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Just when it seemed like the Riviera Maya Riviera had become nothing but a sea of all-inclusive beach resorts, you stumble upon the quaint little Mexican village of Puerto Morelos. There are almost no huge developments, no shopping outlets, and no chain restaurants. The place is absolutely magical and is like traveling back in time. There is a small town square or plaza lined with palm trees, small cafes, and local boutiques. You can always find a good margarita to sip on at the super hip little bars scattered around the small town. If you find yourself on the Yucatan peninsula don’t miss this opportunity to travel back in time 50 yrs and experience the “old” Mexico.

Since its founding in 1903, the DMA (as locals call it) has grown to become one of the top 10 largest museums in the country, with a permanent collection of over 24,000 works culled from around the globe and spanning over 5,000 years of history. Works by boldface Western names like Renoir, van Gogh, Warhol, Rothko, O’Keeffe, and Wyeth lead to extensive collections dedicated to art and antiquities from Africa, Asia, and South America; in between, limited-run exhibits might focus on Native American works, Asian textiles, or emerging contemporary artists. In addition to hosting popular events that engage the whole family, the museum is also committed to supporting Texas artists via foundations and special programs, and offers a searchable Texas artists database to help spotlight these native sons and daughters. Dine on casual, gluten-free Mediterranean fare at the plaza-side Socca, or head to the ever-popular DMA Cafe—set in a striking atrium—for globally flavored dishes inspired by works in the permanent collection.

It appears small from the outside, but Gale South Beach manages to pack a lot into a modest space, including Italian restaurant Dolce, a cocktail lounge, and a nightclub. These attractions, and its prime location on Collins Avenue, just a block from the beach, make the Gale a social hot spot. The landmarked art deco building is, like many of its neighbors, protected from structural changes; as such, the hotel harks back to the golden age of American architecture. Inside, the decor evokes 1940s–1960s style, with throwback typography, black-and-white family photos, newspaper clippings, and mid-20^th-century memorabilia providing atmospheric design touches. The rooms are on the smaller side but tend to let in lots of natural light. The color scheme is nautical, with blue carpeting and white walls, and crisp, bright white linens embroidered with the hotel name in blue. Guests can take advantage of an outdoor bar on the fourth floor, and a rooftop pool. An annex of the hotel is set to open just a few feet away in December 2014. The Gale Suites at Kaskades is a 25-suite complex with a focus on luxury and privacy. It features rooms with Jacuzzi tubs and rain showers and has its own rooftop deck with cabanas.

One of the most stunning natural sites in Tasmania, the Freycinet Peninsula is most famous for a short but steep hike to the perfect white-and-turquoise horseshoe beach known as Wineglass Bay. It’s hard to believe the name comes from a gruesome whaling history that once dyed the bay the shade of red wine. Travelers on an expedition with Freycinet Adventures can kayak the electric-blue waters of Coles Bay and stay in a private camp on secluded Hazards Beach, where they’ll wake up to views of the rocky shoreline, sheathed in orange lichen, and the zigzagging Hazard Mountains, circled by sea eagles. No trip to the Freycinet Peninsula is complete without freshly shucked oysters from the Freycinet Marine Farm.

Upstairs from her flagship Delirio boutique (also worth a duck-in), a beautiful town house is home to chef Mónica Patiño’s Casa Virginia, featuring a changing seasonal menu that takes creative advantage of Mexico’s wide-ranging culinary variety. Its sunny dining room and nostalgic “shabby chic” details cannot fail to delight; its family-style servings are great for sharing. Recent specials included an endive salad and two artichoke preparations, a squash soup, a Mexican-style osso buco, and a rack of lamb. All ingredients are locally sourced and most of the herbs—a key element in everything Patiño does—are grown on the roof. There can be few more civilized meals anywhere in Mexico City.

Fans of real-deal sushi-bar Nipponese are united in huzzahs for Rokai, a sliver of a restaurant in a low-key, high-end section of the Cuauhtémoc quarter, north of the Reforma. Japanese-born chefs Hiroshi Kawahito and Daisuke Maeda change up the menu daily, depending on what’s available at markets (they make great use of some of the best fish that comes in from Baja California); regulars like to nosh omakase-style for a multiple-course tasting at the chef’s discretion. Quality sakes add a rosy glow to the precision with which every creation comes over the bar in this spare but fashionable setting. Reservations are recommended.

This elegant family-run restaurant in the charming village of Sulzburg was founded by Hans-Paul Steiner and his French wife, Claude. Today, it’s helmed by their daughter, Douce Steiner, who, after learning the ropes from her father and then training in France, is now the only female chef in Germany with two Michelin stars.

Simply decorated with antique furniture, cozy carpets, and wooden walls hung with photos, the restaurant keeps the focus firmly on the food. The traditional menu ranges from fresh sea bass, turbot, and red mullet to duck, quail, and desserts like a divine chocolate cake with locally grown cherries, while the wine list showcases some 500 labels (Claude still works as the sommelier). Should you want to make a weekend out of your visit, head upstairs to the associated hotel, which offers comfortable rooms and breakfast in the restaurant every morning.

Since the 1931 opening of the King David Jerusalem, nary a hospitality award has gone unclaimed, nor a foreign dignitary ignored, by this palatial limestone landmark. Though the building’s original splendor—with its Assyrian, Hittite, Phoenician, and Muslim motifs—is still very much on display, local wunderkind Adam Tihany recently refreshed the interiors for 21st-century tastes. The resulting design jives perfectly with the hotel’s location in Yemin Moshe, at the crossroads of old and new Jerusalem. Hotel guests also rave about the spectacular views of the Old City walls, minarets, and golden Dome of the Rock. For the most surreal vistas, book an upper-floor suite, then tear yourself away to visit the hotel’s tree-flanked pool and gorgeous gardens, or take a 15-minute walk to the ancient walls.

