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Hard Rock Hotel’s pools might be famous for its hard-core Sunday party, Rehab, but there are acres of non-party pools for guests to enjoy, too. I love this view, taken from one of the top-story suites, where you can see the pool and the Strip. The beach-like atmosphere (there’s sand instead of concrete) lends itself to a frozen drink or three. Enjoy! Note: technically, Hard Rock isn’t on the Strip, but it’s so close that I kept it on the Strip Wanderlist, as “off-Strip” usually indicates downtown, Summerlin or Henderson.

Even if you’re in Miami for a short amount of time, it’s important to get out on the water. Take a 90-minute sightseeing cruise departing from downtown Miami and you’ll cruise past Brickell Key, Fisher Island, and the stretch known as Millionaire’s Row on Miami Beach, as well as get a great view of the Miami skyline and the big cruise ships steaming out of the Port of Miami. The tour passes the homes of Shaquille O’Neal, Gloria Estefan, Julio Iglesias, and Al Capone, the house where Scarface was filmed, and more.

Northern Spain isn’t nearly as popular as the south among foreign visitors (if you discount the El Camino de Santiago), but for my money the north provides a more pleasurable experience. The mountainous terrain is spectacular, the food in every town we visited is splendid, the beer scene is surprisingly bubbly, and the quaint fishing villages, like quiet Comillas, provide respite from the hustle and bustle of big centers like Barca and Madrid. Comillas, scene here from the hills surrounding gorgeous Pontificial University, features an excellent beach, dozens of neat cafes in an ancient town center, and El Capricho, a building designed by famed Antoni Gaudí.

Switzerland only exports 1 to 2 percent of its wine production, so few know of its stony whites, which pair ideally with raw hard and melted Swiss cheeses. While most cantons make wine, there are few places better to sip Swiss wines than the UNESCO-listed Lavaux, dangling on the banks of Lake Geneva and 90 minutes north of the city in Canton Vaud. An e-bike is the best way to explore the steep hilly region peppered with slate-roofed chapels and chocolate-box villages. The grapes here were planted by 9th-century monks; the terraces they built for them are lined with stone walls that retain the sun’s heat, extending the grape-growing season. Unique varietals like ermitage, doral, and gamay, and ancient Lémanic reds like the Plant-Robert varietal, are grown only here. E-bike rentals can be picked up from most Swiss railway stations; Lausanne, 20 minutes away, is the closest. As with all wineries in Switzerland, calling ahead to arrange a visit is essential.

This hotel is on our list of The 11 Best Hotels in Chicago.

The world has been waiting years for the St. Regis Chicago, located in the city’s 101-floor skyscraper designed by Jeanne Gang, to welcome guests and owners; in 2023, it finally made its stunning debut. The triple-tower building’s architecture was based on the frustrum shape, which is basically a pyramid with its top chopped off. (Think of a popcorn box.) That form is replicated subtly throughout the hotel, from the exoskeleton to the marble tiles in the inviting lobby on the Chicago River. Each of the 192 guest rooms comes with floor-to-ceiling windows and panoramic city views, a dedicated butler, one of four soaking tubs, brass detailing, and curvilinear furnishings from a collaboration between architectural powerhouse Gensler and boutique firm Simeone Deary Design Group.


Rounding out the amenities: the Miru all-day-dining restaurant that is anything but casual, a new Tuscan steakhouse concept, a truly cossetting seven-room spa, an indoor pool with an outdoor patio, and the finest urban hotel gym probably anywhere. Was the wait worth it? Indeed it was.

If you are looking for a quick bite while passing through or doing some shopping at Punta Cana Village (or just craving a taste of home) Pizzarelli, in business for more than 30 years offers what it calls the “real Italian pizza.” The restaurant’s thin-crust pizzas, prepared using fresh ingredients, and other Italian-style dishes are a hit with locals and might just be the best you’ll find in the Dominican Republic.

The coffee may not be the best in Siem Reap and the food can be hit and miss. But there are few more relaxed places to hang out than the wooden tables and benches at the front of this sunny cafe opposite the riverside. Owned by two Melbourne sisters who do a lot of charitable work, it’s a good spot to meet expats and there’s a noticeboard promoting volunteer opportunities and other ways to give back.

With a fantastic location by Hoan Kiem Lake and some of the best-prepared Vietnamese food in the Old Quarter, this stylish venue is onto a winner. The dishes here are very much old-style Vietnamese. There are no bells and whistles or attempts at fusion, but down-home creations such as pork steamed in coconut, fried tofu with lemongrass, and shrimp in chili sauce are right on the money.

On the main road through Grace Bay, this is where locals and return visitors go for the best fresh sushi in town. And while it does amazing sushi and sashimi, including some innovative rolls all ordered off iPad menus, I was really impressed with the seafood ramen noodle soup bowl. The environs are sophisticated and noise level not too loud. A great romantic dinner choice.

Rain is the only club in Hyderabad that offers four separate rooms, each with its own bar and DJ. With multiple music genres rocking out simultaneously, the space has a fun and diverse customer base. The Main Room can accommodate up to 600 people while the intimate Sky Bar features panoramic views of the Hyderabad skyline. Fun Fact: The lighting and sound system has been rated one of the best in Asia.

Italy’s No.1 chef Massimo Bottura described Nottingham Forest as a blend of “Hemingway and the TV show C.S.I.” for its eclectic vibe. But for its cocktails, Bottura and many others feel Nottingham Forest is Milan‘s main innovator. Mixologist Dario Comini just happens to be considered one of Italy‘s best bartenders, thanks to a great mix of creativity and risk.

The Pirelli Tower is considered one of the most elegant “tall buildings” in the world, and at one point, it was one of the tallest. (And it was the tallest in Italy until 2010). The tapered, 32-story, 417-foot tower was developed in the 1950s by Gio Ponti with the assistance of Pierluigi Nervi, two of Italy’s best modern architects. The tower was also inspiration for the design of New York’s MetLife (formerly Pan Am) Building.

The Bermuda Triangle and Kansas Rectangle may be places of mysterious disappearance, but Milan‘s Fashion Quadrilateral is a small area of style where you will definitely want to get lost. With Via Montenapoleone, Via Manzoni, Via della Spiga, and Corso Venezia defining the sides of the quad, the internal area is a fashion lover’s oasis. The best shops in the world fill up the area, and the Quadrilateral is considered the most important fashion district in the world.

Leoncavallo is both a cultural center and a concept. The buildings lining the run-down road are covered in amazing art by epic artists and upcoming writers. During the day, you’ll find photographers documenting the work or shooting for fashion mags and street art aficionados snapping the latest work. The building inside also gets painted by artists, local and international. Best way to get a peek is to visit for a project or concert.

Palo Verde National Park is the perfect escape for avid wildlife and bird watchers. The park is one of the world’s most important wetland sanctuaries and a vacation destination for many species of migratory birds. It is also home to crocodiles, monkeys, deer, coati, and jaguarondi. The best way to glimpse the wildlife is on board a boat ride through the fast-flowing Tempisque River.