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The epitome of fine dining, La Marmotte is as sophisticated as Telluride’s mountains are wild. While dining here, you can expect to enjoy expertly prepared dishes like beef tartare with caper berries and lemon, and roasted mahi-mahi, dusted with bee pollen and served with black garlic and sage sauce. Despite the elegant atmosphere, service is always fantastic, with no hint of snootiness.

This shaded park near the University of St. Thomas is right next to The Menil Collection. The park is very shaded and nestled between streets lined with classic 1920s bungalow houses. This place really captures Houston!

Bauman Rare Books is well known among antiquarian booksellers, and marks a striking contrast to most of the shops and boutiques you’ll find in Las Vegas. Having worked in the rare book business in the past, I can’t resist a beautifully tooled leather binding and the crinkle of pages brought to life by engravings.

There are two ways to arrive at this exclusive Deer Valley perch—ski in from the slopes, or hop on the Swiss-crafted funicular and climb the 250-vertical-foot ridge. The 12-acre, 181-room St. Regis is literally and figuratively in rarefied air, bringing swanky suites, signature butler service, and celebrity chef–driven dining to the high Wasatch Mountain range. Après-ski is a treat at the ski “beach,” which features loungers, an outdoor fire garden, and a menu by Jean-Georges Vongerichten. From there, guests can enjoy a slope-side dip in the steamy pool, or descend a spiral staircase into the 14,000-square-foot Remède Spa for a massage. Come dinnertime, book a window-side table at the J&G Grill.

Natural elements in the lobby and library—stone fireplace, exposed wood, leather furnishings—complement the mountain setting without devolving into log-cabin kitsch. The contemporary aesthetic continues in the spacious guestrooms and suites with dark-wood furniture, state-of-the-art electronics, toasty gas fireplaces, and massive marble bathrooms.

Former British prime minister Harold Wilson, who loved the Isles of Scilly and visited every summer (his wife, Lady Wilson, now 100, still does), is buried at the pretty Old Town Church in its atmospheric graveyard. The grave is modest compared to the grander tombs belonging to distinguished Scilly families, but not nearly as modest as the Wilsons’ nearby summer house, which is inconceivably tiny for a residence of one of Britain’s most important 20th-century statesmen.

Manhattan is full of boutique and luxury hotels, but Kimpton hotels are known for bringing both experiences together. Ink48, a hotel in Hell’s Kitchen, is no exception. Set in a former printing house, the hotel is close to everything without being too close. It’s accessible by both bus and subway and within walking distance of area restaurants, Times Square and the Javits Convention Center. Rooms are sleek and modern with flat screen televisions, animal print bathrobes and, of course, windows with views of the city. The hotel offers WiFi for loyalty program members and rents out bicycles to guests. The in-house gym and spa also help to keep you fit during your stay. The lobby has tea and coffee in the morning, flavored water in the afternoon, and wine at night. Print. Restaurant and The Press Lounge are the hotel’s highly acclaimed restaurant and bar that are both worth your time.

Why we love it: An all-in-one café, restaurant, and boutique hotel for the design-minded traveler

The Highlights:
- A restaurant run by a James Beard Award–winning chef
- Complimentary breakfast from the bakery delivered to your room
- Excellent design featuring local wares

The Review:
What started as a contemporary eatery in 1999 transformed into a bakery, restaurant, and boutique hotel in late 2016, when it took over the adjacent Dunn Brothers coffee shop as part of a major expansion. Today, guests are drawn to Alma as much for its acclaimed bar and restaurant as for its seven uniquely designed guest rooms, done up in all-natural cotton bedding, handwoven wool throws, and vintage rugs from Aubry Angelo. The bathrooms are impeccable as well, with spacious, white-and-brass-tiled walk-in showers and organic bath products from Bespoke Body & Wellness.

Every stay comes with complimentary room-service breakfast from the on-site bakery, meaning guests don’t even have to get out of bed for house-made pastries like lemon-currant scones, chocolate croissants, and blueberry Danishes. Come evening, head to the award-winning bar for expertly made cocktails like the Spritz Life (made with Cappelletti, prosecco, and chocolate-infused orange bitters), followed by dinner in the restaurant, which offers a three-course prix fixe menu with seasonally inspired dishes such as chestnut bread pudding with Maine lobster, and duck two ways with coconut-braised kale and spiced cashews.

A Disney-fied take on an African safari experience, the Animal Kingdom Lodge feels like a trip around the world. The thatched-roof main building follows the theme in the grand lobby, where a mud fireplace meets soaring wood columns. Guest rooms are outfitted with carved-wood furniture and private balconies; some have bunk beds perfect for families, but the savannah-view rooms are worth the splurge for the chance to see zebras and giraffes up close as you sip your morning coffee. You have your choice of watering holes: the 10,000-square-foot Uzima pool has a waterslide, wading area, and two hot tubs, while the Samawati Springs pool, though half the size, has an even bigger waterslide and adjoining playground. Dining options are appropriately over-the-top. At Boma, the market-style buffet features carving stations and flavors from 50 African nations; Jiko pairs a Mediterranean-inspired menu and sub-Saharan flavors with South African wines. Cultural representatives from countries including Botswana, Namibia, and Kenya lead free tours of the resort, pointing out details of the continent’s art, cuisine, and natural history in its design. But nothing is as far-flung as it seems—the Lodge and villas are connected to the rest of Walt Disney World and the Orlando Airport by complimentary bus transportation.

