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Stieg Larsson singlehandedly burst the world’s bubbled image of Sweden and its conformist society through his riveting best-selling Millennium trilogy. With over 60 million (and counting) copies sold, the late author introduced an edgier side of Sweden to the world beyond long-held stereotypes of ABBA, IKEA, blondes, Volvos, Saab, and meatballs, revealing a multi-layered and diverse country through his fictional protagonists—journalist Mikael Blomkvist and computer hacker Lisbeth Salander. Set in Stockholm’s eclectic neighborhood of Södermalm, with its gentrified mix of wealthy, religious, offbeat, and working-class residents all flitting between outdoor cafes and vintage stores, Larsson introduces us to a cutthroat world of greed and crime. Avid fans of Larsson’s books can take two-hour long tours organized by Stockholm City Museum and led by certified guides, on Saturdays at 11:30am year-round. The walking tours take fans through key locations spotlighted in the book, such as Bellmansgatan 1 (Blomkvist’s home) with its views of Stockholm’s Gamla stan and Riddarholmen across Riddarfjärden bay, and the 21-room penthouse on Fiskargatan 9 (which Lisbeth Salander buys with stolen money). During the summer months of June to September, travelers can also take the tours on Wednesdays at 6pm. Visit http://www.stieglarsson.se/.

Privacy and discretion reign supreme behind the iconic red door of this Jacques Garcia-styled hideaway between the Place de la Concorde and the Champs-Elysées. The smallest of the capital’s Palace hotels, La Réserve Paris is set up in a former mansion that belonged to the Duc of Morny (Napoleon III’s half-brother). The hotel maintains the feel of a private home, thanks to a mix of Second Empire decorative touches, including parquet floors, crown moldings, cordovan leather paneling, and velvet drapery. It’s easy to linger in the public areas, including the library packed with 3,000 books reserved for guests during the day, the fumoir that looks out onto a leafy courtyard, and salons with plush banquettes and club chairs.

Without a doubt Versailles is the most luxurious palace in Europe, built to astound visitors and impress the king’s subjects into awed submission with crystal chandeliers, gilt, and fine art. This opulent monument is also attractive to those with simpler tastes: Visitors with green thumbs will love the king’s kitchen gardens while others may want to rent bicycles to pedal the lavish grounds, and animal lovers will enjoy the sheep, goats, and chickens receiving the royal treatment at the queen’s quaint hamlet. La Petite Venise, an excellent restaurant on the grounds, offers garden seating on sunny days.

Why we love it: A 19th-century palazzo-turned-boutique-hotel that’s full of sophisticated details

The Highlights:
- Historic details like restored tiles, antique furniture, and traditional Maltese wooden balconies
- Guestrooms with deep-soaking tubs or Jacuzzis
- A central location just off Valletta’s main drag

The Review:
Formerly home to the Ellul family, this Victorian-period palazzo is now an exceedingly charming boutique stay that’s a member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World. Fourth-generation brothers Matthew and Andrew Ellul converted the property, which sits on a quiet but easily accessible side street, into nine luxurious guestrooms, each uniquely decorated with restored Maltese tiles, wrought iron accents, richly hued rugs, and antiques sourced from around the world. Rooms also feature original works by local artist Ritty Tacsum as well as either a private terrace or traditional Maltese wooden balcony. One suite even has a piano, while several others boast free-standing bathtubs or Jacuzzis. In keeping with the Casa Ellul’s family-owned ethos, service here is friendly and personalized, making guests feel as if they’re staying in a friend’s home.

Why we love it: A design-forward oasis for creative nomads

The Highlights:
- The bright and airy inner courtyard with a massive chaca tree
- Regular programming like live music and wellness workshops
- No single-use plastics in sight

The Review:
From Tulum tastemaker Derek Klein (of Gitano fame) comes this minimalist tropical hotel on the edge of the ever-expanding city. Imagined as a hub for creative types, Casa Pueblo hosts wellness workshops, live music, readings, and other community events, but also boasts amenities like a saltwater pool, rooftop bar, and in-house restaurant situated in an airy central courtyard. Yucatan textiles and handmade pottery can be found in various nooks and seating areas.

The hotel’s 16 spare rooms face into the courtyard and feature clean white-plaster walls, hand-sculpted bedside sconces, carved wooden furniture, and slatted wooden shutters covering floor-to-ceiling windows. Luuna memory foam mattresses wear Parachute linens and bathrooms showcase custom-made concrete sinks and open rain showers. Purified water in glass carafes and full-size organic Loredana bath products mean no single-use plastics, helping the hotel remain 99 percent plastic-free.

