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It’s a weekend ritual for my cousin and his friends to pop into either The Loading Bay or Origins Roast right next door for breakfast. With a gorgeous view of the mountain, both cafés have coffee to die for and stellar food. This particular beauty of a breakfast was from The Loading Bay; banana topped with walnuts accompanied with creme fraiche, served on top of toasted rye and drizzled with honey. Both venues are open for breakfast and lunch; the Loading Bay is also open for burger night, on Thursdays, served with their famous fries (sprinkled with truffles).

Located on seven-mile-long Estero Island, Fort Myers Beach is precisely the sugar-sand playground you come to Florida’s Gulf Coast to enjoy. Named among the best in America, the beach is long and wide, making it perfect for a stroll or bike ride—especially at low tide. Vendors here sell everything from umbrella and chair rentals to parasailing adventures and eco tours. There are also accommodations, including hotels, inns, and small, family-run motels to fit nearly every budget.

Why we love it: A historic property with style to spare

The Highlights:
- Historic details like the marble lobby
- Thoughtful amenities like microfiber bathrobes, complimentary newspapers, and Gilchrist & Soames bath products
- A sophisticated on-site restaurant

The Review:
Housed in a former bank building from the 1920s, the Ambassador Hotel in downtown Kansas City is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Today, the neoclassical property is updated with thoroughly modern amenities, but still features historic details like a showstopping lobby with marble columns, soaring ceilings, and sparkling chandeliers. Guest rooms are equally stylish, with custom furnishings, private label linens, and marble bathrooms with oversize walk-in showers, but for the ultimate luxury, book the 753-square-foot Loft Suite, which features two floors, one-and-a-half bathrooms, a wet bar, a living area, and original windows that bring in loads of natural light. When hunger strikes, head to the on-site Reserve Restaurant, where executive chef Jeremiah Lyman serves contemporary American cuisine and top-notch cocktails.

When it opened in 1969, the Fairmont Dallas set the bar high for luxury hotels, dazzling visitors with opulent interiors, a Neiman Marcus outpost in the lobby, and 11 separate kitchens. Its legendary Venetian Room hosted acts like Ella Fitzgerald, Jerry Lewis, and Ike & Tina Turner. Now an integral part of the downtown skyline, the hotel remains a favorite for a whole new generation. The 545 rooms are bright and sophisticated, with city views, marble bathrooms, and minibars stocked with organic options. In a nod to its Arts District location, the hotel hosts a unique local artist-in-residence program, and the Four Diamond–rated Pyramid Restaurant and Bar pulls ingredients from a 3,000-square-foot rooftop vegetable and herb garden for its “terrace-to-table” modern American fare. There’s no spa, but wellness is represented with a 24-hour gym and a Junior Olympic–size pool, where guests can also enjoy family-friendly “dive-in movies” and evening DJ sets in the summer.

To stay at this three-story courtyard hotel in the historical heart of the Latin Quarter is to be surrounded by intellectual giants: the ghosts of figures such as René Descartes or James Joyce, who each lived nearby, and by present-day students and teachers at the most elite universities and high schools of Paris. The youngsters’ extracurriculars—café lounging, bar hopping, and vintage record, book, and clothes shopping—give the quarter a unique mix of history and life.

Hotel des Grandes Ecoles occupies three 19th-century houses along a private cobbled passageway leading to a courtyard garden. Old-fashioned in the best sense, one of the charms of the place is that the compound feels like an escape to a French granny’s country cottage. Small by American standards, rooms done in toile or floral fabrics exude classic Gallic charm; French cotton lace and matelasse drapes the sitting tables and beds. Bathrooms are immaculate but simple, with either shower or bathtub and toilet.

