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Known for its movie-themed decor and a selection of over 250 types of tequila, and beloved for its Mexican brunch, Casablanca Restaurant opened in 1980 with a menu of traditional and lesser-known Mexican entrees that it holds to this day. The family-owned space was the brainchild of Carlos Haro, Sr., who loved the movie Casablanca almost as much as he loved Mexican-style calamari steak. The restaurant has one of the largest collections of memorabilia from the film in the world, including a life-size statue of Humphrey Bogart. Haro’s son, Carlos Haro, Jr., runs the place these days, though not much has changed since the restaurant first opened almost 40 years ago. Come for Sunday brunch, where one price includes an entree (think enchiladas or fajitas), mimosas, and unlimited tortillas—handmade right in front of you.

From the dusty street, the Hotel El Convento in León, Nicaragua, beckons with its stately façade and red Spanish-tiled roof. Step inside and you instantly feel at home amidst ornate period furnishings that are surely a far cry from the building’s humble beginnings as the 1639 San Francisco Convent. The elegant Restaurante El Victoriano offers an indoor-outdoor retreat centered on the hotel’s manicured, tropical courtyard—an example of the colonial hacienda style found throughout León. The restaurant is a meeting place for people from all walks of life—aged former Sandinistas who now hold positions of leadership, locals splurging on a fine meal, or foreign students from one of the city’s many Spanish language schools seeking tranquility and an excellent cup of coffee.

Cypress Point Park offers a relaxing nature escape in the city. Plentiful amenities include a children’s playground, a disc golf park, covered pavilions, and jogging trails.

For a reasonably priced Island eatery, Kona Canoe Club has pupus (appetizers), salads, sandwiches, burgers, fish & chips, and several local entrees. The location is phenomenal for sunset and every dish is served with aloha!

You can find all sorts of shipyard treasures at Nautical Antiques in Galveston. They have ship lanterns, wheels, flags, glass floats, and figureheads—plenty to choose from for a cool souvenir to represent your time on the Texas coast. Photo via Nautical Antiques Facebook page

It’s not hard to find souvenirs in Cairo. In fact, most of them will find you at every site you visit. While street vendors are a cheap and easy solution for affordable gifts, if you’re looking for a quality souvenir of your time in Egypt, head to Karnak Jewellery. This huge store specializes in handcrafted items from around the country. You’ll find delicately inlaid boxes, statues carved from bronze, silver, and semiprecious stones, hand-made carpets, and even larger furniture items. But handmade jewelry is the specialty and you can have a piece made to any specification. One of the most original and affordable ideas is a hand-carved pendant featuring the name (or word) of your choice in hieroglyphics. I was given a silver pendant as a gift and it remains a treasured reminder of my brief time in Egypt. Alison Cornford-Matheson traveled to Egypt courtesy of the Egypt Tourism Authority and Abercrombie & Kent. Her highlights are part of AFAR’s partnership with The United States Tour Operator Association (USTOA), whose members provide travelers with unparalleled access, insider knowledge, peace-of-mind, value, and freedom to enjoy destinations across the entire globe. See more about Alison’s trip at the USTOA blog.

The Setai is unlike most hotels in its neighborhood, offering a mature, sophisticated alternative to the frenetic party-time energy of other properties. A member of Leading Hotels of the World, the Setai attracts numerous celebrity guests, thanks in no small part to its attentive and discreet service. While the hotel’s exterior may be somewhat staid, with art deco flourishes that are modest compared with other hotels built in that era, the Setai more than makes up for this in interior design. Somehow avoiding being ostentatious, the hotel still uses ultra-luxurious everything: the finest Swedish beds, deluxe Italian linens, deep soaking tubs, and lacquered wood furniture and accessories. The building includes residence units, which are ideal for extended stays.

