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Newly opened in December 2023, Villa-des-Pres is a five-star, French-owned hotel in the Parisian neighborhood of Saint Germain-des-Pres. This luxury property has taken over what was originally constructed as an apartment building in 1911, and used as such up until recently. Although it retains its lived-in Parisian feel, the building underwent massive renovations to transform it from apartment to hotel.

This hotel is on our list of The 11 Best Hotels in Chicago.

Often rated the best hotel in Chicago since it first opened in 2001, the Peninsula Chicago keeps its reputation by offering the finest high-end Chinese cuisine in the city and easily one of the top hotel spas in the Midwest. The Magnificent Mile mainstay has 339 spacious guest rooms and suites, outfitted in an understated style with floral motifs by artist David Qian. Thoughtful details include soaking tubs with hands-free televisions, a table for two set beside a window with a view, and linens custom created by Pratesi.

No stay would be complete without a meal at the Shanghai Terrace, where chef de cuisine Elmo Han earns accolades for his modern interpretations of Shanghainese, Cantonese, and Sichuanese classics. During the warmer months, you can dine (or just have a mocktail) on the actual terrace, the whole of Chicago displayed before you. Also required: an afternoon at the 15,000-square-foot Peninsula Spa, with its floor-to-ceiling windows, facials using Biologique Recherche products, and an Olympic-size pool and sun deck.

Twenty-four hours before check-in, be sure to request “Peninsula Time,” which allows guests to access their rooms as early as 6 a.m. and stay as late as 10 p.m.—a lifesaver for international or early-bird travelers. And eco-conscious travelers take note: The Pen recently received Gold Status from EarthCheck, its second consecutive Gold Status award.

It’s a sign of the Palm Springs boom that what started as a modest local museum is now a premier destination for art and design aficionados. Today, the establishment, first opened in 1938, celebrates performing arts, modern art, and architecture in three locations. The main building, a designated historic site designed by architect E. Stewart Williams, is the most trafficked, with works by Henry Moore, Ed Ruscha, Dale Chihuly, and other marquee names. The Palm Springs Art Museum in the Palm Desert location features a rotating selection of exhibits by contemporary artists, as well as a sculpture garden where you can have a contemplative afternoon picnic. The Architecture and Design Center, in a structure originally designed by Williams, hosts exhibitions on architecture and design that change twice a year, rounding out an extensive permanent collection that includes works by Julius Shulman, Alexander Calder, David Hockney, and Marc Chagall. Pro tip: The museum buzzes with energy, particularly on free Thursday evenings, but for a more tailored experience focused on a particular theme, take one of the tours led by passionate and knowledgeable docents.

When Garden Village Bled opened in 2014 it took the concept of glamping to an entirely new level. Guests can choose to stay in glamping tents (some come with their own hot tubs), treehouses or pier tents. Treehouses are great for families as they come with kitchenettes, hammocks, and two bedrooms. The pier tents are the most basic, but are still done up with electricity, and super comfy beds. Each tent is set on a pier on the river so guests can fish right from their deck and the chef will cook up their day’s catch. I loved falling asleep to the soft rumble of the river below.

A kitchen dynamo whose energy belies her age of 77, Supinya Junsuta, aka Jay Fai, is chef-owner of one of the Thai capital’s most renowned shophouse restaurants—the eponymous Jay Fai—and one of the city’s most recognizable foodie personalities. In her trademark heat-resistant goggles, essential protection from a searing inferno of hot oil, she cuts a distinctive figure. And her fame and the crowds have only grown since the Michelin Guide judges gave her eatery Thailand’s first and only Michelin star for street food in 2017 (so much so that she has expressed a wish to give the star back). Her lofty reputation is founded on the alchemy she produces from her scalding wok, with stir-fries such as pad kee mao talay (drunken noodles with seafood) and other dishes like fluffy khai jeaw poo (crab omelet) and a complex tom yum goong (hot and sour shrimp soup) more than justifying the (relatively) steep prices.

