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Irene, a bright and colorful restaurant at the Hotel Savoy, is great for lunch on the sunny bistro terrace outside or for a nightcap sipped on a velvet banquette at the bar inside. The kitchen turns out traditional Tuscan cuisine with surprising modern touches: The classic tomato-and-bread pappa al pomodoro comes stuffed inside ravioli, and the vitello tonnato (veal with tuna-caper sauce) is topped with ribbons of shaved fennel and served with the sauce on the side. On Sundays, the popular “Lunch at Nonna’s” menu is a loving nod to the restaurant’s namesake. Pre- or post-dinner, grab a seat on the terrace, overlooking Piazza della Repubblica, to enjoy wines served in retro-style carafes and bubbly poured into 1950s coupe glasses.

This refined 28-acre resort set in the rolling hills between downtown Sonoma and downtown Napa makes guests feel relaxed the moment they check in. The vistas are unobstructed from the resort’s pool areas, and many of the property’s 94 stand-alone cottages with private balconies and six private homes offer views of the open space, too. By day, lawn games are usually underway on the grassy expanse called the Town Square, while in the evenings, a pavilion provides an unparalleled backdrop for stargazing. This is a hotel that values fresh air, as evidenced by the walls in the common areas, which retract to bring the outdoors in. There are other reasons to fall in love with Carneros—namely, the on-site restaurants. The casual Boon Fly Café is famous for breakfasts, with spicy bacon Bloody Mary drinks and tiny made-to-order doughnuts. FARM, on the other hand, is more formal, with menu items such as braised oxtail terrine and smoked Sonoma duck breast. While the hotel offers in-room massages, it will also reopen its spa after a full-scale renovation later in 2018.

We know that you love the DoubleTree chocolate chip cookies. But along with cookies, at the DoubleTree By Hilton Alana-Waikiki Beach you will also get a great room for a terrific price in a convenient location right in Waikiki. Sort of a secret known to some smart leisure guests and a score of business travelers, the DoubleTree Alana is a quick two-block walk to the most beautiful stretch of Waikiki Beach in front of sister hotel the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort. Here guests can book a spa day or arrange S.U.P. or surf lessons with beach services at the Duke Kahanamoku Lagoon. You can enjoy a day of sun and fun playing in the gentle waves of Waikiki, or stay and frolic in the DoubleTree Alana‘s sparkling, heated pool. Check-in is a breeze here with a valet right out front to take care of your car. Some of the friendliest front desk personnel in Waikiki will greet you with their warm aloha spirit and there is even a desk to arrange any tours or excursions you might like. Up in your recently-refreshed room or suite, you can step out onto your private lanai for partial or peek-a-boo views of the Pacific Ocean or Oahus verdant mountains. We did mention convenience. If you like to shop, Ala Moana Shopping Center is a 10 minute walk and even faster by car. Also in center of Waikiki there are lots of high-end shopping, most notably is the new International Marketplace. If sightseeing is more your speed the hotel is right on Ala Moana Blvd. which can take you either towards Kalakaua Ave. and Diamond Head, the Honolulu Zoo or Waikiki Aquarium or in the Ewa direction to visit ‘Iolani Palace, Chinatown or out to the North Shore. Several packages are offered online to make this hotel an even greater value. Check out the breakfast packages too. The hotel has a lovely restaurant called Trees Restaurant & Bar so named because it is surrounded by palm trees. The morning buffet begins at 6 am and features local produce, fruit, a made-to-order omelet station, and island favorite baked goods like poi malasadas. Happy Hour heats up at 4:30 pm with tropical drink specials and local brews along with island-style pupu (nibbles) until 7pm. But you can stay and enjoy pizzas, Angus Rib Eye, Garlic Shrimp and burgers available for dinner until 10pm. Downstairs there is also a unique breakfast hot-spot called Hiking Hawaii Café. It‘s open from 7am to 5pm with local, organic items made from scratch and healthy raw energy juices made to order. What about the hiking? Well the owner loves to feed people healthy food and she loves to hike. So in addition to her café, she offers daily hikes to her favorite spots with a few secret spots thrown in. Sign up for a hike right there. For menu: www.hikinghawaii808.com Well why wait a minute longer to book? Your cookie is waiting, Aloha. For additional info on the island of Oahu visit : https://www.gohawaii.com/islands/oahu

What started as an initiative to protect the region’s sea turtles has expanded to include the management of other species, including crocodiles, iguanas and even the estuary and mangroves they all call home. Since the center’s founding in 1992, its staff and volunteering visitors have helped more than 2 million baby turtles make their journey from land to water. Learn more about their work and the creatures they protect during a visit to the center.

Pizza is always a good idea. And pizza fresh from a wood-fired oven served at a table as close to the sea without actually being in the water is an even better idea. Downstairs at the Hotel Covo dei Saraceni, this casual brasserie serves inexpensive pizzas for lunch and dinner. The chewy Neapolitan-style crust is slathered with San Marzano–tomato sauce and fresh, creamy mozzarella, decorated with a basil leaf or two. The simplicity is delicious. You can also order your pies for takeout.

As with many other natural wonders in Puerto Rico, there isn’t a clearly defined marker. Normally, to find Gozalandia, you would first have to visit it with a local, because getting directions there can be complicated. Lately, there is talk of turning the waterfalls into an ecoresort). Parking is cheap, but get there early to avoid crowds. There are several muddy paths leading to two beautiful waterfalls. I recommend going on weekdays in the morning. Forget going on weekends, as it will be way too crowded to enjoy it peacefully. If you go during the wet season (August to October), be prepared to just go barefoot. Shoes lose grip, you slide everywhere, and you eventually take them off anyways. I always start by hiking to the top waterfall first, as this one usually has fewer people around it. There’s a rope swing for the adventurous and a nice cool water pool for the rest of us. This is definitely a beautiful place to relax in nature.

In a remote spot off Vancouver Island in British Columbia, surrounded by rain forest, mountains, and beaches, the Clayoquot Wilderness Retreat first opened in 1998 as an overnight floating lodge experience; since then, it has grown into a luxury tent retreat. While the camp has a rugged outpost atmosphere, with huge stone fireplaces and a long wooden cookhouse, it’s an outpost with every possible luxury: from white linen tablecloths and polished silverware to soft comforters and high-thread-count bedding.

What La Ronda lacks in size, it makes up in style and beauty. This street, so short you could hold your breath and run its length, bustles with bars, artisanal craft shops and ice-cream parlours. Stroll down its cobbled-stone path, restored in 2006, breathing in the scent of rich chocolate from Chez Tiff Artesanal and sweet passion fruit soaps from Api Real. Squeeze up the winding staircase to the iconic La Heladeria Dulce Placer and choose from 180 varieties of ice cream - a light yet sharp mojito maybe? Or why not a bizarre salt and pepper or corn flavor. As night descends, La Ronda throbs with loved-up couples clinking cocktails, sharing ice-cream cones and dancing salsa in Azucar El Portal de la Salsa.

Calistoga Ranch was damaged in the Glass Fire of 2020. They are closed indefinitely.

Calistoga Ranch sits in a private canyon of the ridge that makes up the eastern side of the Napa Valley. From this secluded spot, the entire valley floor unfolds. On windy nights, you might spot hawks surfing thermal winds just outside your balcony. But the views aren’t the only selling points of this ultra-luxurious 157-acre resort. Instead of traditional rooms, Calistoga Ranch is composed of 50 freestanding one- and two-bedroom guest lodges. Each upscale-yet-approachable lodge resembles a wooden cabin, with sweet-smelling cedar, indoor and outdoor showers, and a deck that opens to the mossy forest. The resort’s calendar is packed with activities, including bocce, wine-blending classes, and painting and photography workshops. Last year, the resort started offering guests a formal guided hike to Davis Estates Winery with a picnic lunch along the way. The pool area has earned numerous awards for its laid-back design. The on-site spa specializes in hydrotherapy with soaking treatments, while the property’s largest restaurant, dubbed The Lakehouse, overlooks Lake Lommel and serves a host of dishes made of all local produce. Try the halibut with piperade, carrot, fennel, and scallops.

On the corner of a rather scrofulous downtown block and across the street from the Ace Hotel’s event space, Wildfang is a self-described “home for badass women.” Whether it’s street style with a feminist message—even in Portland, it’s not every day that one finds a “Slay the Patriarchy” baseball cap—or high-fashion clothing that works on all sorts of body types, Wildfang packs it all in. For hangers-on who aren’t as interested in shopping or fashion, the bar inside the store provides liquid relief, including beers designed in collaboration with 10 Barrel that were created by women brewmasters.

While certainly a haul from Quebec City (give yourself three hours, including the free ferry ride), a journey to the Saguenay Fjord could not be more worthwhile! The town of Tadoussac serves as the perfect base to explore the wildlife-filled ecosytem at the confluence of the fjord and the St Lawrence river, complete with beautiful old hotels and a abundant dining options. And the three day camping/hiking/kayaking expedition is a stress-free way to truly dig deep into this beautiful edge of the earth.

At the end of a secluded peninsula, right on Coco Point, which is Barbuda’s southernmost tip, Coco Point Lodge is one of only a few modern hotel resorts on the island. Although not five-star fancy, this all-inclusive property, is plenty comfortable offering a mix of rooms and private cottage rentals in small buildings scattered across the grounds. Bordered by some 2.5 miles of gorgeous white sand beach and safe, reef-protected swimming in the clear turquoise waters of Cocoa Bay, it is a good choice for active types as included activities feature everything from sailing to snorkeling, waterskiing to windsurfing and sea kayaking. Deep-sea, reef or bone fishing expeditions can also be arranged, as can day trips to the Frigate Island Sanctuary for birds.

São Martinho do Porto is a bay located at the Silver Coast in Portugal. In a bit more than one hour (by car) from Lisbon and few minutes away from Nazaré or from Alcobaça, where you can visit the monastery. In Summer time, blue and white tents invade the sandy beach. Walking along the bay, heading South, you will easily reach Salir do Porto, a former salination village; with low tide, you can cross the river and go up the Salir dune, so that you can then slide or run down…or in another way. Heading to the North side of the bay, you will reach the port. There are many small anchored boats and it is possible to go sailing or canoeing.

If you are planning a visit in July, make sure it corresponds with the annual Heiva, which started back in 1881. The festival, which runs for a week and is held at Place To’ata in Papeete, is an iconic Polynesian cultural event showcasing dance, music and traditional sports, all of which have always held an important place in Polynesian communities. In ancient times, they were essential components of religious and political ceremonies. Dance was one of the most sophisticated and ritualized art forms performed in groups or individually. The dances performed during the week long event highlight the drama of an opera and the distinct imprints of an ancestral tradition. The dances are unique creations, for which the dancers train for six months or more. Text music, choreography and costumes are based on a historical or legendary theme and are often quite elaborate.

Call ahead and owners Patrick and Sophie will pick you up and bring you to their relaxed island restaurant and only non-hotel bar in Rangiroa. The small plates menu is limited, but what is offered tastes delicious and is quite impressive (think charcuterie from Spain and France or more simple crepes) considering the middle of nowhere location. What the menu lacks in variety, the booze concoctions more than make up for. The cocktail menu is extensive and there are even beer choices from around the globe, another impressive feat considering the locale. There is also a good dessert selection. Te Mao is also very popular with locals, who come for socializing, free wifi, and maybe some karaoke after dark.