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“Puff the Magic Dragon, lived by the sea, and frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee” our guide kept on singing this verse as he was pointing out the smokey dragon in front of us, as we visited this wonderful place (viewed from the Hanalei Pier). But in reality, there is no direct link to the song, but somehow people have believed that it did :-) Hanalei is a beautiful little town by the coastline and it’s accessible via several one-way bridges from Princeville. It’s a cozy little town to visit when you’re in the island of Kauai. And to add some movie trivia to it, Hanalei Bay is also a popular movie location for South Pacific, Lilo and Stitch and the Descendants. A good spot to stop is Hanalei Pier and Hanalei Beach and it would be lovely place to watch the sunset. Unfortunately, the day we visited, it was raining :-(

Even with a population of only 140,000 people, Maui has a remarkable amount of residents who possess some sort of artistic talent. From jewelry to clothing to hand-carved wood, you can find local artists hawking their wares at craft fairs across the island. In West Maui, one of the best places to mingle with local artists is at the Aloha Friday craft fair in northern Kaʽanapali. Located in front of the Westin Kaʽanapali Ocean Resort Villas, dozens of artists are available to chat about their creative work. The craft fair begins at 9 a.m. and lasts through most of the day. It’s a great way to spend a Friday morning along the northern Kaʽanapali boardwalk. Even if you don’t end up buying something, this is still a great beach for a leisurely stroll or a snorkeling session on the reef. If you do plan on getting in the water after shopping, morning hours are best for taking a dip before the afternoon tradewinds blow in.

Durbuy, Belgium, claims the title of the “World’s Smallest Town,” (or sometimes city, depending which translation you use from the French). This dubious honor dates from 1331, when the town was elevated to the rank of city by John I, Count of Luxemburg, and King of Bohemia. Even though the population dropped to a few hundred residents, Durbuy kept its designation. However, the moniker doesn’t exactly hold true anymore. In 1977, Durbuy amalgamated with 40 surrounding villages. Either way, it’s a lovely place to visit in Wallonia, and a great way to pass an hour is by taking a stroll through the topiary garden. There are more than 250 topiaries in the garden, some of which are over 120 years old. And, being Belgium, the topiaries go beyond the typical animals and geometric shapes to include a dash of quirkiness. You can admire a green Manneken Pis (Belgium’s famous peeing boy), kayakers, and even an homage to Pamela Anderson at the beach. For more information on Durbuy: http://cheeseweb.eu/2013/06/7-reasons-great-visit-durbuy-belgium/

This property is closed due to damage caused by Hurricane Irma.

Tucked behind towering palms and white sandy beaches, this hotel is White Bay’s best-kept secret. The cottages here are either beachfront or garden view, and come with both an indoor and outdoor (enclosed) shower. Shoes optional!

Named after the Spanish word for “pretty,” this beachfront park lives up to its moniker. Located just south of Fort Myers Beach, Bonita Beach tends to be quieter, drawing a laidback crowd and lots of families. Rather than hotels or resorts, actual homes line the shores. When you visit, head straight to the park, which functions as an undeveloped oasis on the southern tip of the beach. There are grills and tables so pack a picnic, then spend some time on the playground or sand volleyball court.

Located on a half-mile stretch of white-sand Ha My Beach, a short drive from the UNESCO World Heritage town of Hoi An (a hotel shuttle can ferry you back and forth), the Nam Hai sits on the grounds of a former fishing village (a temple from that time is preserved on-site), and it still feels like a community. Guests bike between public spaces designed to evoke the high-ceilinged Tu Doc royal tombs found in the region, as well as 86 acres of tropical gardens and 100 villas, each outfitted with indoor/outdoor lounging spaces, king beds, lacquered bathtubs, and alfresco showers. The dining options range from a casual beachside spot to a fine-dining restaurant, and serve everything from Vietnamese and Western fare to Indian tandoori specialties; learn how to make some of your favorite dishes in a chef-led cooking class, or join the kiddos at the Junior Cooking Academy, part of the kids’ club. When you’re ready to take a break, don’t miss the central trilevel infinity pool and the exceptional spa, where the eight individual treatment pavilions appear to float on a koi-filled lagoon.