A former railway hotel that first opened in 1895, this 500-acre property on Kenmare Bay hosted Charles de Gaulle and Irish hero Eamon de Valera in its heyday. Those two would be surprised at Parknasilla Resort’s current iteration, which feels somewhat American, at least in a smattering of villas and lodges with open plans and oversize suburban-home-style furniture. The rooms in the main house are more traditionally Irish, with dark-wood beds, antique china and Waterford Crystal vases and lamps, and brocade-upholstered armchairs. They’re a bit old-fashioned, but there’s something comforting about that—as there is in the obliging staff, a group with the easy, effective air of seasoned experts. They’re particularly accommodating for families, and spacious villas make the hotel a good place for vacations with young kids or a bunch of cousins; there’s even a special spa menu for kids.

Willow trees surround the hotel and 12-hole golf course; the hotel’s name comes from the Irish phrase Pairc na Saileac, which means “field of willow trees.”

It is not unusual to find an Arizona resort that looks like a water park with rooms attached, and this big Scottsdale luxury property certainly fits the description: 10 pools, 20 fountains, 45 waterfalls, and a three-story, high-speed waterslide. But what makes the Hyatt Regency unique is that guests can glide along its desert waterways aboard authentic Italian gondolas while being serenaded by professional gondoliers, who are classically trained singers. Beyond the water’s edge, there are the expected activities, such as the 27 holes of golf at the Gainey Ranch Golf Club, open only to club members and resort guests. And there are the unexpected, such as the Native American Learning Center, created to give guests insight into native Southwest culture through art, food, entertainment, and personal interaction with some of the resort’s staff. For hikers, the 24-hour Canyon Market serves up not only performance foods and gear, but also directions to the best trails.

This pub, owned by the Piedmont-based Baladin brewing company and Lazio’s own Birra del Borgo, opened in September 2009 and was quickly canonized as the best place to drink Italian beers in Rome. There are over 120 labels to choose from, ranging from well-known Italian brewers like Baladin and Birra del Borgo to more obscure producers like Lover Beer and Troll; there is also a handful of American beers such as Sierra Nevada and Brooklyn Brewery. In addition to 100 bottled beers, there are anywhere from 20-30 beers on tap. The outgoing staff is happy to make recommendations. The food menu includes salads, sandwiches, potato croquettes, pasta and homemade potato chips.

To begin to understand the true wilderness that occupies most of the southern tip of Florida, there is nothing like a visit the 734-square-mile wetland preserve of Everglades National Park. More than a national treasure, the park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, deemed important to the greater culture of all of humanity, and is the largest tropical wilderness in the USA. Among the many and diverse species that dwell here are manatees, Florida alligators, American crocodiles, Florida panthers, and the state’s elusive black bear, in addition to several unwanted invasive species including Burmese pythons. From Miami, the best access point is Shark Valley, where you can ride a 15-mile loop through the park aboard a tram, climb an observation tower for panoramic views, and walk out to viewing decks to spot alligators, birds, and more. For the more adventurous, there are several outfitters who can take you deeper into the Everglades on kayaking tours to visit a pristine wilderness few people on the planet get lucky enough to witness.

A clue to the appeal of the bar Tropic City is in its name: Here, sultry influences from Polynesia, Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, and Latin America fuse in a most refreshing way. The tropical theme informs everything from the decor—a tasteful mash-up of flower motifs and Portuguese tiles—to the sociable atmosphere on the outdoor terrace, which is packed nearly every night. It is most evident, though, in the carefully curated cocktail list, which dabbles in gin and mezcal while putting a heavy emphasis on rum-based drinks. Cocktails pack a punch, but light infusions such as vanilla, pineapple, and aromatic spices make it easy to put away a few—which perhaps explains why the venue has become a go-to for the city’s party set.

After achieving tremendous success in Paris, London, New York, and Ibiza with the Experimental Cocktail Club and a handful of other nightlife hangouts, the three bons vivants behind the Experimental Group have expanded the concept into hospitality. Their first hotel is located in Paris’s most coveted neighborhood, South Pigalle, overlooking the Villa Frochot (Toulouse-Lautrec’s former abode). Unsurprisingly, these pioneers of the Paris cocktail movement have integrated their savoir-faire in top-shelf drinks. In fact, they go so far as to bill it a “bed and beverage” boutique hotel, which translates to custom cocktails offered in the ground-floor lounge, delivered straight to rooms, and available in guestroom minibars. To further drive their vision, the trio enlisted the talents of Dorothée Meilichzon, the city’s most in-demand interior designer, who has already directed the look and feel of each of the group’s establishments. Here, she applies her flair for mixing unique patterns and design styles to the cocktail lounge and rooms, kitted out with sumptuous velour sofas, black leather armchairs, and brass light fixtures. The result is a style that feels like understated Hollywood regency meets 1920s Parisian glam. While rooms afford less quiet and privacy than most design hotels, the (tolerable) din feels like a necessary component to the stay-up-late Pigalle experience.