A 1901 landmark in Hanoi’s French Quarter, the colonial-style Sofitel Legend Metropole has long been a celebrity magnet, welcoming presidents, ambassadors, and literary and cinematic royalty into its marble lobby. Somerset Maugham and Graham Greene both wrote books here (The Gentleman in the Parlour and The Quiet American, respectively); Charlie Chaplin and Paulette Goddard celebrated their honeymoon at the property; and Jane Fonda and Joan Baez took to the bomb shelter beneath the hotel during air raids (book the complementary Path of History Tour, held every day at 5 and 6 p.m., for a chance to see where they hid out).

The 364 guest rooms are divided between two wings: The historic Metropole section has decor shaped by French architecture and Vietnamese culture (think wood floors, louver windows, bird-cage lampshades, and porcelain light fixtures); the newer wing, opened in 1996 just across the traffic circle from the Opera House, has a strong Neoclassical edge with rooms in dramatic red, black, and white. With its green awning, filigree ironwork, and outdoor wood-deck seating, La Terrasse has the feel of a Parisian café, while Le Beaulieu restaurant serves classic French fare and a decadent Sunday brunch. Spices Garden showcases Vietnamese flavors, and three drinking dens—sleek Angelina, gentlemanly Le Club Bar, and poolside Bamboo Bar—appeal to every kind of spirits lover. Between the central courtyard garden and the pool sit the SoFit gym and Le Spa, with eight rooms for soothing East-meets-West treatments.

At-home entertainers will enjoy the expansive digs at this Upper West Side property, where a number of studios and suites feature terraces and enough space to host upwards of 30 guests. Even its more modestly sized rooms evoke big-time comfort, though, thanks to luxury bedding, signature mattresses, and an array of everyday conveniences (think Keurig machines and free morning papers). There are plenty of perks to be found beyond the rooms as well, namely at the property’s three dining venues. Serafina restaurant excels at Northern Italian plates, while LOCL offers speakeasy-inspired cocktails alongside live piano sets and a library with an original fireplace. Guests will also want to check out RedFarm, where chef Joe Ng serves clever takes on Chinese fare and dim sum, such as oxtail dumplings and BBQ duck lettuce wraps.

Few local D.C. residents know about St. Matthews Cathedral, and I would really be surprised if any visitors to D.C. knew about it, since it’s the National Cathedral that gets the mention in the guidebooks. That’s too bad, really, because this tiny Catholic church, with its unassuming exterior, has a glorious interior that few people see and appreciate. (Believe it or not, I get to come here for my Spanish classes.) Although it is a neighborhood church, it’s had its moments in the national spotlight. There have been many funeral services held here for notable people, including President Kennedy. For a cathedral, it has a very small interior—there are only seven chapels. The walls and ceiling are decorated with stunning images of angels and saints, including Matthew, rendered in marble and mosaic. The center dome helps to make the space feel larger. Last, but not least, there is a beautiful organ that is often featured in concerts and recitals; the sound of the music that pours forth from it is amazing! If you are visiting from out of town, I would recommend going to the church in the late morning. Then walk back toward the White House, stopping for lunch in McPherson Square. That’s where some of D.C.’s fleet of food trucks parks every day. Find a spot in the park to eat and enjoy your time in D.C.! The church is located about five blocks north of the White House and is a short walk from the Farragut North Metro station.

Opened at the mouth of the Singapore River in 1928 to celebrate 100 years since Singapore‘s British founding, the Fullerton Hotel was, at the time, the largest and most expensive building in the Lion City. It served as the General Post Office, Exchange, Chamber of Commerce, and Singapore Club before undergoing a $320 million refit to open as a hotel in 2001. Visually, it’s a showstopper, with coffered ceilings, cornices, and marble floors—a Palladian building in stark contrast to the neighboring bland office towers. The atrium lobby is refreshingly bright, with a grandness of scale that brings drama to the arrival experience. Rooms have vanilla-colored walls, and some open to the atrium. The 25-meter infinity pool is almost theatrical, with Doric columns rising behind. Leisurely afternoon tea is a fine excuse to linger in the atrium lobby and appreciate the airy space’s tranquil qualities.

