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Marrakesh’s legendary La Mamounia, which dates back to the 12th century, reopened in 2009 after a meticulous three-year renovation by noted French architect and designer Jacques Garcia. Step behind its fabled doors and a sensory feast awaits, from the gentle tinkling of the numerous water fountains and basins; to the fragrant waft of jasmine, orange blossom, and cedar; to the lush Arab-Andalusian interiors, filled with traditional Zellige tilework, sculpted wood, and carved plaster. There are 209 rooms and suites, with the largest topping out at more than 1,000 square feet. Views range between Koutoubia Mosque, the snow-capped Atlas Mountains, and La Mamounia’s own legendary gardens, which abound with 2,000-year-old rose bushes, 700-year-old olive trees, and flowering bougainvillea and jacaranda. Three secluded, standalone riads each feature three bedrooms arranged around a central patio and private pool, though guests would be remiss not to hang around La Mamounia’s dreamy central pool, lined with palm trees, loungers, and lanterns.

On arrival to Istanbul, many tourists order the chicken şiş (chicken kebab) for a meal because it’s familiar and safe, but they’re really missing out on some of the best food in the world! I encourage anyone visiting Turkey to gastro-travel through the country’s tasty cuisine and sample the many Ottoman dishes and succulent regional kebabs on offer. My favorite place to take guests is Fuego Cafe & Restaurant in Sultanahmet. Fuego opened in early 2012 and is fast becoming one of the most reputable restaurants in the tourism precinct. The outstanding service by owner-operators Can, Ali, Mehmet and Salih has earned the restaurant accolades. Try the Ali Nazik (minced beef on yogurt, eggplant and tomato mash), Hünkar Beğendi (tender lamb on a bed of smoked eggplant puree) or pilic dolma (stuffed chicken with a rich saffron sauce) and wash it down with a glass of Turkish wine from the comprehensive wine list. The restaurant is also open late, so pop in for a nightcap or two on your way back to your hotel. If you’re a coffee drinker, ask Can, a former barista, to brew you a cappuccino, latte, espresso, French coffee, Irish coffee, or even a herbal tea. Fuego welcomes guests for breakfast, lunch, and dinner all through the year and can accommodate people with food intolerances—just ask your waiter for recommendations.

Opened in 2011, this luxury hotel from the Malta-based Corinthia brand occupies a Victorian building (once home to the Ministry of Defense) in the heart of the city, not far from Trafalgar Square, The National Gallery, the London Eye, and the theater district. The overall vibe is one of a 21st-century grand hotel, with a series of elegant public spaces—some vast and high-ceilinged, others warm and cozy—unfolding along the ground floor. Find modern, British-accented fare and a decadent breakfast spread at The Northall restaurant; all-day dining and a recently reimagined afternoon tea service (complete with Champagne trolley) at The Crystal Moon Lounge; and, in good weather, al fresco drinks, bites, and cigars at the leafy Garden Lounge. In summer 2018, the Bassoon Bar re-launched as a 1920s-era, New Orleans-inspired hangout, complete with a creative cocktail and bubbly menu developed by award-winning bartender Marcis Dzelzainis and wine expert Michael Sager. Shortly after, the hotel also opened Kerridge’s Bar and Grill, the first London restaurant from Michelin-starred chef Tom Kerridge.

Beyond its common spaces, the Corinthia is home to 283 residential-style rooms and suites, which include chic London and Garden suites (launched in 2018) and seven themed presidential suites, all crafted by David Collins Studio. Amenities include free Wi-Fi, Nespresso machines, high-tech media hubs, and marble bathrooms with rain showers, bathtubs with built-in TVs, heated floors, and ESPA products. Some of the higher-level suites even come with private outdoor spaces, butler service, and expansive views. Further relaxation can be found at the flagship ESPA Life by Corinthia Spa, one of the largest in the city with 17 treatment “pods,” a 24/7 gym, a nail studio, and a vast thermal floor with multiple pools, sauna and stream rooms, ice fountains, and sleep pods for extra serenity. To engage both visitors and locals, the hotel regularly offers unique programming and partnerships, including hosting in-residence experts—from neuroscientists to “futurist” trend forecasters—who lead talks and events throughout their stays.