The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles occupies the top four floors of a 26-story, LEED-certified tower in downtown L.A. Here, every room, restaurant, fitness machine, and rooftop poolside lounger has unparalleled panoramic views of the Los Angeles basin. That alone would be enough to rest on, but this is the Ritz-Carlton, so the hotel is also home to two Wolfgang Puck restaurants, one seriously decadent spa, and sleek, modern guest rooms with everything you’d expect from the classic luxury brand.

The other impressive thing about the hotel is its location at the heart of the entertainment-residential complex L.A. Live. This puts the best of downtown’s entertainment quite literally at guests’ feet, with the Staples Center, Microsoft Theater (formerly Nokia Theatre), Grammy Museum, and loads of restaurants and shops all right there. Outdoor movies and concerts, red-carpet events, and sports events happen right here all the time; if you don’t have tickets, just ask the concierge.

Scandinave Spa, at the edge of the forest beside Lost Lake, is a Nordic–inspired spa that recommends alternating dips in the hot and cold pools, steam rooms, and brisk waterfall rinses. There are myriad ways to stitch together a rejuvenation regimen: Breathe deeply in the eucalyptus steam bath, then follow up with a series of hot baths before a shocking plunge under a chilly cascade, followed by a series of cold, colder, and almost freezing baths, or go the other direction. You can finish the treatments in around 90 minutes, but some choose to make a day out of a visit to Scandinave, tossing in a massage or facial, hanging out in the solarium to read or snooze, or even napping in one of the hammocks strung around the large property. The spa’s café, an open timber-paneled space with floor-to-ceiling windows, serves freshly prepared soups, sandwiches, salads, and smoothies.

Just across the street from the Pera Palace Hotel, Meze by Lemon Tree is an intimate restaurant—with seating for about 30—and a limited menu with four meat entrées and three fish ones. The main attraction, however, is the meze. Sometimes innovative (as with a seaweed salad with ginger) and other times traditional, they are all tasty. Pick your cold choices from a refrigerated case; the menu varies daily but you can expect some marinated fish options, bean and grain dishes, and pickled vegetables. Each portion for two is 11TL. Hot options may include fried fish and baked phyllo dishes. The wine and raki list is extensive. Leave room for the Balli Bademli Cevizli Kaymakli Muz or, in English, bananas topped with nuts and clotted cream, drizzled with honey. The unusual addition of chili sauce gives this sweet dessert a savory and spicy edge.

Penguins, igloos, and snowfall in Hyderabad? Welcome to Snow World, the only facility in India and the largest in the world that combines an amusement park and subzero temperatures. After paying a small entrance fee, visitors are given warm clothing, waterproof shoes, and a cup of hot soup to acclimate to the temperatures. Snow World features slides, basketball courts, play areas, igloos, bumper cars, an ice skating rink, and even an ice hotel. During construction, over 200 tons of artificial snow was layered on the floor using a patented technology from Australia. The top layer of snow is cleaned daily and then topped with an additional three tons of snow. The water is also filtered four times before being generated to snow, so it is safe if consumed - accidentally or otherwise. Perhaps the most charming feature of Snow World is the actual snowfall for ten minutes every hour. The smiles here are contagious.

Many temptations are under one roof at the Langham, New York, Fifth Avenue. This polished hotel bucks the trend of tiny Midtown hotel rooms with spaces that begin at 420 square feet and stretch up to apartment-style accommodations with full kitchens—an ideal setup for families. The style is modern and refined, from the sweeping staircase that connects the lobby to the Michelin-rated Ai Fiori restaurant of chef Michael White on the second floor. The hotel doubles as an art gallery for the work of American artist Alex Katz, whose bold figurative paintings hang on the walls throughout the hotel. There’s also Chuan Body + Soul, a day spa based on the principles of Chinese Medicine.

With its world famous pier, bustling beaches, and chill, but lively nightlife scene that draw eight million visitors annually, Santa Monica can feel a bit crowded in the summer high season. But not at Oceana Santa Monica. Set within the posh neighborhood of Wilshire Montana, the hotel is located across the street from Palisades Park, a peaceful municipal outdoor area dotted with fig and palm trees that runs alongside the Pacific Ocean. Just stepping into the lobby feels like a world away from the hustle and bustle of the Santa Monica pier.