Still run by the descendants of its founder, Malcolm Mackay, this 114-year-old family-owned working cattle ranch in Roscoe, Montana, has been hosting guests—Roy Rogers and Robert Redford among them—since the 1980s. Lazy E-L Ranch is often booked a year in advance due to a capacity of just 14 guests who stay in three period cabins furnished with Western art, family pictures, and Navajo rugs. Instead of a formulaic schedule of staged chuckwagons, cowboy sing-alongs, roping practice, and nose-to-tail trail rides, guests have the option of a more authentic experience, joining ranch staff as they manage stock on 12,000 acres roamed by moose, deer, and bald eagles. The main draw here is integrating into ranch life, feeding chickens and horses, cleaning barns, and helping prepare family meals (though chores are optional). There are no guest cattle drives, but experienced riders can occasionally join or observe Lazy E-L professional cowboys moving 2,000 head of cattle. For guests preferring play to work, there’s horseback riding and hiking across pristine alpine pasture and barren plateaus; non-horse people can mountain bike down the terrifying Beartooth Highway, play soccer, baseball, and croquet, fish a private six-mile section of the West Rose Bud River, or raft the Class IV Stillwater River.

There certainly are other ways to while away a summer day in Greater Portland, but you’d be hard-pressed to find a better experience than island-hopping aboard a Casco Bay Lines ferry. Sure, you can simply ride out to an island for a look-about and return, or enjoy a sunrise, sunset, or moonlight cruise. But for a real immersion, consider the Mailboat Run. You’ll be among islanders, visitors, pets, and freight to-ing and fro-ing between Little Diamond, Great Diamond, Long, Cliff, and Chebeague islands. The 2½-to-3½-hour working cruise is offered twice daily year-round; bring your own picnic lunch on the morning run or snacks for the afternoon one.

Get a small-town experience just a short ferry ride or an easy drive from San Francisco in Sausalito. The town is known for its seaside charm, but there are a few not-to-miss things to do while you’re there.

1. Grab lunch at one of the many restaurants and cafés with views of the San Francisco skyline.

2. Walk along Bridgeway, Sausalito’s main drag, and browse the numerous souvenir shops, boutiques, and art galleries.

3. Sausalito’s houseboat community showcases anything from renovated architectural gems to repurposed barges to vessels that need some serious TLC. These are private homes, so be respectful when wandering around. Liberty Dock and Issaquah Dock are good places to start.

4. The Bay Model Visitor Center, run by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, is an acre-and-a-half scale reconstruction of the Bay Area’s waterways. From an observation platform, watch tides ebb and flow every 15 minutes, and marvel at just how big the bay really is.

5. Kayak or stand-up paddleboard. Near the Bay Model, Sea Trek offers several types of classes for both, catering to all skill levels.

6. Stock up on dinnerwear made in Sausalito at Heath Ceramics. Among the houseboats and artist studios is the original 1959 factory, where the clay is made, and the plates, bowls and cups are shaped and glazed. There is also tour each Friday, and weekend tours Saturday and Sunday. The factory is slightly north of downtown.

This recently restored 18th-century Federal-style home and gardens was owned by General George and Katherine Marshall from 1941 to 1959, a time where he would experience his most illustrious achievements. One of only five men to receive the rank of Five-Star General, he was architect of the Normandy invasion during World War II, served as Army Chief of Staff, Secretary of Defense, Special Ambassador to China, and as Secretary of State created the Marshall Plan, the post-World War II economic rehabilitation plan for Europe for which he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Tours of the home are provided where 90% of the furnishings, personal effects, and memorabilia are original belonging to the Marshalls’ such as Chinese paintings from friends General and Madame Chiang Kai-Shek.

The Shockoe Slip in Richmond, Virginia has many quaint shops, good restaurants, and several upscale hotels. One of those hotels is the Berkeley Hotel. This boutique hotel is beautifully furnished. The rooms and bathrooms are richly decorated. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are offered in the hotel restaurant. Access to the Jamestown Center fitness club is included for guests. The attentive staff will be happy to assist you in any way they can. Nearby you will find the Richmond City Hall, the Virginia State Capital, the James River, and many other historic sites. A stroll down Cary Street is fun whether you are going to a restaurant or shopping or sightseeing. I have stayed at the Berkeley several times and have never been anything but pleased with the service and the hotel.

The King Cole Bar is about as legendary as any bar in New York. Located in the St. Regis Hotel at Fifth Avenue and 55th Street, it has been the place to go for a cocktail since it opened in 1932—Salvador Dalí, John Lennon, and Marilyn Monroe are just a few from a long list of famous names who have dropped in for a drink. The bar sits off the St. Regis New York’s lobby and is presided over by the famous King Cole mural painted by Maxfield Parrish, with John Jacob Astor IV playing the part of the king, jesters to each side of him. Today it is still the ultimate setting to start a celebratory evening, or end one with a nightcap; it cemented its place on most lists of New York’s top bars with an extensive renovation in 2013. While the bartenders can prepare anything you might be in the mood for, you may want to order a Bloody Mary. The King Cole Bar boasts that it was the first spot where the drink (then known as a Red Snapper) was served in the United States (a claim, it should be noted, that is disputed by some other bars).

On a tree-studded peninsula between Monaco and Nice, this whitewashed luxury boutique hotel features 28 rooms and suites with a serenely chic vibe (think crisp white linens and richly patterned textiles, contemporary art and modern streamlined furnishings). A third of the units reside in the hotel’s main building, a mansion that dates back to 1889 but was fully restored and updated in 2003, and three additional rooms designed to resemble ship cabins are built into a wall with direct views onto the sea; the rest of the accommodations are housed in a quiet Italianate structure and a separate edifice at the edge of the property. Cap Estel’s Michelin-starred restaurant highlights seasonal ingredients, many of which are sourced from the on-site gardens. Guests who come to disconnect from the jet-set scene can relax in the hammam or waterside sauna, or with a massage and dip in the saltwater pool, though many guests would just as soon head straight into the azure waves of the Mediterranean, accessed through the hotel’s private beach.