, Herman K is also home to Roxie, a three-story restaurant from the team behind two-Michelin-starred Nordic restaurant Kadeau.

The Vintage House Douro is located in Pinhão, in the middle of the Douro Region, classified as World Heritage and the first demarcated wine region of the world. Adapted from an old winery, the The Vintage House Douro is a five star, with a sophisticated but comfortable decoration, typical of the traditional farms of the Douro.


With 36 rooms, 5 suites and 2 luxury suites, all with balcony overlooking the river and the terraced vineyards, The Vintage House Douro has a unique location, between the river and the train station of Pinhão – mandatory stop of famous Douro railway line. In addition to car or train, guests can arrive by boat and dock at the pier right in front of the hotel .

Peggy Dulany, a New York philanthropist and daughter of David Rockefeller, bought J Bar L to protect the 620-square-mile Centennial Valley, a former Native American hunting ground settled by a few cattle-ranching families in the late 19th century—and which still has no towns, let alone paved roads, gas stations, shops, or subdivisions. To conserve the rangeland way of life, she hired locals to run a holistic grass-fed cattle business on the principles of rotational grazing and natural stockmanship. To share the landscape with nature-loving travelers and to keep the valley looking as it was, Dulany restored several abandoned 19th- and early 20th-century homesteads. These self-contained vacation rental homes range from a Sears Roebuck family house, now solar-powered, to isolated cabins on a bend of the Red Rock River. All come with fully-equipped kitchens and are tastefully filled with Western-themed furnishings and antiques; some have outdoor hot tubs.

J Bar L no longer offers working weeks for would-be cowboys but will match guests with geologists as well as with hiking, bird-watching, and fly-fishing guides. Horse lovers can hire ranch mounts for guided daily rides on rangeland that is home to pronghorn, elk, and Black Angus cattle, or up the slopes of the 10,000-foot Gravelly Mountains where wolves, grizzly bears, and bald eagles roam.

Within an hour, travelers can transport themselves from the lights and sounds of Central, Hong Kong, to the green hills and deserted beaches of Lantau Island. Opened in 2012, the Tai O Heritage Hotel encourages guests to immerse themselves in the natural beauty and history of Tai O, a colorful fishing village where stilted houses line the waterways of western Lantau Island. A collaboration between the government and the Hong Kong Heritage Conservation Foundation, Tai O Heritage Hotel was built in the former Tai O marine police station, from which officers defended Hong Kong from pirates for more than 100 years. Three buildings were transformed into nine guest rooms, an interpretation center, and a glass-roofed restaurant, earning the project a UNESCO award for cultural heritage conservation. Historic features such as cannons, guard towers, searchlights, and holding cells, as well as original architectural details like French windows, Victorian granite steps, a Chinese-tiled roof, and century-old fireplaces, were all restored in the process. The hotel also serves regional foods, employs villagers, and gives back to the Tai O community, demonstrating its commitment to celebrating the local culture. Beyond the historic walls of the hotel is a mystical landscape with dozens of butterfly species, Chinese white dolphins, and Hong Kong’s best sunsets.

Anyone who has been to Brazil knows that the country has fantastic open-air markets, known as feiras in Portuguese. They often feature a combination of handicrafts, antiques, live music, dancing, and street food. The market on Saturdays at Praça Benedito Calixto in São Paulo is no exception, but this one is almost unknown to tourists. Older Paulistanos (as Sao Paulo residents are called) sell beautiful antiques that reflect the city’s cultural ties to Europe. Artisans sell colorful woven clothing, handmade leather shoes, jewelry made from açaí seeds, baskets and mobiles made from recycled magazines, and much more. In the center of the market is a square of food and drink vendors, selling food from Northeastern Brazil, dried fruits, coconut water, and other typical Brazilian street food. In the early afternoon, live chorinho music begins and the square soon fills with people dancing. This outdoor market is much more than a place for people to shop—it’s a place for people to relax and have fun. The market runs every Saturday 9:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. The streets surrounding the market have many good restaurants, and the neighboring street of Teodoro Sampaio is known for its shops selling traditional Brazilian musical instruments. There are parking garages nearby; the market can also be reached by bus or by subway (Clinicas station).

Malapascua, a tiny island in the Visayan Sea north of Cebu, is well-known for its thresher-shark cleaning station, where divers gather daily to see these beautiful creatures ascend from below to be cleaned by fish before returning to deeper waters. Reef sharks can be seen here, too. What fewer visitors know, however, is that behind the strip of resorts that line Bounty Beach is a traditional village. There are quaint shops and restaurants as well as a large church, and the people are wonderfully friendly and inviting. It’s a great peek into real Filipino island life, meaning Malapascua is a worthwhile stop even if you aren’t interested in the sharks.