Formerly known as the Oceana Beach Club Hotel, the property debuted in 2019 after it was purchased by Hilton’s upscale LXR brand and underwent a $25 million transformation. The 70 apartment-style guest rooms—most of which feature ocean views—are situated around a heart-shaped pool. Each suite has a separate living room and bedroom, Loro Piana bedding, large bathrooms, and walk-in closets. For even more space, there are two-bedroom suites with ensuite kitchens and balconies.The interior design is by Anna Busta of Busta Studio; expect moody blue couches and gold and wood design accents throughou the space that echo the Pacific Ocean.



Though Santa Monica’s dynamic culinary scene sets a high bar, Oceana Santa Monica’s Sandpiper stands up. Seafood-forward menu items include chilled prawns served with summer melons, pan roasted sheepshead fish plated with littleneck clams, and chopped salads with asparagus, broccolini, and zucchini garnished with watermelon radish, corn, and red onions. Pair the meal with a house cocktail like the Stan Laurel (named after the actor of Laurel and Hardy fame who once called the Oceana home), composed of Empress gin, cointreau, lavender syrup, and lemon juice.

The off-Strip Red Rock Casino, Resort & Spa, a locals’ favorite, is named after the government-managed wilderness to the west of the resort: The Red Rock National Conservation Area. The expansive tract of ochre-colored rocks and desert is only a 10-minute drive from the hotel’s main entrance. From various trailheads along the park’s scenic drive, visitors can head out for hiking, rock climbing, mountain biking, and horseback riding, depending on the season. For the less adventuresome, the Red Rock hotel is a short walk to City National Arena (where the Golden Knights practice), the Las Vegas Ballpark (where the Las Vegas Aviators AAA baseball team plays), and Downtown Summerlin, which is essentially an outdoor shopping mall. It’s possible to spend a long weekend here and never see the Strip at all.


The 796 spacious guest rooms, with floor-to-ceiling windows, rival any of those on Las Vegas Boulevard, and feature sumptuous bathrooms with jetted tubs. The Villa Suites even have their own pools and patio areas ideal for private sunbathing. The 25,000-square-foot spa is a destination unto itself; it offers a variety of treatments and fitness classes, as well as group coordinators who can help plan spa days in conjunction with friend getaways.

Palma’s most important example of early 20th century modernisme, this striking building with its richly crafted interior decor featuring stained glass and ceramic tiles was designed in 1903 by Catalan architect and Gaudí contemporary Lluís Domènech i Montaner. Originally built as a luxury hotel, in 1993 it re-opened as a cultural centre owned by the Spanish bank La Caixa.

This hotel is on our list of The 10 Best Hotels in Canada.

First opened for business in 1912, the iconic Ritz-Carlton Montreal—known as “the grande dame of Sherbrooke Street"—began a $200 million facelift in 2008, opening its doors again in 2012. Quebec’s most luxurious and historic hotel could tell endless celebrity secrets but is, of course, far too discreet to utter a word. It’s no secret, though, that Elizabeth Taylor married Richard Burton here, that the Rolling Stones rented the entire sixth floor in 1972, and that a who’s who of world leaders, movie stars, and royalty are still regular guests. Situated in the downtown culture and shopping hub that is the Golden Square Mile, the hotel oozes money-is-no-object luxury from every pore: from the ornate duck pond and immaculately manicured garden and terrace to the 100-year-old chandeliers, the sweeping staircases, and the belle époque golden glow of the lobby and palm court. Rooms have a white-and-gray minimalist palette with splashes of signature purple. Antiques and original features blend with ultra high-tech design such as Japanese Toto toilets in all bathrooms, heated floors, and motion-sensor lighting.

Sometimes the best way to cool down in the Caribbean is to heat things up! And nothing spells relief like a dip in the Ani Villas hot tub – perched on the edge of a cliff overlooking secluded Little Bay Beach, Anguilla.