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After 80 some odd years as one of Houston’s most lauded and refined hotels, the historic Warwick Hotel went from Bach to rock, when new owners gave it a slick makeover and renamed it Hotel ZaZa in 2007. A bold beacon in the Museum District, the dimly lit hotel is a virtual playground for adults, with daring decor, baroque details, and an outdoor pool with private piazza-themed cabanas. While it maintains much of its original 1920s architectural elegance and details, including Baccarat chandeliers, the interior walls are splashed with modern art and iconic editorial-photo shots of beloved celebs.

Many rooms and event spaces are themed, including the space-inspired “Houston, We Have a Problem” Suite and the Conspiracy Room, which nods to Prohibition. A recent refresh includes newly renovated 11^th-floor meeting rooms, new mattresses, new carpet, spa and fitness center upgrades (including treatment room tweaks and the addition of innovative infrared saunas), and new in-room flat-screen TVs. Bottom line: even an overnight stay feels like a true escape.

The serenity of the Meiji Jingu Shrine is a notable contrast to the crowds of Harajuku hipsters just beyond the giant torii gates. The Shinto shrine complex, which was dedicated to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken in 1920, is inside a forest that shuts out the noise and energy of the city. This temple is a popular site for celebratory events such as weddings and children’s festivals, so chances are good that visitors will happen upon families dressed up in traditional kimonos.

One of the most enjoyable things you can do in Munich is sit down at a bench in one of the many beautiful beer gardens, which serve as familiar gathering points for locals, friends, and visitors alike. The beer is top-notch, and the atmosphere warm and friendly—it’s impossible not to have a good time. The second largest beer garden in Munich is under a tall pagoda, the Chinesischer Turm, set against the beautiful backdrop of the Englisher Garten. Used under a [Creative Commons Attribution license|http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/].

Located in a quasi national park about 20 kilometers due north of Osaka, this 87-year-old ryokan-style property has maple trees as neighbors. The park teems with nature, home to 1,300 plant species and 3,500 insect species. Despite its proximity to the city, Otowa Sansou is a tranquil place to stay, especially spectacular in the fall when the maple leaves gracefully morph from green to fiery red. The traditional Japanese inn is a window to the past, with a pretty, central courtyard shaded by maple trees, and shoji (paper sliding screens), tatami, and lanterns used in the design.

Limo offers Peruvian fusion par excellence that uses typical ingredients in daring new ways. It’s particularly known for fish, including many types of sushi, as well as a variety of entrées that feature tuna, shrimp, octopus, crab, salmon, or trout, some inspired by Andean recipes, others taken from the Japanese tradition. Not a seafood lover? No problem! Limo also has delicious options featuring chicken, pork, beef, and alpaca. This second-floor restaurant overlooking the Plaza de Armas is also a great place for sampling pisco cocktails. Reservations are a good idea, especially if you’d like to score a balcony table with a town-square view.

Why we love it: A 900-year-old fortress-cum-prison reimagined as a luxurious getaway

The Highlights:
- Historical details like artifacts, original ironwork, and a stone arch bearing the seal of Abdul Hamid II
- A fourth-floor infinity pool with uninterrupted views of the Mediterranean Sea
- A full-service spa with a Turkish hammam

The Review:
Located right on the main square in the old city of Jaffa, The Setai Tel Aviv is steeped in history. Built by the Crusaders as a fortress in the 12th century, the property later served as a kishle (jailhouse) under the Ottoman Empire, then a British command post during Israel’s War of Independence. When it became a hotel, the original building, with its stone corridors and inner courtyards, underwent a meticulous restoration that included archaeological digs to uncover several artifacts, which guests can now see in the lobby. Those eager to learn more about the hotel’s history can also walk through the large entry arch, crowned by the seal of Abdul Hamid II, or check out the stone-and-iron prison cells behind the grotto-like lobby bar.

Spread over three newly created floors, the 120 rooms and suites feature an Ottoman-inspired design, complete with richly colored Turkish rugs, laser-cut pendant lamps, dark wood furniture, and sleek, textured headboards. Spacious bathrooms further the luxurious vibe with granite sinks, large bathtubs, and separate rain showers. Elsewhere on property is Jaya, where guests can indulge in an ample breakfast buffet and new-Mediterranean kosher food for lunch and dinner; former prison yards that serve as the hotel’s stunning front and rear courtyards, with comfy seating among verdant lemon trees; and a basement spa, which boasts a traditional Turkish hammam. Still, the hotel’s principal amenity has to be the fabulous infinity pool with panoramic views of the Mediterranean and downtown Tel Aviv—sunsets here are nothing short of spectacular.

A colorful working-class neighborhood near downtown that had fallen on hard times, Woodstock has been revitalized with a mix of galleries, artists’ studios, boutiques, and restaurants. Much of the area’s original vibe remains, however, thanks to the long rows of colonnaded shops that edge Albert and Victoria roads. Among the nearby storefronts that are open throughout the week are Espresso Lab Microroasters and Luke Dale-Roberts’s award-winning restaurant, the Test Kitchen. Continuing down Albert Road, you’ll find spots like the Woodstock Co-op and the very trendy Woodstock Exchange, with a great array of places to eat and stores selling local goods. At the end of Albert Road, there’s a concentration of galleries, including the Stevenson, Goodman, and SMAC. On Saturdays, Woodstock draws crowds to the Neighbourgoods Market, a prepared foods extravaganza in the Old Biscuit Mill.

