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Visitors take their best Chicago photographs in front of the iconic Millennium Park sculpture called Cloud Gate (known colloquially as the Bean, for its shape). Conceived by British artist Anish Kapoor and constructed from 168 stainless steel plates with no visible seams, the polished surfaces of this 33-foot-tall sculpture reflect infinite variations of the Chicago skyline. The work’s design was chosen from among more than 30 others commissioned by the city, and it was inspired by liquid mercury.

One of the first stops outside of Cusco was on the Anta plain at 12,375 ft. The 16th century ruin of Chinchero is rumored to be the birthplace of the rainbow. I would be hard pressed to argue those refractions of light could have a more beautiful beginning. A wonderful outdoor market overlooks the ruins and there are many weaving cooperatives to explore in the village. Locals work hard to preserve cultural customs speaking Quechua and wearing colorful traditional dress. By supporting the talented women and buying local you assist in making their lives more self sufficient through their craft. If you’re looking for colorful blankets, I thought this market had one of the best selections.

The undisputed grande dame of Filipino hospitality, the Manila Hotel has so many tales to tell that even Hemingway was impressed. “If the story’s any good,” he’s reported to have said, “it’s like Manila Hotel.” The Nobel laureate was but one in a series of visiting dignitaries, from military brass (General MacArthur took up residence in 1935 and left shortly before Japanese troops occupied the property in the ’40s) to Hollywood A-listers (including Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. and Sammy Davis, Jr.) to rock stars (when the Beatles notoriously snubbed Imelda Marcos by accident in 1966, they stayed here). The hotel has had plenty of cosmetic work done as well, including a dramatic renovation for the 2012 centennial festivities. So while you can still stay in, say, MacArthur’s quarters (known as the MacArthur Suite), the bathrooms now come with Bulgari toiletries and the bedrooms with HDTV. There was little the hotel could do to improve upon the already amazing bay views, as you’ll see from the suite’s dining room windows.

Hyperlocalism has fueled Portland’s Old Port District revitalization, with buzzy restaurants and shops with a deep sense of place opening in recent years. The stylish Press Hotel is no exception. A publishing motif runs throughout the 110-room property, which occupies a corner building that once housed the Portland Press Herald. Custom-made wallpaper printed with old headlines adorns the corridors, and desks inspired by those found in 1920s newsrooms are in each room. Works by local artists—including a dramatic installation of vintage typewriters from the late 19th and early 20th centuries by Portland artist Erin Hutton—and woven-wall tapestries by Portland home-goods designer Angela Adams also abound. (There are even a few notable—and welcome—nods to the global luxury market, including Frette linens from Italy atop the plush beds.) The focus at the 65-seat hotel restaurant, Union, is proudly farm- and sea-to-table, with dishes like house-smoked local mussels served with celery cream.

The first thing guests notice as they approach the 600-acre Rio Perdido ecolodge is a large wood-and-steel rotunda that, from a distance, resembles a flying saucer, an award-winning design that houses the resort’s open-air restaurant, bar, and spa. The bungalows are just as stylish: 30 prefabricated cubes are suspended on seven pylons (no trees were cleared during the building process) and feature an airy, modern aesthetic, with twin rolling beds, brass fixtures, and terraces with hammocks sited for gentle breezes. Larger suites are moodier and more romantic, with walls of singed wood and volcanic-stone floor tiles. Soak in the property’s natural springs, which are heated by the activity of nearby Miravalles Volcano, then choose your own adventure. If you’ve worked up an appetite hiking, tubing, or canyoneering, the restaurant serves satisfying Costa Rican casados (rice dishes) and ceviches, which guests can arrange to enjoy from a platform that sits 160 feet above the river that gives the property its name.

Set on the western side of Circular Quay, the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (MCA) is the country’s leading institution for modern art. While access to touring international exhibitions from the likes of Tatsuo Miyajima and Annie Leibovitz incurs an entrance fee, the permanent collection of more than 4,000 contemporary works by Australian and Torres Strait Islanders, from Gary Carsley to Lena Yarinkura—plus a rare collection of artist notebooks, music, letters, and sketches—is always free. Come on Wednesday night when the gallery is open until 9 p.m., or for the adults-only Art Bar on the last Friday of the month. The rooftop café offers occasional live music and DJs plus glittering views of the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge after dark.

