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Medellín’s botanical garden is a 35-acre oasis of green amid the bustling city. Stroll through lush tropical vegetation, towering trees, and flowering bushes to a quiet, picturesque pond amid the gardens. Or peek into a butterfly farm, a maze, and an orchid exhibit beneath an arbor. The gardens are a public space for all sorts of activities like yoga, martial-arts classes, and outdoor movie screenings; a farmers’ market for organic goods takes place the first Sunday of every month. The park is also home to one of Medellín’s best restaurants, In Situ, which in addition to its normal gourmet fare sells lunchtime picnic baskets—complete with red-and-white-checkered blankets and a bottle of wine—to enjoy on the garden grounds.

The gallery, boutique, and tearooms of Morocco’s most famous living artist, Hassan Hajjaj, is an essential stop for any art lovers staying in the city. Tucked away down a narrow alley behind the Rahba Lakdima (otherwise known as the Place des Épices), it’s like stumbling into a jewel box filled with pop-art treasures. Hajjaj made a name for himself with a series of photographs titled Kech Angels, which depicted local girls on mopeds dressed in eye-popping robes. The collection has been exhibited all over the world in such illustrious venues as the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and the Institut des Cultures d’Islam in Paris, but nowhere beats enjoying the work on home turf. While you’re there, treat yourself to his iconic recycled home and fashion pieces, such as a sardine-can lantern, a pair of babouches (Moroccan slippers) cut from a flour sack, or a stool from an oil drum. And if you hang around for a pot of mint tea in the courtyard, you might even meet the man himself.

Also known as the Papenoo Valley, the Maroto Valley is a magical place once inhabited by ancient Polynesians. If you go with a guide -- I recommend Marama Tours -- you’ll be able to learn about the history of the area as well as learn to forage like they did in the past. The above photo is of a local fruit called noni, whose juice gets rid of mosquito bite itch. A few other natural remedies the group learned include lime can be a deodorant, coconut juice aids digestion and taro is good for strong bones and teeth.

Occupying 25 floors of a 90-story tower on West 57th Street, Park Hyatt New York opened its doors in August 2014. There is an emphasis on art at this sleek hotel, with museum-quality pieces on display in both the common areas and the spacious, light-filled rooms. A rotating art program in the hotel’s Avenue Gallery space features rotating exhibits with emerging artists from around the world.

A UNESCO World Heritage site, this hotel was the home of Hispaniola’s first governor, Nicolás de Ovando, and one of the first colonial structures built at the top of cobbled Calle Las Damas (the first paved street in the Americas). Built in 1502 and connected in 1974 during a reconstruction ordered by then President Joaquín Balaguer, the three stone buildings retain their original coffered ceilings, massive arches, tile floors, and brick and stone walls. In addition to 92 rooms and suites, including a dozen Imperial Club rooms overlooking the Ozama River and Don Diego Harbor (Room 4015 has a particularly stunning view and gorgeous bathroom), you’ll find a lovely reading nook, gourmet restaurant, lobby mojito bar, and tranquil garden, which features herbs and fruit trees used by the hotel kitchen.

Just down the road from the main entrance to Zion National Park and its vivid red, pink, and cream-hued sandstone cliffs is this family-owned property, whose reclaimed Douglas fir and redwood beams merge seamlessly with the surrounding landscape. The 73 rooms and suites, with their sleek kitchenettes, floor-to-ceiling windows, and pale-green-and-cream furnishings, are bright, modern, and spacious—upstairs accommodations feel even roomier thanks to high, cathedral-style ceilings. There’s an outdoor heated pool and a hot tub near a soothing rock waterfall for unwinding after an exhilarating hike or bike excursion, as well as private balconies or terraces in every room, equipped with wooden Adirondack chairs for soaking in the majestic views of the red rock cliffs and Virgin River.

The journey is part of the experience at Hoshinoya Kyoto, where a charming wooden boat ferries guests to the hotel’s scenic perch on the banks of the Oi River. Here, tucked away in a grove of old cypress, maple, and cherry trees, the Hoshinoya offers a respite from urban life. Rooms feature traditional ryokan elements, like onsen-style cedar baths and picture windows overlooking the misty forest outside, and the restaurant serves nine-course, kaiseki-style dinners. A few free activities, including morning stretching sessions and tea ceremonies, contribute to the hotel’s Zen-like atmosphere. Guests can also take ikebana lessons, rent kimonos, and book meditation trips to the nearby temple.

Chapitô is a circus school but also a restaurant and a bar. It’s very close to the castle and has fabulous views over the river. It’s ideal for a romantic dinner.


The cuisine is inspired by traditional Portuguese cuisine with a mix of international influences. I had dinner there this week and tried the codfish and I recommend it—but you have to eat it on the terrace, since this menu is different from the one inside the restaurant. You will be stunned with the views from the restaurant. Enjoy this beautiful city over a pleasant dinner. If you want to have a drink afterward, there is a bar on the lower floor, sometimes featuring live music or theater.

The Cederberg Mountains are where Capetonians go to hike and camp in the Western Cape. After a very bumpy (7km or so) ride deep into the hills and valleys of the Cederbergs, you’ll arrive at Gecko Creek Lodge. Each evening, watch the sun fall snugly between the mountains from your tent, pictured here. You can bring your own tent or opt to use Gecko’s, which was setup with two twin beds and included linens. Gecko also offers wood cabins with hammocks on a small front patio. With a swimming pool, hiking trails to wander, a nearby river, plus a lapa and boma (dining/cooking area) for mingling with the other guests, there was no shortage of activities to partake in.