Take the Incline Railway up Lookout Mountain on your way to Ruby Falls and Rock City and you’ll understand why the journey is often half the fun. In operation since 1895, the funicular has a maximum grade of 72.7 percent, making it the world’s steepest passenger railway and earning it the nickname “America’s Most Amazing Mile.” For its age and impressiveness, the railway is now a designated National Historic Site and a Mechanical Engineering Landmark. Before your ride, visit the machine room to see the enormous gears that drive the train, then sit back and enjoy the sweeping views of the valley below as you creep steadily up the track. Sure, you could just drive to the top of Lookout Mountain, but where’s the fun in that?

Located in the wine-growing region of Oberbergen, this long-running restaurant earned a Michelin star way back in 1969—and has held firmly to it ever since. Owner Fritz Keller’s family has been producing and importing wines since the 19th century, and Schwarzer Adler is very much an oenophile’s spot, with a list that spans around 2,500 labels (including bottles from the Keller estate as well as other European wines, with a focus on Burgundy and Bordeaux). The Francophile menu—designed by long-standing chef Anibal Strubinger (who continues to support the team alongside new head chef Christian Baur)—perfectly complements the wines, with dishes like liver pâté, lobster, and poulet Bresse with black truffles. Adding to the food’s classic feel, the dining rooms are old-fashioned and intimate, with wood-paneled walls and vintage tiled stoves. Service is friendly and efficient, and there’s a small terrace for dining outdoors in nice weather.

Located on the Samaná Peninsula, 300 feet above Playa Cosón and the Atlantic Ocean, this 18th-century, plantation-style home impresses with Victorian trim and wraparound terraces perfect for sipping cocktails in the shade. Inside, antiques from Asia, Europe, and Turkey; rugs from Istanbul; and details like Brazilian hardwood floors and French doors add further charm. The six guestrooms, all housed on the second floor, feature four-poster beds, mahogany soaking tubs, and private terraces—rooms 5 and 6 have the best ocean views.

Breakfast and dinner are served on vintage china in the main house, while lunch takes place a seven-minute shuttle ride away at the Beach Club. This is where you’ll also find the inn’s pristine beach, a nearly 90-foot stretch of sand that’s mostly empty, great for swimming, and considered one of the country’s best places for kiteboarding. When you’re not lounging here, visit the town of Las Terrenas (just 10 minutes away) or try to spot the humpback whales that migrate from as far off as Greenland and Iceland to mate and calve in the warm waters surrounding the Samaná Peninsula (every January through March).

Aranwa Scared Valley Hotel & Wellness lies about 30 minutes in either direction from crowded Cuzco and bustling little Ollantaytambo (where the trains depart for Machu Picchu). Part of Peru’s Aranwa chain of luxury hotels, it’s nestled near the banks of the Vicanota River, on what was once a 17th-century hacienda. The rooms and suites are much more spacious than what you’ll typically find in the area and feature either terraces, balconies, or views of the garden, river, and inland lake. Some are housed in the old hacienda building, but most are spread out over newer, two-story buildings dotting the property.

At the center of the resort is an infinity pool and whirlpool, both of which look out onto a restored chapel, roaming alpacas, and canals and ponds connected by footbridges. There are also several restaurants on-site, serving everything from gourmet Andean cuisine to sushi and wood-fired pizza. Additionally, guests can look forward to a museum, art gallery, library, movie theater, and several boutique shops as well as what the resort claims is the largest spa in Peru.

At this bird-lover’s paradise, guests have reported seeing Blue Cotingas, Green Shrike-Vireos, and any number of native Panamanian bird species just outside their bedroom window. Their luck is in part due to Canopy Tower’s unorthodox location in a converted radar tower, right in the middle of the lowland rainforest of Soberanía National Park. Accommodations span two floors at either 18 feet (mid-canopy level) or 28 feet (canopy level), and range from basic yet adequate single rooms that share a bathroom, to a large suite with a private balcony. The lush rainforest setting also means there’s plenty more than birds on view—howler and tamarin monkeys, two- and three-toed sloths, nine-banded armadillos, and white-tailed deer are frequently seen from the tower, plus the stargazing is phenomenal. Guests can choose from day rates or all-inclusive birding and nature packages, the most comprehensive of which is a 20-night exploration of the surrounding area.

