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There are many things to love about staying at La Tangerina, but the panoramic views from the roof terrace are at the top of my list. In this photo, the Strait of Gibraltar is visible under a cloudy sky. Standing at this viewpoint, if you turn a little to the right, you’ll see the busy Port of Tangier and endless beaches. Turn a bit further to the right, and you’ll enjoy a spectacular multilayer vista, with the White City’s historic Kasbah in the forefront, followed by an array of more modern buildings, with the Rif Mountains as a distant backdrop. The hotel is perfectly located at the highest point on the Kasbah and has been beautifully restored and decorated. We enjoyed large breakfasts and a quiet retreat from the hustle and bustle of the medina.

The 2nd-century Roman emperor Hadrian spent much of his 20-year reign traveling through his empire, absorbing architectural inspiration from Greece to Egypt. His vision for a luxury villa was realized in Tivoli, a Roman suburb, where he constructed a sprawling palatial complex decked out with the finest statuary of the age. Hadrian’s Villa is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and it contains the ruins of over 30 epic structures. Be sure to check out the Maritime Theater, which Italian authorities managed to partially restore.

Why we love it: A stunning eco-resort where style meets sustainability

Highlights:
- Villas attendants who double as adventure concierges
- A treehouse-style spa
- A reputation for balancing nature and luxury

The Review:
An award-winning boutique resort, Secret Bay serves exquisite style, service, and seclusion just a 10-minute drive from Portsmouth on Dominica’s northwestern coast. The luxury property has no communal spaces, beyond the decks, beaches, a riverside yoga pavilion, and the Zing Zing restaurant. Instead, guests retreat to six elegant villas and bungalows, fully stocked with their choice of goodies. Conceptualized by Venezuelan architect Fruto Vivas, villas fuse high design, local craftsmanship, and sustainably sourced materials like Guyanese hardwood. Guests can look forward to plunge pools, gourmet kitchens, pillow hammocks, and furniture carved from red cedar, along with high-tech touches like Apple TVs and Sonos Bluetooth speakers.

Committed to sustainability, owner Gregor Nassief helped site Secret Bay’s villas to preserve the rainforest and oversaw construction of the entire resort without any heavy machinery. The property also plants vetiver to strengthen its cliff location and has applied to create a marine reserve in the waters below, where parrotfish flit among the coral. Explore them with the complimentary kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, snorkeling gear, dry bags, and GoPros on offer, or head to the treehouse-style spa, which gazes down on the cove and offers treatments like massages with custom-blended local oils. Guests can also opt to create their own culinary masterpieces or have the chef’s choice delivered by their attendant, who also serves as their housekeeper and adventure concierge.

Over the next few years, Secret Bay will slowly expand to 50 villas, hidden among the neighboring 27-acre valley and ridge. In the meantime, swim to the resort’s waterline cave or paddle a kayak to the soft, golden Secret Bay beach. Though open to the public, like all Dominica’s coast, the beach sees very few visitors, meaning you might very well be the only one there.

As rivalries go, this one is up there with Coke vs. Pepsi. Which of these two cultural institutions’ pastry chefs make the best version of Vienna’s famous Sacher torte? The Hotel Sacher is a historic property and, by legal right, has been recognized as the original home of the classic dessert. But a few blocks away on posh Kohlmarkt street, just steps from the Hofburg Palace, the pastry shop Demel proudly still carries the official title of royal confectioner. Both houses ship this spongy chocolate cake, covered with chocolate icing and layered with apricot jam, all over the world. But nothing beats tasting the sweet treat right there in old Vienna.

Tayrona National Natural Park has become such a popular destination during typical vacation periods that authorities have had to limit admission. But an off-season visit offers singular luxuries like miles of all-but-solitary beaches, jungle trails, and a unique way to observe a variety of monkeys and tropical birds in every brilliant hue. Tayrona can be experienced as a day trip from Santa Marta or as a several-night stay at one of the park’s accommodations. From the main entrance at Cañaveral (El Zaíno), visitors can take a leisurely hike to the ocean while a donkey handles the luggage; horses are also available for those who prefer not to walk. This same park entrance also leads directly to high-roofed, native-wood cabins known as ecohabs, a slightly fancier option for staying in the park.

Why we love it: A boutique resort that perfectly merges relaxation with exploration

Highlights:
- Amenities like an infinity pool, spa, and outdoor fire pits to help you unwind
- Unique offerings like daily yoga classes and nightly social hours with wine
- Weekly stargazing sessions with local astronomy experts

The Review:
This eclectic 100-room property attracts adventurous extroverts ready to explore the surrounding red rocks, then swap tales over morning coffee or happy hour wine. Inside, decor honors the area’s Native American heritage, incorporating elements like grass-woven baskets, headboards crafted from local fallen trees, and desert flower hues against soothing neutrals. Pet-friendly rooms also feature luxurious touches like Italian linens, modern art, and Atelier Bloem toiletries, while suites up the ante with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the desert.