On our recent trip to France we had the best ice cream we’ve had. Ever. Anywhere. We chanced on Fenocchio while we were driving along the French Riviera. On probing a couple of locals, we found out that it is something of an institution in Nice. We couldn’t shy away from trying it out could we? We found the gelateria easily in Nice’s Old Town. Beware - there are lots of ice cream parlours with similar names in the area. But there is a queue only outside one shop - Fenoccio’s gelateria. We bought a couple of scoops of ice-cream and went back for seconds. Our gluttony did not stop there. For the next four days, we went to Fenoccio’s gelateria every day till it was time to catch the flight back home. That’s how good it is. Fenocchio’s ice creams are creamy and intensely flavoured. They have a number of crazy flavours including cactus and dozens of traditional flavours including chocolate, hazelnut, and strawberry. Our favourite was the orange blossom ice cream, a flavour indigenous to the South of France. Make sure you pop in for a scoop (or ten) if you happen to be in the area.

Chile en nogada is a poblano chile pepper, stuffed with peccadillo (shredded meat, aromatic diced dried fruit and spices), topped with a walnut-cream sauce and pomegranate seeds. This dish from Puebla is not often found on menus of Mexican restaurants in the U.S. It’s not even that common south of the border, except during the August-September season surrounding Mexican Independence Day. If you’re in downtown Tucson, however, you can try it at Penca. In a repurposed space with exposed brick and hip cocktails, this restaurant is also a worthy destination for brunch or late afternoon tacos. Choose from carnitas, fish, lengua, cabeza, nopales, carne asada, and more. The corn-tortillas are handmade right after you place your order. (The tortillas alone are almost worth the trip.) Mexico City is the inspiration. The food is fresh, and the scene is full of optimism: downtown Tucson is reinventing itself with a new streetcar for a live-work-play vibe. Taste and see how this desert city continues to evolve. (Penca has recently been named one of the best bars in the country. Start your meal here with a creative cocktail!)

Many visitors to Peru stay in Miraflores, and for good reason: The neighborhood is where you’ll find most of the better hotels, as well as the top restaurants. Get off main streets to stroll the pretty side streets. Down by the ocean, walk the Malecón seawall and visit the Parque del Amor, or Love Park, to watch paragliders soar and bank overhead. The oceanfront is also home to Larcomar, an open-air shopping mall where you can grab a bite or shop for any items you may have forgotten.

The sustainably designed andBeyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge on the edge of the NamibRand Nature Reserve captures the raw beauty of the world’s oldest living desert. The otherworldliness of the environment has been consciously translated into every aspect of the experience. The off-grid design factors in the extreme climate and harsh elements, and the desert’s forms, colors and textures are reflected in sculptural stone and steel lines that give way to soft, organic shapes. Throughout, glass walls slide away to amplify the big-sky views. The 10 guest suites are self-sufficient, solar-powered private retreats, each generating ample energy to run on photovoltaic power for everything from the AC and the deep swimming pools to the water harvesting and recycling systems.


Activities include climbing the world’s highest dunes at Sossusvlei or e-biking along gravel trails to caves with rock art by the desert’s earliest inhabitants. Back at the lodge, dishes that reflect Namibia’s cultural history include venison and Kalahari truffles and fresh seafood from the Atlantic Ocean. With close to zero light pollution, the Namib is one of the best dark sky locations in the Southern Hemisphere. The best way to end any evening is in the lodge’s observatory. You can also fall asleep counting stars, thanks to a skylight above your bed.