Chef Patrick O’Connell opened his country restaurant out of a former gas station in 1978 and rave word-of-mouth reviews soon made it “destination dining.” He opened rooms in 1984 and a few years later, it became a member of the prestigious Relais & Chateau hotel association. Today, it remains one of a handful of country hotels worth the trip for the meal as well as the stay, and it continues to rack up stars and top lists for dining and accommodations.

Two dozen opulent rooms reflect the style of a whimsical English country manor (as interpreted by O’Connell and London stage designer Joyce Conwy Evans), setting the tone for an over-the-top dinner with an exacting attention to detail. Be sure to visit the kitchen after your meal to see culinary magic in action. Little Washington (the first town named by George himself) is a bit over an hour from its capital namesake, and the Inn’s campus of guest rooms, shops, and gardens are spread over the colonial town; take the Perimeter Path walk to visit all of the farm operations and the newest guest quarters: a Little Bug Inn for pollinating and beneficial insects.

There’s so much to see at Montserrat, the picturesque mountain located a few hours outside of Barcelona. Nature lovers will enjoy the wide range of hikes while, non-sporty types can bask in the breathtaking views available from almost any vantage point. Take the two funiculars, Santa Cova and Saint Joan, to visit the corresponding difficult to reach chapels. With travel, plan to spend a whole day at Montserrat. Between the mountain, basilica, museum, and monastery. Food is available from several shops and cafeterias, but many visitors plan ahead with a picnic. On Sundays local vendors sell cheese and honey outside the monastery. Purchase a ToT or Trans Montserrat card in Barcelona, they include transportation and funicular rides to different parts of the mountain. The ticket is good for a certain length of time, no need to specify a specific day, so wait for nice weather. Barcelona’s transit system is very easy to use, but trains to and from the mountain can be busy. Arrive early to guarantee a seat for the two hour journey.

Reykjavík’s Settlement Museum was established in 2001 after archaeological remains were discovered during an excavation. Said remains turned out to be the oldest relics of human habitation in the city, with some fragments dating to before 871 C.E. Today the museum has many of those finds on display, including the largest element from the historic haul, parts of a 10th-century longhouse, whose main hall and wall fragment form the focal point of a compelling exhibition about the nature of local life during Viking times. Mixing multimedia technology such as holographic dioramas with original artifacts from various excavations around the city (farming implements, sacrificial cow bones), the exhibition does a great job of bringing the Viking era to life.

Tower Cafe, which sits next to the landmark Tower Theater and original Tower Records, is a favorite among locals. The outdoor garden seating makes you want to stay for a long, relaxing meal; the bubbling fountains (with birds stopping for quick baths), canopies of Japanese maples, baskets of hanging flowers, and benches welcoming you along the surrounding path form an oasis that can be enjoyed much of the year. Tower serves globally-inspired food with a menu that changes frequently to highlight seasonal ingredients and the chef’s new creations. The restaurant is best known for its breakfast, and its most famous dish is the seasonal French toast (a baguette stuffed with custard, baked and served with cinnamon butter and a compote of seasonal fruits such as raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries). Their beautiful desserts are worth at least a look--go inside the eclectically decorated interior and peek in the dessert case. The Yin/Yang cheesecake (dark and white chocolate) is one of my favorite choices. Tower also has a great selection of California beers and wines. Tower Cafe is open every day from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. or later on weekends. Breakfast is served until 11:00 a.m. on weekdays and until 3:00 p.m. on weekends; however, be warned because weekends here are packed!

While Dallas has never lacked for luxury shopping options—throw a Jimmy Choo stiletto and you’ll hit a designer boutique or upscale department store here—4510’s concept-store format, featuring a well-curated selection of fashion and design pieces from big, emerging, and independent designers, made waves when it first opened in 2000. Since then, the brand has grown to include other outposts in Texas and California, as well as this 37,000-square-foot, four-story flagship in downtown. (The original McKinney Avenue location has been transformed into a home-focused store, and there’s another location in Highland Park Village, too.) Topped by a chic restaurant and filled throughout with artwork, the store continues to feature women’s and men’s fashions, home decor and furnishings, jewelry, and beauty products by labels known for creativity and craftsmanship. The lineup varies, but you can be sure the selection will be thoughtful and fun, and that many of the pieces will be one-of-a-kind or newly available to retail—ensuring that you’ll leave with something special.

An ethnic minority living in the Central Highlands provinces, the Bahnar are as renowned for their musical prowess, achieved with bamboo instruments that include the fiddle and xylophone, as their soaring, thatched-roof rongs (meetinghouses used for community activities), some of which climb as high as 50 feet. The quiet town of Kon Tum, located a couple of hours from the point where the borders of Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam connect—and the border-crossing station into Laos at Bo Y—is a good base from which to explore the numerous Bahnar villages nearby. For the less adventurous, there are a few villages within Kon Tum itself. The nearest airport to Kon Tum is in Pleiku, about 25 miles away.