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La Casa de Don Juan knows how to do breakfast. An instant hit when it opened, the restaurant initially focused entirely on the most important meal of the day with dishes like pancakes, huevos divorciados (two fried eggs, separated on the plate by refried beans), chilaquiles (eggs, scrambled or fried with crisp strips of tortilla and topped with salsa), and several other Mexican favorites. Its café de olla—a traditional cinnamon-sugar coffee—might be the best in all Los Cabos. Everything tastes like the most incredible home cooking, and the space itself more resembles a two-story residence than a traditional restaurant. The menu and hours have now extended to include lunch. Opt for the prix fixe menu or à la carte on taquitos (rolled tacos), cochinita pibil (slow-roasted pork), or chile relleno (a poblano chile stuffed with cheese and then batter fried).

Feel instantly cool when you slip through the unmarked wooden doors and enter La Factoria. Garden lights hang from the graffiti-covered walls (designed to look artsy-shabby with a stylish restraint), seductive music plays, and the liquor bottles behind the bar are lit from beneath to add to the glow. The flattering amber light in this neighborhood bar invites whispered conversations and lingering glances. La Factoria, which introduced San Juan to the craft cocktail when it opened in 2013, encourages experimentation. Take your time enjoying your drink of choice, but be sure to wander a bit further into the sprawling building where you’ll come upon separate spaces with different moods: a wine bar, a speakeasy, a dance floor.

With headquarters in Portland, Oregon, the Ace Hotel brings a dose of Pacific Northwest cool to the Flatiron District of Manhattan. Located in a turn-of-the-century building, the Ace has become a hub for stylish visitors and freelancing New Yorkers—locals often set up shop in the hip lobby to work and sip Stumptown coffee. The aesthetic is laid-back yet creative, with fun local art, free Wi-Fi, and quirky touches like tabletops made from discarded Hubble telescope lenses. The Ace is unpretentious and inviting, with a social and interactive lobby and two destination restaurants. Rooms range from small bunk rooms to spacious loft suites—offering a match for a variety of price points.

One of the most insightful ways to understand a culture is through its food. Several schools, like F&C Academy, offer affordable classes in English that can conveniently be booked online. Through demonstrations and hands-on practice at kitchen stations, students learn how to prepare traditional Korean dishes like bulgogi, mandu dumplings, pajeon pancakes, kimchi, japchae noodles, and bibimbap rice bowls. Classes are often limited to small groups and are led by knowledgeable instructors who explain the history and origin behind each dish. (Even vegans have choices: The Korean Temple Food Center by Anguk Station offers weekly courses taught in English by monks who often harvest and ferment many of the ingredients used in class.)

Melbourne saw a huge influx of Chinese immigrants during the 1850s gold rush, and the city’s fascinating Chinatown, located on Little Bourke Street and the surrounding lanes and alleyways, is a buzzing area of restaurants, noodle shops, stores and bars. Lunch at the excellent Hutong dumpling bar (14-16 Market Lane)—or try to snag a table at popular Cantonese fine-dining spot Flower Drum across the street—then visit the Museum of Chinese History (22 Cohen Place) to learn the story of the Chinese community of Australia.

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

Set in the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Banff National Park, the year-round Fairmont Banff Springs was the brainchild of Sir William Cornelius Van Horne, president of the Canadian Pacific Railway. On arrival at Banff, the tourism visionary made the canny observation, “Since we can’t export the scenery, we’ll have to import the tourists;” thus, he set about building a string of great railway hotels across Canada. The original wooden hotel that opened here in 1888 burned down in 1926, but was replaced two years later with the grander castle-meets-baronial-Scottish-hall structure that exists today. The public lobby spaces are vast, and there are countless nooks to curl up in with a book where guests will remain undisturbed. With its signature stone walls, turrets, and winding staircases, Van Horne’s gambit paid off: The Fairmont Banff Springs feels for all the world like an elegant and ancient castle, albeit one with all the modern conveniences.

Rooms in the main building come with quirky period details such as chandeliers and crown moldings, while those in the Stanley Thompson Wing (the old staff quarters) are more spacious and a solid bet for families—who will also enjoy the kids’ club packed with activities such as campouts, science projects, and arts and crafts. The hotel also has 11 different restaurants, cafés, and bars, with the choices so diverse—from sushi, fondue, and Italian to Canadian steakhouse and southern U.S. barbecue—that guests are issued a food guide upon check-in to help them make the most of the hotel’s offerings. Of course, there are also a wide array of activities to help round out your time between meals, from skiing and rounds on the resort’s 27-hole championship golf course to downtime in the expansive Willow Stream Spa, which features indoor and outdoor whirlpools, a European-style mineral pool, and 23 rooms for therapeutic treatments.

We arranged a private tour of the Mekong River Delta through the Park Hyatt Saigon. We were driven from the hotel to Cai Be in a Cadillac with snacks and drinks, then escorted to our private river boat (also loaded with fresh fruit, coffee and tea, and other snacks). Our english-speaking tour guide brought us onto a small rowed boat through the smaller channels of the delta, explaining local life and the various trades of the people who live there. We saw a floating market and had lunch at Mr. Kiet’s historic house. Highly recommend spending the morning and afternoon on this tour.

If there’s one thing synonymous with Korean cuisine, it’s barbecue, known as bulgogi. In Seoul, dining at a barbecue restaurant is a communal affair. Friends gather around a table and order generous portions of marinated beef or pork, which servers then grill right in front of them. For an elevated experience, visit one of Maple Tree House’s four locations. Each outpost boasts a sleek, contemporary atmosphere and uses only quality cuts of meat. The barbecue-averse can enjoy traditional dishes like noodles, stews, and bibimbap, while first-timers will be relieved to find a friendly bilingual staff who can walk them through the process.