Though toma means “take it” in Spanish, this intimate cafe offers far more than takeaway service. Toma’s staff are able to interact with customers while showing off their impressive coffee knowledge (as well as English language prowess). Homemade pastries, cookies, and cakes are available, with some gluten-free options. The current consensus around town is that Toma Café has the best staff, bean sourcing, and know-how on pulling a proper shot. Best coffee in a city of coffee drinkers is a mighty statement, but I’ll stand behind it.

While the Liberty Hotel may have deep roots in Boston lore, it’s not for the reasons you think. For more than 100 years the hotel existed as the Charles Street Jail, an in-city penitentiary that housed (in)famous inmates like James Michael Curley, Malcolm X, and Sacco and Vanzetti. Its inspired transformation came in 2007, but the owners maintained some of the jail’s vestiges, from the exercise yard to several jail cells, while turning the building into a 298-room luxury hotel. Richly appointed rooms offer sweeping views of the city skyline and the Charles River.

The hotel houses five distinct restaurant and bar venues, all of which attract large swaths of locals, especially on the weekends. Located at the foot of Beacon Hill, the hotel is steps away from the boutique and antique stores along Charles Street and also sits next to the picturesque Charles River Esplanade.

Why we love it: A socially conscious spot that connects like-minded travelersThe Highlights:- Inspiring community vibe
- Comfortable, well-thought-out rooms
- A critically acclaimed on-site restaurant

The Review:
Founded by third-generation hotelier Katherine Lo (her family runs the upscale, Hong Kong–based Langham group), the Eaton brand aims to bring together travelers, locals, and members who share a like-minded sensibility—namely, one centered on creativity, awareness, and making change. As with Eaton’s Hong Kong location, the D.C. outpost—the first in the U.S.—fosters new ideas by providing private and communal working spaces, areas designed to inspire connection and conversation, and a regular calendar of programming.

Those checking in among all this buzz can choose from five comfortable room categories, from cabins to suites. All have a “global nomad” vibe, with colorful textile accents, Himalayan salt lamps, and organic cotton-and-latex pillow-top mattresses, along with Grown Alchemist bath products, healthy mini-bars, Bluetooth speakers, and USB charge points. Some, like the Artist Studios, have wall canvases where you can leave your lasting mark. Once settled in, gather with others at the on-site American Son restaurant (Chef Tim Ma’s Asian-accented spot), enjoy wellness treatments and classes, or do whatever else helps get spark your imagination.

This hotel is on our list of the best hotels in Washington D.C.

Along with stylish boutiques and design shops, the narrow lanes of the upscale Khan Market are lined with all manner of eateries, from cafés and cocktail bars to food stalls and fusions restaurants. As of late 2018, the roster also includes Sly Granny, which arrived on a wave of buzz generated from its original Bengaluru location. Through this often-packed bi-level outpost is smaller than the sprawling first location, the concept here is the same: a space “inherited” from a mythical globetrotting grandmother and inspired by her favorite recipes and eclectic style. Here, that translates to a décor of plush velvet sofas, old cookbooks, and crystal bric-a-brac, statement tableware, and bold, quirky artwork in the snug dining room, plus a cozy upstairs bar that converts to a cocktail lounge come dark. Drinks there range from the creative (crafted with ingredients like elderflower, yogurt, or honey-ginger syrup) to the classic (twists on G&Ts and Pimm’s cups), not unlike the style of the food menu below, which starts with pastas, steaks, and burgers, then veers towards tacos, schnitzel, chicken liver pâté, and Kerala-style fish moilee. You won’t need a granny’s encouragement to eat up dishes like bacon-gruyere mac-and-cheese balls, house-cured salmon, chocolate lava cake, and a twist on grilled cheese with ricotta, onion jam, tomato chutney, and two kinds of chilies.