Outdoors, guests can gather around the heated pool and hot tub or several crackling fire pits and admire views of Sedona’s iconic Snoopy Rock. There’s also an award-winning spa for when you need respite from all the hiking, plus a signature restaurant, SaltRock, which serves Southwest favorites alongside creative mezcal cocktails. On Monday nights, local astronomy experts lead stargazing sessions to take in Sedona’s dark skies, and daily yoga classes are included in the resort fee. Other amenities include access to top-rated golf courses, a full-service fitness center, complimentary bikes, and a shuttle that ferries guests within a one-mile radius of the property.

American entrepreneur Michael Evans and Argentine winemaker Pablo Gimenez Riili joined forces to create an unparalleled viticultural paradise for wine lovers from around the world. Set on 1,500 pristine acres in the heart of the Uco Valley, the Vines Resort & Spa is a haven of laid-back luxury with a robust offering of culinary and wellness activities, winemaking endeavors, and outdoor adventures. Every aspect of the hotel is designed to share Mendoza’s natural beauty, superior wines, and Argentina’s warm culture through a tailored guest experience provided by the resort’s “Gauchos”—personal concierges and tour guides who curate one-of-a-kind itineraries for visitors.

The resort’s 22 spacious villas have ample indoor/outdoor living space, with wood-burning fireplaces, open-air fire pits, plunge pools, hot tubs, and private rooftop terraces with 360-degree views. Siete Fuegos, the resort’s signature restaurant, showcases open-flame grilling techniques mastered by Argentina’s acclaimed chef Francis Mallmann. The fitness center and yoga studio look out to the Andes, while three miles of running trails weave through the property’s vineyards. There’s never a dull moment at the Vines, with horseback riding, hiking, biking, cooking lessons, and winetasting at your fingertips—unless lounging is your preferred activity, in which case a cabana next to the 1,000-square-foot infinity pool will be calling your name.

Sprawling over 80,000 square feet, this timbered cathedral is a monument to all things outdoors. The Seattle landmark’s spire, a 65-foot rock pinnacle, is the world’s third-largest indoor rock-climbing wall. Take a class or just reserve a 15- or 30-minute time slot for a single climb ($15 for members, $25 for nonmembers). No experience is required; REI supplies gear from its Outdoor School. The store also has a mountain bike test track outside, as well as a small café and a tree house play area for kids.

Why we love it: A bit of serenity in Sin City

The Highlights:
- Signature Jacques Garcia design
- Standout eats and drinks from chef Daniel Humm
- A pool deck right out of Morocco

The Review:
The award-winning team behind the NoMad hotels in New York and L.A. landed on the Las Vegas Strip in 2018, opening an outpost of the boutique brand at the larger Park MGM complex. With the NoMad Las Vegas’ arrival, guests have the option of staying somewhere with a warm, residential spirit and intimate spaces, while also enjoying easy access to all the facilities and attractions of the greater resort—think a hotel-within-a-hotel for those that might want a respite from the action. Jacques Garcia’s signature design translates here into sophisticated, muted rooms that range from classic kings and queens to four types of suites. Each is outfitted with custom furnishings and artwork, walk-in Carrara marble–tiled showers, free WiFi, Bellino linens, Argan bath products, and mahogany writing desks; as with other NoMad locations, some rooms have freestanding tubs in the main bedroom, so be prepared if you’re sharing the space.

While the majority of the dining, drinking, spa, and pool scene options are part of the Park MGM at large, the NoMad has its own key standouts. Chef Daniel Humm and restaurateur Will Guidara’s NoMad restaurant and NoMad Bar continue to showcase the much-lauded team’s dedication to comfort-gourmet fare and exceptional drinks, while the Moroccan garden–inspired NoMad Pool serves as a lush oasis during the day, then transforms into the JEMAA pool party—complete with DJs and table service—on the weekends. Also of note: the very first NoMad Casino, with intimate, Old World-inspired spaces for roulette, blackjack and Baccarat, set under a Tiffany glass ceiling and around the cocktail-centric Casino Bar.

A short drive outside the town of San Pedro de Atacama, Tierra Atacama has wonderful views of fields and Volvano Licancabur. The hotel is part of the Tierra hotel group owned by the Chilean-American Purcell family (who also own Tierra Patagonia, Tierra Chiloé, and Ski Portillo). The property originally served as a cattle corral, but Chilean landscape artist Teresa Moller has transformed the grounds, preserving the ancient algarrobo and chañar trees and restoring the adobe walls.

The bedrooms are decorated in natural colors, with local touches like ceramics marching along the sills of the extra-large windows. Animal-skin rugs and alpaca throws provide a touch of warmth for the cool desert nights. You can see the incredible silhouette of Volcano Licancabur from all the rooms, but the Poniente rooms are slightly larger and have better views. There is a friendly communal vibe at the hotel, and upon arrival guests meet with the head guide in the main lounge to choose from the range of group activities on offer each day.