From September to March, every evening around dusk, little (fairy) penguins noisily waddle around Parsonage Point on the western end of West Beach in Burnie to nest in their igloolike burrows. And each evening during the season, volunteers from Friends of Burnie Penguins come to watch the show and offer free talks and interpretative tours to share their knowledge along with fun facts about these adorable creatures—the smallest of all penguins—like how they can dive nearly 100 feet down, and only sleep for four minutes at a time. Little penguins don’t migrate, so this is Burnie’s home colony, which the Friends have gotten to know well and love over the years. That much is obvious.

Set on a steep hillside overlooking vineyards and the Silverado Trail, Stuppa Estate Napa Valley manages to be both secluded and well positioned for exploring Napa Valley’s wineries and towns. The suite-only property has five poet-themed rooms—refreshed in 2021 by Erin Martin Design and embellished with hand-painted murals by artist Michael Duté.

Each suite is themed after a literary icon, such as Emily Dickenson, and includes a private patio, a soaking tub, and an outdoor shower—including a few oriented toward the valley. Sunset is a highlight: All rooms face west, giving guests unobstructed evening views of the valley and vineyards below.

Breakfast is a lavish spread with dishes like seasonal pancakes or shakshuka—served either in-room or on the open-air patio. A small outdoor pool and on-site spa treatments add to the quiet atmosphere, and staff can arrange private tastings at Sullivan Rutherford Estate, a boutique winery under the same ownership. Service is a defining feature; the team handles everything from sunset cocktails to dinner reservations with a level of care that consistently elevates the stay.

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.

For those who can’t decide between staying in a historic, riad-style inn in Marrakech’s old town or a larger resort in modern Ville Nouvelle, this boutique charmer provides the perfect compromise. Located in the leafy, upscale Hivernage neighborhood (a short taxi ride from both the medina and the French quarter), Dar Rhizlane occupies an Art Deco-era villa, where 20 rooms share space with intimate lounges, a fireplace-equipped library bar, and a verandah with views of the gardens and fountains. Named after exotic scents, guestrooms feature handpicked furnishings, traditional tilework, ornate bathrooms, and flattering mood lighting as well as a fireplace and some type of outdoor space. Also on-site is a pool ringed with loungers (open year-round and heated in the winter) and a small spa with a hammam (located in the main villa).

In addition to overnight guests, the hotel draws a regular crowd for its cuisine. Le Minzeh serves light fare on a raised platform overlooking the pool; Le Jardin offers seasonal, Mediterranean-inspired dishes along with garden views; and the gourmet Le Mimouna—considered one of the best restaurants in town—features a Moroccan-French menu and glam setting. Also available are cooking classes, which start with a stroll through a local market, as well as services like in-room dining, on-site parking, and a 24-hour reception, which bring some of those “big hotel” touches to what otherwise feels like a wealthy friend’s estate.

If Southern California had ever been annexed by La Serenissima Repubblica di Venezia, the Fairmont Grand Del Mar would be the governor’s palace—all marble columns, gold-leafed staircases, and hand-stenciled ceilings. Even the 400-acre grounds, with their classical fountains, garden rotundas, and neatly arranged cypresses, are true to the retro Italianate vibe. The luxuries, however, are modern—namely, the 18-hole Tom Fazio–designed golf course and the critically acclaimed restaurant Addison. There, Relais & Châteaux grand chef William Bradley lures locals and travelers with his contemporary French cuisine, a seasonal tasting menu, and a wine list of more than 3,500 selections. (There are a few other drinking and dining options, too, including a casual all-day option, a clubby grill room, and a nightclub for live music and weekend DJs.)

The hotel’s 249 guest rooms and suites feature European-style soaking tubs, and views over the gardens, golf club, or Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve. Two opulent villas—ranging in size from 4,500 to 5,000 square feet—are tailor-made for families and larger groups. The spa here is also one of San Diego’s best: Book a signature Renaissance spa therapy, and follow the scent of eucalyptus-infused mist all the way down a grand staircase to your Moor mud wrap.