The fourth hotel from continually growing LA-based chain Palisociety, this 49-room boutique property celebrates its 1920s-era roots with a design that maintains original Art Deco details. Its location in Culver City also brings attention to a sleepy, untouristed enclave stepped in cinematic history. Rooms mix wood paneling with jewel tones, plaid, and comfy floral chairs, and some have French doors that open onto the hotel’s inner courtyard. Classic and contemporary art is carefully selected and intentionally placed, while retro details like rotary dial phones on the desks complete the Golden Age ambience. Amenities include oversized robes, a mini bar stocked with local snacks, and in-room tablets featuring curated neighborhood guides, room service, and more.

Spend the night nestled under the Golden Gate Bridge in the most dignified of accommodations: the former living quarters of high-ranking officers in the U.S. Army. Cavallo Point is the result of the luxurious reimagining of a cluster of military lodges located within the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, just over the bridge in Marin County. Today, the 142-room hotel serves as a retreat for in-the-know travelers and locals looking for an easy, elevated escape from everyday city life. Original brick fireplaces and beamed ceilings mingle with modern finishes and furnishings, such as butter-soft leather sofas and whitewashed Adirondack chairs. The expansive grounds are meant to be explored on foot or bicycle. The Wellness Weekend package includes all meals, prepared with an emphasis on health at Murray Circle restaurant, morning yoga classes, guided hikes, a spa treatment, nightly wine receptions, and plenty of free moments to soak in the serene meditation pool—the very best kind of boot camp.

The vibe in Waikiki is the most frenetic of all the spots in the islands, but there is an escape. The scene at the current iteration of the classic Hawaiian hangout, Duke’s, is a step back even by Oahu standards. Best approached via the beach to enhance the original feel and avoid the mall-like carnival from the street entrance, this is the kind of bar that welcomes sand on your flips. Slip in for happy hour and be prepared to jockey for a spot. Even with the crowd, the music, the food, the drinks are all designed draw you back to a simpler time when Duke was still riding the longboard. I’m partial to the beers and french fries, but will never refuse a fish taco. With a long relationship with the Kona Brewing brand, I opt for the Longboard larger or Fire Rock Pale ale. The umbrella drinks don’t disappoint, but neither do the gin and tonics. The local musical talent that ply the stage at Duke’s are traditional Hawaiian in style and like to keep the island theme front and center. There is a family vibe to the musical community, much like the rest of Hawaiian culture, and it’s not unusual to get a sibling or cousin to come up on stage and do some traditional Hawaiian dance or help out on a song or two. There was an 8 year old girl that got asked to come up on one of our visits and she blew the crowd away! The strip a Waikiki can be a bit daunting in terms of relaxation, but Duke’s remains my refuge from the madness. Aloha.

They say Hemingway used to drink at La Venencia. If that’s true, you wouldn’t know it: there are no photos of Don Ernesto on its walls, no placards identifying Papa’s favorite table. La Venencia isn’t the kind of establishment to talk about its clientele; rather it holds their confidences tightly in its faded brown folds like any good bar should. The amber glow emanating into Calle Echegaray attracts you to La Venencia, much like a moth to a flame or perhaps, more appropriately, like a barfly to good sherry and sherry is all they serve. Posters of jerez festivals from the 1930’s paper the walls and share that same brown patina of the background as if to say that these aren’t replicas, they are originals with the scars of time to prove it. There are no menus. If you ask for one, the bartender will point to a listing hung over a table or one behind the bar. La Venencia is a wonderful place to enjoy a drink if you follow a few rules. Squeeze into the bar top. The bartender will jot in white chalk figures as you order. Order a copa of manzanilla fine and a tapa of queso and of chorizo. The bartender will slide you a small bowl of olives. Try them. Don’t take pictures inside; remember, the confidences described above. Pet the black cat sleeping on the table. When you ask for the cuenta the bartender will tally your order and then after you pay he will then wipe away your chalky notation with a quick swipe of his hand. I always found that very moment left me a little saddened.

Whether you’re up for the adventure of a mobile tented camp, or would prefer a private house staffed with personal chefs, Singita Grumeti is the place for the ultimate safari experience and unbeatable Great Migration views. The 350,000-acre protected nature reserve is home to five distinct properties (plus an exclusive private villa option), ensuring there is an option for any traveler—though luxury, service, and attention to detail are constants across the board.