A 1920s townhouse in Brussels’ well-heeled Châtelain neighborhood, the intimate, Fellini-inspired Odette en Ville might as well be your fashionable Belgian friends’ pied-à-terre in the European capital. Its older sibling, Chez Odette, a landmark restaurant and inn, is hidden away in the tiny village of Williers, on the French-Belgian border, and when the Brussels iteration opened, it dressed up with all the panache of a newer arrival: a little bit flashier, a little bit sleeker, a little bit more urbane. Its marble bathrooms, dark walls, and chrome accents all feel very grown-up, but roll-top tubs, fireplaces, and vintage decor reveal those homey country roots, as does the fresh, unpretentious cuisine, including the homemade jam at breakfast. With just eight rooms, the hotel feels intimate and private, an atmosphere only enhanced by the private library, a cozy lounge (notably, adjacent to the bar) with overstuffed leather Chesterfields, vintage chess sets, shelves of art books, and a working fireplace.

Spain takes its food seriously. After all, it’s the country that gave birth to El Bulli and, as of 2015, has 169 Michelin-starred restaurants (11 in Madrid alone). So it comes as no surprise that a top hotel on a main boulevard in the capital should be home to one of these temples to gastronomy, the two-Michelin-starred Santceloni. But the Hotel Hesperia Madrid doesn’t content itself with just a world-class restaurant. No, this sleek retreat—decorated boldly by some of Spain’s top designers, including Pascua Ortega, Erico Navazo, and Mercedes Gonzalez López-de-Carrizosa—is devoted to the best of contemporary Spanish dining, with a total of three acclaimed restaurants and a sultry scotch bar attracting the most discerning palates in Madrileño society. In between decadent meals—and exploring the ritzy shopping and myriad sights just outside the hotel’s front door—work up an appetite at the open-air gym up on the rooftop, yet another of the Hesperia’s claims to fame.

The Bristol Hotel is a modern boutique property located near the Gaslamp Quarter. A member of the Green Lodging Program, the hotel is one of seven in San Diego to have a Green Eco-Leaf Rating. From energy-efficient technology to eco-friendly amenities, the Bristol’s commitment to lessening its footprint extends to the smallest details. All these measures don’t diminish its focus on comfort and convenience, though. You’ll find down duvets, free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel, and in-room iHome docking stations.

As you explore the property, you’ll find pop art pieces by renowned artists. Be on the lookout for Teddy Roosevelt by Andy Warhol and Oval Office by Roy Lichtenstein. Business travelers will also be pleased to know that the Bristol is downtown San Diego’s only meeting space with a retractable roof. When you’re stuck in conferences all day, you can give a new meaning to multitasking while you work on your tan.

Southern charm and Asian aesthetics meld seamlessly at the Mandarin Oriental, located on 15 floors of a high-rise building in the tony boutique-filled Buckhead neighborhood. Beyond a striking marble lobby, the 127 rooms feel like home—albeit a luxurious one—thanks to interiors by renowned architect Robert A.M. Stern. Plush carpets, large working desks, velvet-upholstered armchairs, and high definition LED televisions join bathrooms finished in black-and-white marble, with twin vanities, sunken tubs, and Atelier Cologne bath products. Whether you want to swim laps in the 60-foot swimming pool or simply unwind in the private English garden, the hotel is like a cocoon from the outside world; guests of the spa are welcomed with seasonal tea and an o-shibori, a Japanese steamed towel, before indulging in their massages and facials. But should you need to leave the bubble, the shops in Lenox Square are walking distance from the hotel, and free car service is available to take you within a two-mile radius.