After a $90 million expansion that unveiled five new lodges and raised the facility’s total number of rooms to 590, Canyon Lodge & Cabins, in Canyon Village near the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River, has more accommodations than any other hotel in the park. The new LEED-certified structures were modularly built with sustainability in mind, incorporating countertops constructed of recycled glass and fly ash (a by-product of coal burning) and trim made with beetle-damaged wood from blue-colored pine bark, which would have otherwise gone to waste. The new lodges also feature two bedroom suites (king/queen) that include a sitting room with sofa bed; some have walk-out patios and decks. Budget-minded visitors who don’t want to sacrifice canyon views opt for the nearby cabins, which are modest yet comfortable. There’s also a $6 million refresh of the lodge’s food service on tap, with new cafés and restaurants offering updated menus and Mad Men–era Mission 66-inspired design.

Stallmästaregården began its life as a somewhat rural stablemaster’s farm. This was before Queen Kristina decided, in 1645, that she wanted to host her midsummer festivities here, at which point the stablemaster rapidly transformed the farm into an inn. Now, despite being within the city limits, Stallmästaregården feels like a rural retreat, flanked as it is by the expansive Royal Haga Park and scenic Brunnsviken Bay, in addition to its own verdant gardens. A painstaking restoration and redesign has left the onetime farm still rustic and homey, true to its 17th-century inn background, while simultaneously infusing it with healthy doses of both midcentury and contemporary Scandinavian design. The true star is the restaurant, an unpretentiously stylish destination that serves gourmet Swedish cuisine to discerning locals and out-of-towners against a picturesque natural backdrop. But the best part comes when everyone goes home and the inn is left to the guests.

The award for most prized piece of Sydney real estate must go to the Park Hyatt. The hotel is tucked directly beneath the Harbour Bridge, and many rooms showcase head-on views of the Sydney Opera House, perfectly framed in floor-to-ceiling windows and doors. In 2011, the Park Hyatt was layered with sandstone and marble to reflect the local Rocks neighborhood, which was built from sandstone in the Georgian period. Carvings, sculptures, paintings, and photographs by eight renowned Australian artists—including Robert Billington and Bruce Armstrong—further connect guests with the hotel’s setting. Travelers get what they pay for here; every room, no matter the price, comes with a balcony, butler, and harbor views from the tub. Guests also have access to the coveted rooftop pool deck—where a sunset cocktail is highly recommended. The Park Hyatt is unbeatable for New Year’s Eve, the Vivid Sydney festival, or really any time of the year.

The cobalt-blue-and-brick-red residence where now-legendary Mexican visual artist Frida Kahlo grew up—and at times lived with husband Diego Rivera—is one of the city’s most consistently packed attractions; buying tickets in advance is strongly recommended. That said, the visit is essentially (and justifiably) mandatory and offers fascinating glimpses into this extraordinary woman’s life and work. In addition to holding some of her paintings, the house also functions as a showcase for her library, astounding wardrobe, and collection of pre-Columbian artifacts; it additionally bears witness to her close association with left-wing politics. What’s more, the museum portrays the artist’s struggles with depression, marital infidelities, disability, and illness. The house’s garden—home to a modest café and mostly bashful felines—makes for a great breather before more strolling in the Coyoacán neighborhood.

I’d like to believe that had my public library been as stunning as the Black Diamond in Copenhagen, I would have spent more time studying at the library and less time doing whatever one does when one is supposed to be doing their reading. But the reality is that I probably would have spent most of the time staring out at the water and at the handsome people who wander through its naturally lit halls. The Black Diamond is the newer annex to The Danish Royal Library. It gets its name from the black granite, tinted windows and trapezoidal design (isosceles I think; perhaps I would be more sure had I worked harder on that geometry homework). When you turn the corner, it peers out like a large warship: dark, massive, and slightly foreboding. But the people and bicycles scattered about near the library’s entrance bely the need for concern. At the library’s entrance there is a cafe perfect for you to steady yourself with coffee, pastries, and more people watching. The library holds an art exhibit, concerts, The National Museum of Photography, The Museum of Danish Cartoon Art, as well as its own collection. But the pièce de résistance is the atrium that overlooks the harbor. Take the escalator up a few floors and turn and seize the view. But don’t gasp too loudly: there are people probably trying to do their geometry homework.

Imagine sitting in your own private jacuzzi sipping Greek wine, while the shops, restaurants, and homes in the village of Oia are bustling with people and lit with their warm glows. It is from the balcony of the Endless Blue Suite at Aspaki Hotel that you can experience this magic. While there are an abundance of accommodations at your fingertips in the stunningly beautiful, white-washed village, the traditional Aspaki Hotel is unique and truly luxury with a personal and friendly touch. Set on one of the most-photographed private pathways in Oia, the Endless Blue Suite is gorgeous with its peach and light blue colored exterior, and can be seen throughout the town and spotted from the water below. The suite has a loft-style bedroom, spacious living area and kitchen with windows throughout, but it’s the outdoor balcony with jacuzzi that sets it apart from the rest. With an uninterrupted panoramic view of the Caldera and village, it feels as if you’re hanging on the cliff’s edge overlooking the Aegean Sea. It doesn’t seem quite real and is like your own Greek island home that you don’t want to leave. I highly recommend the Endless Blue Suite for a couple on their honeymoon or celebrating a special occasion, and Aspaki Hotel also offers other suites perfect for any stay.