The five main Grumeti properties offer a singular setting and experience, along with the option to visit any of the others for meals, or to make use of their facilities. Choices include traditional tented-style camps like Sabora Tented Camp, with its plush, 1920s-explorer-inspired decor, and Explore Mobile Tented Camp, an eco-friendly setup that can be moved as the migration progresses. Faru Faru Lodge features contemporary interiors and boasts two striking pools, while Serengeti House is a four-suite private house favored by honeymooning celebs. The grande dame of the reserve, Sasakwa Lodge, boasts luxury cottages, a spa, a wine cellar, dining room, a bar and lounge, a billiards room, a conservatory, and even an equestrian center.

With all this to choose from—not to mention the endless panoramas, gourmet cuisine, and unforgettable wildlife viewing—Singita Grumeti has become known as the pinnacle of safari getaways. And with good reason: the experience here is so impeccable, it just might spoil you on safaris for life.

Set on Bayreuth’s market square inside one of the oldest buildings in town, this charming tavern dates back an impressive 600 years. Run by two families, Wenk and Bauernfeind, since 1999, it features a purely Franconian ambience of regional food, beer, and wine, all presented with a warm welcome and friendly service. Dishes like grilled beef, roast pork, and local trout are cooked to perfection, portions are big, and waiters are dressed in typical Bavarian attire. There’s also a streetside terrace that’s great for people-watching.

At Cuisine de Provence, Barbara Schuerenberg offers memorable, hands-on cooking classes in her home kitchen overlooking Vaison-la-Romaine and Mont Ventoux. Students learn to prepare five or six typical Provençale dishes using fresh, seasonal produce from Vaison’s famous market, then enjoy the fruits of their labor during a lunch paired with regional wines. Held in English and open to all abilities, the 4.5-hour classes also include a complimentary apron and illustrated recipes, so you can re-create the flavors of Provence for your friends and family back home.

Pfistermühle is known for two things: its cuisine and its atmosphere. The menu changes with the seasons and is continually reinterpreted to keep it fresh. Many products are sourced locally, including wines from Franconia, an area north of Munich. Of course beer is also served, it is the national drink of Bavaria! The restaurant is comprised of four intimate rooms that don’t look like they’ve changed since the building was a former duke’s mill dating back to 1573. In fact, part of the renaissance vault is the only originally maintained vault in all of Munich.

Island Air Express stopped flying in April 2016.October through April, seaplane tours take you approximately 20 miles east of Scottsdale to the storied Superstition Mountains. Taking off from Scottsdale Airport, you’ll soar over the Salt River canyons and Roosevelt Dam before making water landing on the surface of Roosevelt Lake, one of Arizona’s largest bodies of water. If you can, schedule your tour for the second Sunday of the month because you’ll deplane for a picnic of Arizona food and wine.

There is a fado song proclaiming that all artists and fado singers come to A Tendinha, here in one of the oldest areas in Lisbon, founded in 1840.


At Rossio, between the old cafes like Suiça and Nicola and on the other side of the D. Maria II National Theatre, next to Arco da Bandeira, you will find this little tasca. Here you can eat ham or fresh cheese sandwiches, bifana (pork sandwich) or some fried petiscos (snacks) like the Pastel de Bacalhau, a codfish cake, and shrimp croquettes. Ask for a beer or red wine from the house to accompany.

Madrid’s multi-level Mercado San Anton is a sight to be seen. Rows of gorgeous produce, local specialties, Italian deli favorites, briny seafood and locally-farmed meats line the perimeter of each floor, each stall more enticing than the one before it. Even better, its high tables and counters make it well-suited for a quick bite and glass of wine. For a relaxed sit-down meal, head up to the restaurant on the rooftop terrace and finish off the evening with a drink in the lounge.

Located near Dundee’s now-thriving waterfront, the Michelin-starred Castlehill Restaurant serves sophisticated Scottish cuisine made with locally sourced ingredients. In the elegant dining room, guests enjoy a seasonally changing menu of modern dishes, like Scrabster hake with roasted garlic purée, and pork belly with chorizo, butternut squash, and crispy monkfish cheek. A wine list curated by specialist merchants rounds out the offerings, providing the perfect complement to Scotland’s natural larder.