Somewhere between private villa and luxury hotel room, the suites at Pietermaai are as close as you can get to a chic, European pied-a-terre in the Caribbean. Plus, they’re located just a stone’s throw from Curaçao’s liveliest restaurants in the up-and-coming Pietermaai district, the popular Punda shopping area, and the atmospheric Floating Market (which doesn’t really float). The loft-like suites are outfitted with kitchenettes, wooden floors and shutters, and an outdoor sitting area. Some have a plunge pool or duplex layout, and the two-bedroom penthouse apartment is oceanfront. When not relaxing in their rooms, guests can take a dip in one of the hotel’s small pools, surrounded by lush gardens, or set off in search of sand with beach towels provided by the hotel.

Contemporary touches meet Moroccan influences at this hilltop escape overlooking the medina. Homemade pastries greet you on arrival in the neutral-hued guest rooms, which balance floor-to-ceiling windows, sleek furnishings, and glass-walled marble baths with brightly patterned rugs, decorative vases, and Moorish lamps. The minimalist hammam is the highlight at the hotel’s Givenchy spa, while the Atlas mountain backdrop serves as eye candy beyond the chaise-lined infinity pool. Should you seek more spirited diversions, a stylish rooftop bar pulses with live music and DJ sets on the weekends. Sip champagne as the sun sets over Fes, then sample local delicacies like quail and almond tagine or roasted cockerel stuffed with raisins and semolina by candlelight at Amaraz restaurant.

Though it doesn’t have the same rustic charm as the Bright Angel or El Tovar lodges—its neighbors on either side—the 1960s-era Thunderbird Lodge hasn’t lost that fun Mad Men vibe. Just yards away from the South Rim, it looks more like a college social sciences building from the outside, but the 55 updated rooms are comfortable and spacious, with geometric-patterned rugs and headboards, marble-topped furnishings, and stone-tiled bathrooms, plus creature comforts like satellite TVs, Keurig coffeemakers, and in-room refrigerators. Many have decent views of the canyon—a steal at only $20 more. And while there’s no restaurant on site, dining options at El Tovar, Bright Angel, and the rest of the village are only steps away. Best of all, the Rim Trail is right outside your door.

Amass Hotel may be located in the heart of one of Seoul’s most traditional neighborhoods, but its interiors are modern and industrial. Black-and-white rooms are compact yet comfortable (think heated floors); opt for a quad room for double the space and a private terrace with a covered long table and benches. The rooftop bar offers views of N Seoul Tower and the city’s skyline, and a downstairs café provides a convenient breakfast option, with many others within walking distance. The nearby Bukchon Hanok Village and Insadong-gil street are shopping hubs for souvenirs, folk art, and handicrafts, and the Changdeokgung Palace is across the street (best to buy tickets in the morning and return later for the tours). The hotel offers free bicycle rentals but is also very subway accessible.

Aruba’s Palm Beach is known for its powdery white sand, tranquil blue waters—and sprawling full-service luxury resorts. Just steps away, the intimate Boardwalk Small Hotel is a laid-back alternative. Owned and operated by Belgian twin sisters Stephanie and Kimberly Rooijakkers, who were born on the island and spent their childhoods here, 14 casitas are scattered on the grounds of a former coconut plantation and individually decorated: studio, one-, and two-bedroom spaces are outfitted with bright pinks, yellows, and aquas, fully equipped kitchens, air-conditioning, and private patios with their own charcoal barbecues and hammocks. Breakfast offerings range from the local (think tropical fruit and house-made arepas) to the luxe (bottles of champagne), and can be delivered to your casita or beachside palapa, but with no restaurant on site lunch and dinner is up to you.

Closed until 2024 for renovations.

Set on three-and-a-half acres of garden grounds atop Mönchsberg Mountain, the castle-inspired Hotel Schloss Mönchstein is like something out of a fairytale. Be sure to arrive hungry: In addition to a restaurant that serves Austrian and international fare and an indoor/outdoor orangery with light bites and drinks, the hotel has several private dining rooms, including one nestled in the castle’s tower and dubbed the Smallest Restaurant in the World, as well as a neo-Gothic chamber filled with black-hued antiques. The 24 guest rooms have regal touches like damask-patterned velvets and marble bathrooms with soaking tubs and walk-in rain showers, and a vast menu of treatments at the on-site spa, including Dermalogica facials and body wraps, are fit for royalty. After a day of pampering, an infinity pool and hot tub offer panoramic views over the city below.

Opened in 2017, Hayes Street Hotel may occupy a modern building in Midtown, but the boutique lodging has made every effort to highlight the area’s historic past and the local makers who adhere to its traditions. A nod to the city’s former life as one of the country’s busiest printing centers, the lobby features poster art from famed letterpress studio Hatch Show Print, which has created musical renderings for the likes of Led Zeppelin, Elvis Presley, and Loretta Lynn over its 140-year lifespan, while white porch swings invite you to sip a cup of joe from Bongo Java, Nashville’s oldest coffeehouse. Local bourbons, whiskeys, and microbrews make up the menu at the Hayes Street Bar, and guest rooms favor minimalism with hardwood floors and mint-green accent walls, their clean lines providing a serene backdrop for the city’s myriad pleasures.