The Thermal Water Pool of Terra Nostra Park is without doubt a highlight of the Azores. Built in 1780, by Thomas Hickling, the American consul who had the original idea for Terra Nostra Park, the Thermal Water Pool began to form part of the assembly dominated by Yankee Hall, a holiday house owned by Hickling. The pool was significantly smaller at that time, but already consisted of an “island” in the middle, with a bridge linking it to the land. The Thermal Water Pool was enlarged in 1935, acquiring its present form, with the refurbishment of the Park, operated by Vasco Bensaude. It was also enhanced by quarry stone masonry, remaining unchanged to date, undergoing only a few minor repairs.

Shanghai’s arts and crafts enclave, Tianzifang, is a labyrinth of narrow lanes bursting with diminutive shops, restaurants, and bars. Most of the shops here are located inside shikumen, stone gatehouses dating to the early 1930s. Gear up for your shopping spree with a coffee alfresco at Kommune before checking out Xingmu Handicraft’s gorgeous handmade leather notebooks or Shanghai Code’s vintage Chinese glasses and watches. Pick up delicate stationery at Dongxi Workshop, Shanghai‘s very first boutique, and head to Sky Music Box for—you guessed it—music boxes from all over the world.

The natives that guide you through Canyon De Chelly are very passionate about their historical heritage: the battles that their people have survived, the ceremonies they live by, and the dwellings that they carved out of the massive cliff sides. The Navajo people had to hide in the mountains, and for extended times they weren’t even able to come down for food or water. The Human Chain is the story of how they created a chain by climbing down each other in the night to bring up baskets of water while their enemy slept. Many survived because of that daring task.

Stock up on sake, wasabi, and high-end soba noodles at this Japanese supermarket chain, the largest in the U.S. It stocks adorable prefab sweets, like Pocky chocolate-coated biscuit sticks, along with Honolulu‘s hottest new donuts at MoDo. Made with mochi—a sticky-sweet rice flour—these fresh pon de ring pastries sport thick glazes like kurogoma (black sesame) and hojicha-roasted tea, alongside more familiar flavors like chocolate, strawberry, and lilikoi (passionfruit). Owner Chris Watanabe spent three years in Japan, swooning over his local Mister Donut shop, before recreating these delicacies back home. Other kiosks in the mini-food-court peddle sushi, ramen, rice balls, and tempura.

The Marine Room faces the Pacific Ocean and is the only place in San Diego where you can eat great food in a cozy atmosphere while the surf pounds the glass. Don’t even bother coming here unless it’s during high tide. When you visit San Diego- just check the tide charts and then call the Marine Room to reserve your breakfast spot during high tide. They do an elaborate buffet and I was actually impressed at the quality of food. There’s something for everyone. The set up is buffet style, but the food is definitely not! From wild caught salmon to pastries to breakfast meats- there’s something for everyone. Recommended: Definitely check the restaurant website before reserving your seat. And definitely reserve a seat!

Located among several other hotel behemoths in Nob Hill—such as the neighboring Fairmont—the Ritz Carlton San Francisco makes a strong impression right from the outset. It’s housed within a neoclassical building that was originally designed as the Pacific Coast headquarters of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. The entrance’s large columns and ornate stonework befit its 1909 birth year, a style that continues on into the chandelier-and-marble decorated lobby.


Though historic, the hotel is not stuck in time. A 2015 revamp brought the hotel’s 336 guest rooms and suites squarely into the present day, with effortlessly elegant decor, luxurious Frette linens, and comfortable, lounge-worthy spaces. And despite the culinary temptations that await just beyond the top-hatted valets, be sure to enjoy at least one cocktail at the in-house bar and lounge (our favorite: a martini shaken with a novel, yet effective, turn-of-the-century contraption) or a glass of champagne in the sunny outdoor courtyard.

Shay Al Shoomoos, located in one corner of Souq Waqif, is a restaurant owned and actively run by Shams Al Qassabi, a Qatari mother of five. Shay Al Shoomoos’ specialty is Qatari food. Their menu includes hot plates of baid o tomate (eggs and tomato), baid shakshoka (scrambled eggs), aseeda (local porridge made from wheat or corn), khobiz regag (crepe-like bread), macboush (rice with chicken, lamb or goat, smeared with a tomato paste marinade, then crisped up in a hot oven), and balaleet (sweet egg omelet breakfast dish made with vermicelli, turmeric, and sugar), among others. This restaurant not only serves authentic Qatari food, it also serves as a symbol of women’s financial freedom in a country where they have traditionally played a domestic role. This distinction got a stamp of approval when Sheikha Moza visited the restaurant and its owner in 2014. Lining the restaurant’s walls are the pictures of numerous regional celebrities, Kuwaiti footballers, ministers, and food critics. It’s not a fancy place; instead Shay al Shoomoos is a gem of authentic Qatari food, in the most authentic place in Qatar: the beloved Souq Waqif.

Why We Love It It’s a stylish haven in the heart of Nashville’s entertainment center. Highlights -Cycling fiends will appreciate the Peloton bikes in the third-floor fitness center. -The Terrace Suite comes with its own outdoor grill; any cookout catastrophes can be ameliorated by an on-call Barbecue Butler. -Don’t miss the speakeasy-style entrance to the nightclub Dirty Little Secret, through an All Saints retail shop on Printer’s Alley. Nashville’s transformation from honky tonk dive to urban playground is complete with the latest outpost of the Dream brand. Housed in two historic buildings on Printer’s Alley, the 168 rooms are neither a little bit country nor rock and roll, but rather art deco–inspired with deep blue walls, burled-wood armoires, overdyed oushak rugs, and Japanese-style marbled wall coverings. The central location makes it an easy walk to Ryman Auditorium, the Broadway strip, and the Frist Art Museum, but do hurry back before dark. The hotel has six splashy dining and drinking options, including the brasserie-style Stateside Kitchen, a late-night sandwich shop, a DJ-fueled nightclub, and a dimly lit cocktail bar serving local craft beers and inventive libations into the wee hours.