The site of the now-demolished Brinks Hotel Officers Quarters—which housed U.S. military members during the Vietnam War—has been transformed into this oasis in the heart of the city. Opened in 2005 and renovated in 2015, the Park Hyatt has been crafted in a French colonial style, with lots of polished wood, wrought iron, and oversize windows. The 245 rooms are elegant and airy, mixing classic furnishings with high-tech perks like mini iPads and sensor lighting systems; all suites feature elevated design touches like hand-embroidered textiles, lacquerware pieces, and period antiques, while some offer private terraces or direct access to the pool and gardens. Considered to be among the best in the city, the hotel’s dining options include Square One, for gourmet Western and Vietnamese fare, and Opera, where Italian favorites are whipped up in the open kitchen. Enjoy live music nightly (and the popular Saturday afternoon tea buffet) at the Park Lounge and cocktails and DJs on the weekends at 2 Lam Son. If you’re looking for something a bit more chill, head to the Xuan Spa for a treatment performed with locally grown herbs, fruits, and grains.

This is my favorite Scottsdale resort because it gets Southwestern style down without being kitschy or over-done. There are no cheesy dream catchers or Kokopelli statues here – just a color palette as bright and breathtaking as a desert sunset. Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale is perched in the city’s northern half, and surrounded by miles of Saguaro cacti and rugged rocks. Its location adjacent to Pinnacle Peak Park is perfect for hikers and if you crave more of an adrenaline rush, check out the high-octane tours from Arizona Outback Adventures. At Proof, the resort’s American canteen, dinner is practically a cross-country road trip with home-style comfort food inspired by, and sourced from, the 50 states. Plus, there’s a hearty list of wine, microbrews, and small batch and craft distilled American spirits. The Spa at Four Seasons also celebrates the resort’s sense of place with treatments like the Sonoran Honey Body Polish and Jojoba and Prickly Pear Polish.

Named for the overnight train that served Santa Barbara from 1910 to 1968, the Lark restaurant showcases the Central Coast’s seasonal bounty. Located in the Santa Barbara Fish Market Building, in the heart of the city’s Funk Zone, the innovative restaurant combines a farm-to-table ethos with a family-style approach. During most months, the outdoor courtyard seating is as convivial as the tables in the dining room. The menu of small plates is organized by their ingredients’ places of origin (farm, ranch, or ocean): crispy brussels sprouts include sweet medjool dates as well as spicy serrano chilies; pickled fennel and compressed Granny Smith apples accompany the grilled Kurobata pork belly; and passion-fruit vinaigrette and fried avocado enhance the flavor of Japanese hamachi collar. Larger platters are meant to be shared, and restaurant regulars often choose one or two (the Baharat spiced cauliflower and Israeli couscous is a favorite) along with several smaller plates. Pro tip: While it’s tempting to fill up on the herbed popcorn that’s delivered to your table the instant you’re seated, slow down, order a craft cocktail, and make sure you save room for the main event.

Though it’s mere minutes from the chaotic pedestrian street Nanluoguxiang, Dali Courtyard, in a charming brick courtyard house, is as tranquil as the nearby streets are buzzing. Dinner is a set menu here (from ¥150 per person), a small parade of dishes from southern Yunnan Province. Star dishes, like rubing (fried goat cheese), guoqiao mixian (“crossing-the-bridge noodles”), and anything with mushrooms, a food for which Yunnan is known, always make appearances. Other dishes include things like grilled fish colored in chilies, stir-fried wild vegetables, and tofu and mint salad. The food here is on the spicy side, so be sure to ask for it mild. If you’re a vegetarian or have dietary restrictions, have the information written down in Chinese and give it to your server before you order.

The Bo-Kaap was one of the few Cape Town neighborhoods to escape apartheid’s bulldozers—the cluster of bright buildings, once known as the Malay Quarter, housed many of the slaves who worked for the 17th-century Dutch colonialists. In this colorful area, you can also see some of the oldest, most beautiful mosques in the country, including the Auwal Mosque on Dorp Street. Upscale shops have been moving in lately, but don’t miss one of the originals, the spice merchant Atlas Trading Company. To go back in time, explore the Bo-Kaap Museum, furnished like the house of a typical 19th-century Muslim family.

At Maison Verot, locals get in line to stock up on all kinds of elaborate goodies. Verot has been making some of Paris’s best charcuterie since 1930, and it is still winning prestigious awards. Products vary with the season but will most likely include elaborate pâtés baked in pastry, local sausages, preserved meats called rillettes, a selection of deli salads, and a variety of products preserved in aspic. Verot’s location is convenient to the Luxembourg Gardens, so perfect for a nearly instant picnic.

Perched among the conveniences of Mountain Village, the Inn at Lost Creek is a popular choice for those seeking easy access to the slopes or links. Winter visitors can step right from the hotel onto a chairlift, while summer guests will find their carts and clubs ready to go to the Telluride Golf Club. You can even reserve the rooftop hot tubs for an hour of private use, or take advantage of the extensive spa facilities at nearby Peaks Resort, including multiple pools and hot tubs, a waterslide, steam rooms, and dry saunas. When hunger strikes, head to the on-site Siam Talay Grille, which serves Thai fusion dishes like orchid lettuce wraps, steamed buns, and stir-fry noodles with grilled elk for a local twist.

Rooms face the mountain and feature balconies for enjoying the views, as well as kitchenettes, laundry facilities, jetted tubs, and humidifiers. Suites and condos even have gas fireplaces and steam showers.