The Palacio Duhau Park Hyatt is a true palace. Built by an English Argentine railway executive, this Tudor Revival mansion dates to the late 1800s. The Duhau family, which bought the property in the 1920s, added an additional neoclassical building modeled after Le Château du Marais outside Paris. The property sat empty for a few decades at the end of the 20th century until a local developer partnered with Hyatt to turn it into a hotel. After a $74 million renovation, they helped preserve much of the original artwork and red marble flooring, invigorating the once faded Belle Epoque elegance. A larger, sleek tower with modern guest facilities was also added.

The property today is a testament to the grandeur of the most European city in the Americas. There are crystal chandeliers, intricate ironwork, and travertine marble bathrooms. There’s a bar where one can indulge in cigars and brandy, after, of course, dining at one of several high-profile restaurants with wine cellars designed to impress even the most hard-core oenophile.

Dutchman Dirk de Graaff left a demanding consulting position in Hong Kong to become a hotelier in Siem Reap, falling for Cambodia’s natural beauty, smiling residents, and laid-back way of life. He ran the first gay-friendly guesthouse in town before opening two hotels, a boutique hotel and the more upscale Rambutan Resort, a 16-room property, where he’s successfully re-created the traits that led him to the country in the first place. The simple but stylish rooms employ local, natural materials, with custom-made, chocolate-brown and white-flecked sugar-palm beds (of eco-friendly wood), brightly hued silk lamps, and private outdoor terrazzo soaking tubs. Modern Asian art—including comical pieces by Chinese artist Yue Minjun—adorns the walls. A lovely slate-and-stone tiled, tree-shaded pool anchors the property, its cascading water feature lending a meditative quality.

And though Rambutan’s flair is more than enough reason to stay, it’s the exceedingly personable staff that makes it a true standout. Guests are welcomed like old friends (many are on return visits); the affable check-in crew and servers artfully walk the line between doing their jobs and making time for a chat. De Graaff invests in his team—providing scholarships to further their careers in hospitality, for instance—and their mutual affection for the place shows.

Purpose-built as the first Ritz-Carlton in the Southern Cone, this Santiago hotel opened its doors in June 2003. When guests enter the impressive red-brick building, they are enveloped in a sense of occasion—paneled woodwork, ornately framed paintings, and staff dressed in suits and tuxes. All the trimmings delivered so well by the Ritz brand.

Tradition is the name of the game, both in service and style. The rooms are classic, with touches of Latin America in the artwork. The bathrooms are a high point—large, decked out in marble, and stocked with indulgent Asprey amenities. One of the most striking design features is the domed glass roof that tops the hotel. The view of the Andes is fantastic from the rooftop, and the best part is a swimming pool, so you can swim surrounded by snow-capped mountains. Service is a strong point (not always a given in Chile). You know you’re in good hands at the Ritz-Carlton.

After a multi-phase expansion completed in 2016, the former Restoration on King dropped “the King” from its name and gained a new restaurant, spa, coffee shop, and several dozen more suites. The sleek and modern rooms at the boutique Restoration are spread over five historic buildings at King and Wentworth, linked by a courtyard with its own wishing fountain. Exposed brick, high ceilings, and dark wood add to the suites’ loft feel, and amenities such as kitchenettes and breakfast baskets delivered to your room from the on-site Rise Coffee Bar beg a longer stay. Seasonal “happenings” at the property include yoga classes, movie nights, and fashion pop-ups at the Port Mercantile retail store. The Amethyst Spa and Nail Bar uses charged gemstones and essential oils in their massages and treatments, and the jewel-box rooftop pool provides refreshment on a hot day and has panoramic views. After a swim, the Watch Rooftop Kitchen and Spirits serves farm-to-table Lowcountry dishes and cocktails inspired by the city, such as the seasonal, bright tequila-and-watermelon-infused Charleston Brick. The Restoration understands the need for speed and style, and offers to hook up guests with vintage car rentals or even help serious riders design and commission their own custom-built motorcycle (a favorite subject of the hotel’s artist-in-residence, photographer Gately Williams) to pick up on a return trip to Charleston.