Spanish colonial fountains. Roaring outdoor fireplaces. Brightly colored bougainvillea vines and hibiscus flowers. Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa, Southern California’s only Relais & Châteaux, is spread over 45 hilly acres of gardens and groves. No detail is too small here, as you’ll discover on the Bridge of Champions, a narrow wooden span that leads you across a brook. As for the champions in question, they’re bygone net men memorialized on the path to the resort’s fabled tennis complex: 18 courts and a pro shop. Not to be outdone, the landscaping around your casita (or luxury villa or private hacienda) will lend a secret garden feel to your patio, where you may also find a private fireplace, hot tub, or—in the case of the hacienda—heated pool. Inside, expect 600-thread-count linens, Frette towels, and a Bang & Olufsen sound system. At the spa, waterfalls and a yoga pavilion that appears to float work in tandem with the treatments to induce maximum relaxation.

Inspired by the famous Fox Theatre—the Moorish-style movie palace turned performance venue is just across the street—Hotel Indigo Atlanta Midtown strikes a musical note at every turn. The experience begins at reception, where the desk resembles a drum set and a collage of show tickets from the past 30 years decorates the wall behind it. Guest rooms riff on the theme with accent wall murals that make it look like you’re either attending a concert or starring on stage, but the overall vibe is playful comfort, with pops of green on the quilts, spa-like baths with Aveda products, flat-screen TVs, and free WiFi. If you find yourself hankering for soul food, the chicken and waffles at the on-site restaurant should do the trick, but don’t pass up a drink at the black-and-white bar counter, which looks like the keys of a piano and is backed by a wine display that evokes the inner workings of a jukebox.

Simple in concept, excellent in execution, the Brickyard at Mutianyu is a destination in itself, situated about a 90-minutes drive from downtown Beijing in a traditional village. Recovered tile pieces form mosaics that pop out from the red brick walls—a nod to the building’s former life as an imperial tile factory. Brickyard has a modern feel, with rustic Chinese elements that allow this hotel to blend in with the surrounding village. The eco-conscious philosophy carries through to the working organic garden on the grounds. The rooms are open-concept, one side composed entirely of floor-to-ceiling windows, with views of the Great Wall extending atop the hills in the distance. Trails used by locals lead right up to the wall (a rather challenging hike), with no guards around to collect entrance fees. The Brickyard Homes, once peasant homes, have been whimsically restored by the hotel owner. They invite Frank Lloyd Wright–esque comparisons for their ability to integrate spare Asian design into a modern context.

Towering 42 stories over the Mong Kok district on the Kowloon Peninsula, the Cordis is one of the best options for adventurous travelers looking to experience the “real Hong Kong.” The hotel is surrounded by mazes of markets. as well as shops and restaurants that are popular with locals. But getting off the beaten path doesn’t mean foregoing luxury. The Cordis has rooms with plush bedding and oversized windows, as well as homey touches like soft carpeting.

The biggest draw of the Cordis, Hong Kong, is its collection of 1,500 works of contemporary Chinese art, one of the largest hotel collections in the world. Guests can browse the collection on their own with the help of free iPod art tour cards. The hotel attracts an edgy crowd of young artists and professionals who mingle in the Garage Bar—a food truck and craft beer destination with Western-Asian fusion food and a selection of over 40 brews—late into the Kowloon night.

Open seasonally from June 1 through October 1, Moraine Lake Lodge is, as its name suggests, set right on the stunning turquoise waters of the glacier-fed Moraine Lake in Banff National Park. The lake is one of the most photographed locations in Canada, and the view once appeared on the back of Canadian $20 bills. The original lodge sprang from a teahouse that offered overnight camping at the turn of the 20th century, with the first lodge house dating back to the 1920s. A full redevelopment began in the late ‘80s, with new buildings designed by acclaimed Canadian architect Arthur Erickson. The cabins and rooms all feature custom-built log furniture, and many rooms have wood-burning river-rock fireplaces. The rooms’ design reflects the soaring Rocky Mountains outside, with warm earth tones alongside cozy blankets and deep soaker tubs. All rooms are free of TVs and telephones, allowing guests to unplug from modern-day distractions, although there is Wi-Fi. It’s likely that cell phones will not work here either.