As the first boutique hotel in Koreatown, the Line might have been able to get away with cutting a few corners while still attracting a cool clientele. It probably didn’t need to get the hottest young Korean-American chef in L.A. on board (to run one of the most comprehensive and exciting restaurant and bar networks yet seen, by the way), nor did the Sydell Group—the arbiters of cool behind the Nomad Hotel in New York—have to put their stamp on it. The hotel would have been nice enough had the concrete midcentury building not been entirely reimagined by designer Sean Knibb, known for designing half the cool spots in L.A. and more than a few celebrities’ homes. There didn’t need to be a desert greenhouse–inspired pool deck that’s become a hangout for beautiful people at all hours, nor did the famously trendy Houston Brothers (of no Vacancy and Harvard & Stone) have to throw in a midcentury-inspired cocktail bar. Nor did the typical hotel gift shop have to be reimagined as a design and lifestyle store curated by Poketo. The rooms and suites would have been just fine had they not been turned into artsy, industrial-style lofts, outfitted with original commissioned artwork, a minibar of Korean and Western snacks, and Baxter of California toiletries. Of course, all of this did happen, and now Koreatown is home to one of the hottest hotels in L.A.

The famous Hotel St-Barth Isle de France officially became a Cheval Blanc property in 2014, reopening as the Cheval Blanc St-Barth Isle de France. In 2018, after a renovation made necessary by Hurricane Irma, the property also debuted a design concept by architect Jacques Grange, complete with 19 new rooms, freshly landscaped gardens, and one-of-a-kind artwork by Jean-Michel Othoniel. In addition to two gourmet restaurants overlooking the ocean, the resort features the only Guerlain spa in the Caribbean, staffed by Cheval Blanc’s trademarked “alchemists”—employees whose sole purpose is to tailor-make memorable experiences for guests. While Cheval Blanc is always popular with couples, its clientele shifts depending on the time of year. Around the holidays and spring break, families come for offerings like the “Pour les Bébés” menu of homemade baby food. In the late spring and summer, honeymooners are drawn by poolside champagne tastings.

A laid-back beachy vibe with a compelling overlay of French style is the hotel’s hallmark. Comfy rattan furniture is offset by a palette of blues and light shades, and rooms are stocked with custom Leanor Greyl products to protect from salt and sun.

The Place Bonaventure is widely recognized as one of the most important buildings constructed in Canada in the 1960s, though that’s not to say it’s universally loved. It’s a regular contender for the title of Montreal’s ugliest building. For the student of architecture, however, whether armchair or otherwise, it’s worth a visit to see an outstanding example of brutalist architecture. Architect Raymond Affleck’s vision was to turn the city inside-out in a building appropriate for its location in a cold climate. The Place Bonaventure was designed to include a conference center, hotel, and several floors of retail space, all along internal streets while the building presents a foreboding exterior of ribbed concrete (echoing the design of the seminal Architecture School at Yale University by Paul Rudolph) to the street. The entire complex included 3.1 million square feet of floor space, making it the largest building in the world when it was completed (in 1967). Much of the retail space was converted to offices in later renovations, though the conference center and the hotel (now the Hôtel Bonaventure Montréal) remain. The photo here was taken inside the hotel—a walk around their common spaces will give you a taste of Affleck’s vision for a new urban architecture.

Spice Route is a heavenly experience where deep colors meet exotic spices. Located in the grand Imperial Hotel, I found the restaurant to be one of the most visually stunning places I’ve ever seen. Restaurants in 5-star hotels are generally known to display lavish and extravagant decor, but this restaurant is on a whole new level. It feels as if you have walked into a dark forest with rich gold branches and heavenly waterfalls, and a pervasive aroma of mysterious spices to match. It’s an escape into nature. And it’s not as if the stunning decor is trying to compensate for the poor quality of food. The food is absolutely scrumptious, offering food from all the places that fell under the ancient spice route, from the Malabar Coast of Kerala to the shores of Thailand. I think it’s one of the very few restaurants in Delhi that has amazing Keralan food. The restaurant is really romantic, making it a perfect place for a date. It is very upscale and they are quite serious about implementing a strict dress code. It’s even rated as one of the top restaurants by Condé Nast Traveler. It’s not just a restaurant, it’s an experience!

Nearly hidden behind a tall row of hedges is Delano South Beach, a landmarked hotel built in 1947 and renovated by Ian Schrager and Philippe Starck in 1995. Schrager and Starck wanted Delano to feel like a home; to that end, Starck created a series of discrete “living spaces,” with mismatched furniture, in the hotel’s common areas. Each of the spaces is intended to evoke specific images and experiences from his childhood, such as a wall of nightlights. The Delano’s backyard and pool area are an extension of the lobby’s “living room,” and that’s why a table and two chairs sit in a shallow section of the pool, and why the hotel’s veranda features the kind of comfortable furniture usually found inside a building, rather than outside it. In rooms, guests will find oversized marble bathtubs, said to be a favorite among NBA players because of their seven-foot length, along with Malin + Goetz toiletries.