Tucked away in Cartagena’s Old Town, Casa de Indias combines colonial architecture with vibrant eclecticism. Though the villa dates to 1693, when it was owned by the then-governor of Cartagena, its purchase in 1979 by the family of famed Colombian figurative artist and sculptor Fernando Botero set the tone for its current iteration. His interior designer daughter Lina Botero redecorated the guesthouse and opened it to travelers in 2013, keeping old-world features like terra cotta–hued stucco walls and black-and-white marble tile floors while adding colorful textiles and pottery, rough-hewn wood furniture, and works by her father to create an artsy lived-in feel. Individually decorated rooms are likewise warm and distinctive, some showcasing original brick walls and all offering iPod docks and flat-screen TVs. The 16-guest maximum capacity helps ensure a quiet atmosphere where you’re free to roam between palm-shaded patios, lounge around the outdoor pool, or take in panoramic city views from the rooftop terrace and hot tub.

Overwater bungalows have become synonymous with tropical luxury, but Fiji’s main island, Viti Levu, curiously had none to call its own until this Momi Bay stunner opened in April 2017. Set on the island’s west coast, about 45 minutes from the airport, the 250-room resort features 114 luxury bures (wood-and-straw huts), including 22 that sit over a man-made lagoon, with vaulted ceilings and deep soaking tubs; all of the accommodations have balconies or terraces with expansive views, plus woven pendant lighting that resembles local fishing nets, crisp white linens, and dark wood accents. A kids club, indoor and outdoor play areas, and pool just for the small set keep little ones occupied while parents lounge at the spa or an adults-only infinity pool—the place to be during swim-up bar sunsets (another infinity pool is open to all guests). After your sundowner disappears, head to Goji Kitchen & Bar, a teak-and-rattan restaurant serving updated Fijian favorites like cassava-chip nachos and pineapple-glazed fish.

Before becoming well-known on the tourist and expat scene, San Miguel de Allende was a favorite getaway for artists, from Mexican writers and painters to Hollywood stars of the Golden Age. One of that era’s most notable hosts was opera singer/poet José Guadalupe Mojica, whose 17th-century hacienda now houses this charming boutique hotel. Spread out around a flower-filled courtyard, the 14 accommodations include standard rooms, junior suites, and suites—though no two are the same: Even in the entry category you might find a fireplace, second-floor loft, canopy bed, or original stone wall; suites up the ante with oversize bathtubs set near a second fireplace, or private terraces with views of the cathedral. Antiques and handcrafted furnishings abound, as do stories about the villa’s illustrious former guests. Set alongside the courtyard fountain, the restaurant celebrates authentic Mexican flavors (think breakfast enchiladas and chilaquiles)—and serves brunch until 1 p.m. daily, for mornings that are off to a slow start.

Dreaming of chasing fresh, untrammeled powder? Then Tsaina Lodge, widely regarded as the birthplace of the Alaskan freeskiing scene, is for you. Its location on Thompson Pass, a gap in the Chugach Mountains known for its record-setting snowfalls (averaging over 700 inches a year), and dramatic slopes combine for epic heli-ski exploits on runs that average a steep 3,500 feet. Come summer, the repertoire of helicopter-assisted adventure excursions widens: Fly out to fish, hike, or glacier trek the seemingly limitless surroundings. Après-activity luxuries await back at the lodge, which is situated on the grounds of what had once been an avalanche-safe roadhouse, built in 1949. The dilapidated building was bulldozed and rebuilt in 2012, and the result is a boutique hotel that stands out for its modern, contemporary design. Floor-to-ceiling windows look out onto either glacier or forest from each of the 24 rooms, and there’s a gym, yoga space, and spa—along with a fine-dining restaurant with a focus on local seafood, meat, and game, and the reopened Tsaina Bar, legendary among early freeskiiers.

Hugging the golden crescent of Playa Conchal on Costa Rica’s northern Pacific Coast, the 2,400-acre Westin Playa Conchal is an all-inclusive (Westin’s only one) that has put great care into navigating the needs of both families and guests who prefer a more peaceful experience. A kid-friendly club features designated suites, all-day assistance of a “family concierge,” and exclusive activities, while the adults-only Royal Beach Club is almost a resort-within-a-resort, with its own lounge and private pool. Both have access to the greater resort, including the huge lagoon-style pool with swim-up bar, Jacuzzi, 10 restaurants and five bars, and the fitness club. All of the rooms and suites have balconies or terraces, and the Royal Beach Club suites also have a large outdoor tub. Guests also have access to the par-71 golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr.