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Opened in January 2012 in the historic Audubon Building on Canal Street, this cheeky newcomer is a departure from the New Orleans hotel scene (which tends toward the traditional). Its motto, “Play Naughty, Sleep Saintly,” appropriately captures the property’s saucy, sultry vibe, especially in the bordello-like Burgundy Bar and in the five suites, added in 2014 and named after the archangels Christopher, Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, and Lucifer. By comparison, the restaurant, with its white walls and banquettes paired with antique chandeliers and local artwork, is more demure. Standard rooms are similarly minimalist—though without sacrificing comfort or any of the usual modern conveniences, including 46-inch flat-screen televisions and free Wi-Fi.

This huge property comprising two towers—the River Wing and the Grand Tower—showcases Huangpu River views from its position by the riverside promenade. The Grand Tower, designed by New York–based Kohn Pedersen Fox, features 375 rooms and suites, while the more classic River Wing has 577 rooms. High-style restaurants and bars sit between the two. Rooms have crystal chandeliers and a mural of Chinese flowers above the bed. The Gallery, in the Grand Tower, exhibits paintings and sculptures from up-and-coming artists, which rotate each quarter.

This family-run hotel, originally opened in 1886, is steeped in history from its classic furnishings to its esteemed guests. Literary legends William Faulkner and Ernest Hemingway have stayed here; Tennessee Williams wrote about the hotel in his play The Rose Tattoo, and Truman Capote was known to prop up the Carousel Bar & Lounge on many a night. The merry-go-round–like bar (which makes a complete revolution every 15 minutes) is probably the hotel’s most famous feature, and a Vieux Carre cocktail there is de rigueur. Guests will also want to visit on-site restaurant Criollo, which offers an updated take on traditional N’awlins fare.

Spa and architecture fans will appreciate 7132 Hotel, in the Swiss village of Vals, which was built with the award-winning thermal baths designed by architect Peter Zumthor. The complex features two hotels: The five-star 7132 Hotel and the four-star house of Architects by 7132. The latter has wings named after the famous architects that designed the rooms in them, including Tadao Ando, Kengo Kuma, Thom Mayne, and Peter Zumthor. Sizes of rooms vary, but they all ooze comfort and quality. The spa is a definite highlight of any stay here, though the hotel’s restaurants are a close second. And yes, hotel guests get free access to the thermal baths.

Opened in 2013 in a 100-year-old former bank building, the Park Hyatt has utilized the space well, with a restaurant in the former cashier’s hall and a pool in the former vault. The suites are spacious, and all rooms have more than just the basic requirements for your average traveler, including safes large enough for laptops. While the marvelous Grand Salon is typically used for banquets and business meetings, guests should definitely try and take a peek at this beautifully designed room. The prime location in the historic Innere Stadt, or first district, means most major sights are within walking distance.

The tallest international 4-star business hotel in Zurich is also surprisingly appealing for non-business types. The 347 rooms are contemporary and elegant, stacked with modern conveniences like flat screen TVs, Wi-Fi, Nespresso coffee and tea makers, and, of course, large work desks for business travelers. Upper-level rooms come with panoramic views of Zurich and the Swiss Alps.

There’s an expansive spa area on the 32nd floor, which also has killer views, and restaurant Le Muh is a bright, refined space for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Add a hairdresser, café, and shoe shop—all located in the lobby—plus a convention center that holds up to 800, and the result is a business and leisure superstar.

Owned by notable art collector and scholar Jordi Clos, Hotel Claris occupies Palacio Vedruna, a 19th-century palace. The glamorous palace is as beautiful inside as out, with third and fifth-century Roman mosaics, marble statues, and a water garden.

The interiors blend upscale, contemporary furnishings such as polished hardwood floors, hand-painted decorations on the walls, mosaics, and classical antiquities like Egyptian carvings and Hindu sculptures from Clos’s collection. The hotel’s public spaces are second-to-none, including a dedicated museum of pre-Columbian art on the first floor, a rooftop terrace with panoramic views, a decent-sized pool, and first-rate restaurants.

It may not have the design flair of the nearby Magasin Général Bélangermartin, but this home ware store on Rue Dante is beloved citywide for its amazing selection of appliances, cooking tools and all-around useful stuff. Whether you need a meat cleaver, a new Le Creuset or an old school pressure cooker, you’ll find anything you need in the cooking department and more (there’s even a firearm counter dedicated to hunters). It’s become a true neighborhood social club over the years; manager Elena Faita-Vendittelli (mom to Stefano Faita, of the nearby restaurant Impasto) hosts popular cooking classes at the neighboring cooking school, Mezza Luna.

While exploring Burano, break for a fabulous seafood lunch at Al Gato Nero. The “black cat” restaurant is the creation of Ruggero Bovo, who has been cooking up some of the tastiest fresh fish and seafood here since 1965. “I love the fish of the Venetian lagoon and the Adriatic Coast, the raw material which has fed my island for generations and which I still have the fortune of getting fresh every day,” Bovo says. Fish and seafood are the star attractions on both the appetizer and main menu selections, but there are also options for vegetarians and carnivores. The pasta here is homemade, as are the delicious desserts.

Situated in the old Copenhagen customs house overlooking the water, Studio has been awarded a Michelin star and focuses on a fusion of Nordic and international flavors prepared in an open kitchen with a fine-dining focus. With an all-star staff, the focus is on service, flavor, and a rich experience with a heavy dose of creativity, with offerings like squid with gooseberries and kaffir lime, razor clam with nasturtium and horseradish, and sweetbread with onion and tamarind. The concept behind the Standard is compelling. It is home to three different fine-dining restaurants including Studio, which occupy the building while also having access to and working closely with the Standard’s Jazzclub. Their goal is to create a robust and vibrant atmosphere. Photo: The Standard

The Manayunk neighborhood is a great place to spend the day, with charming Main Street shops, restaurants, and bars. Often overlooked by visitors is the scenic towpath along the canal, a wonderful spot for a leisurely walk or bike ride. The adventurous can bike to Manayunk from the Philadelphia Museum of Art via the Kelly Drive recreational path, and the super-adventurous can pass through Manayunk on their bikes on the way down the Schuylkill River Trail toward Valley Forge. Manayunk is host to several fun festivals during the year and is a lovely destination in the fall. Consider coming by in September for the Fall Streat Food Festival, which features over 50 artisan-food vendors.

If you are in Venice, you will surely get familiar with local spritz (a fizzy, refreshing aperitif) and cicchetti, or small snacks. If you want to have a local experience, be sure to stop by Cantine del Vino Già Schiavi while walking around La Salute area.

It’s more of a wine bar or shop than a true restaurant, with floor-to-ceiling bottles along the walls and most patrons standing as they nibble cicchetti like bruschetta with a cod spread or brie and anchovies. Buon appetito!

Restored to its former glory in 2008, the Italianate Westin Book Cadillac Detroit in Downtown is on the National Register of Historic Places and has 453 neutral-toned guest rooms—all with city or Detroit River views—an indoor pool, and an award-winning restaurant.

Shoppers, restaurant connoisseurs, travelers, and cultural enthusiasts will find the impressively designed Madinat Jumeirah a treat for all their passions. This area, once the residence of pearl divers, fishermen, and traders, is now home to many expats and a place for tourists to wander, shop, eat, and find a coffee. This neighborhood embraces the historical architectural styles of the region with wind towers that capture breezes and reroute them down to ground level to cool the pedestrian paths. The resort’s shopping mall is fashioned after a traditional souk, with archways and lanterns and live music. You will also find impressive views and photo ops of the iconic Burj al Arab hotel from this spot.

It has been a decade since the major museums on the Museumplein—a grassy square connecting Amsterdam’s main art centers—have all been open at the same time. Here’s what to check out at Stedelijk Museum. The modern art gallery’s controversial new wing (the exterior looks like a giant bathtub) houses a restaurant, a gift store, and expanded exhibition spaces.