Search results for

Traditions on the Brink of Change: Photographer Eric Lafforgue

On the Caribbean island of Tobago, you’ll find sand, surf—and the fastest goats on the planet. Now if they’d just run in a straight line….

Sunset from the plaza of the Schwedegon Pagoda, Rangoon, Burma.

Hoi An’s iconic noodle dish was tangled in mystery for decades. Then writer David Farley came to town.

With headquarters in Portland, Oregon, the Ace Hotel brings a dose of Pacific Northwest cool to the Flatiron District of Manhattan. Located in a turn-of-the-century building, the Ace has become a hub for stylish visitors and freelancing New Yorkers—locals often set up shop in the hip lobby to work and sip Stumptown coffee. The aesthetic is laid-back yet creative, with fun local art, free Wi-Fi, and quirky touches like tabletops made from discarded Hubble telescope lenses. The Ace is unpretentious and inviting, with a social and interactive lobby and two destination restaurants. Rooms range from small bunk rooms to spacious loft suites—offering a match for a variety of price points.

Tourism is down, prices are up, social services are disappearing, and the government is bankrupt. Which means it’s a good time to get to know Seychelles.

I was nervous to head to Yangon, Myanmar this past winter for a week of solo travel. Once I arrived, I found an incredible city with even more fascinating and friendly people. Shut off from the rest of the world for quite some time, Burma is reawakening. There’s charm in everything - from the grand, gorgeous and crumbling architecture to the small moments ... like this rusted can of of milk serving as a peanut container.

Delmonico’s, which sits on a distinctive triangle-shaped corner near Wall Street, opened in 1837 as the first fine dining restaurant in the U.S. It was the first establishment to have a printed menu, separate tables, and tablecloths, and it was the first restaurant that allowed women to congregate as a group. It has invented famous classics such as Delmonico Steak, Eggs Benedict, Baked Alaska and Lobster Newburg. Entering from the streets of the financial district, you step into a different era. This is serious old-school dining in a landmark steakhouse. Mahogany coffered walls, fancy chandeliers and roaring 20’s-era murals seem to scream for a cold martini and a rare steak. Morgan, Carnegie, Vanderbilt, Rockefeller - they all passed through here in their time. It’s pricey, so save this for a special occasion and find a quiet time to visit. 56 Beaver Street www.delmonicosny.com

Passionate Mexico City foodies are rediscovering and reviving Mexico’s rural culinary delights.

AFAR’s founder on visiting Egypt.

How do you make sense of diverse, dizzying São Paolo? Talk to the people who make the sushi, spray the graffiti, and build the giant watermelons.

Founder’s Note: Learning AFAR

Set across from the University of Pennsylvania, the Inn at Penn holds its own against the new Center City crop and is one of the most technologically advanced hotels in Hilton’s portfolio. Built in 1999, the hotel was renovated top-to-bottom in 2011, solidifying a stuffy-enough Ivy League air. Above an efficient wood-paneled check-in, a double-fireplace library lined with classic tomes creates a sophisticated lobby-cum-cocktail lounge. A Frank Lloyd Wright–inspired aesthetic is pervasive with geometric lamps, wood-paneled walls, Craftsman wood furnishings, and the hotel’s riff on the architect’s iconic font on all signage. The Inn is teched out with free, fast Wi-Fi; TeleAdapt MediaHubs connecting phones, tablets, or computers directly to high-def TVs; and iPads accessing hotel services and information in multiple languages. The Inn’s environmental stance is also impressive: fabrics, wall coverings, and bathroom tile are made from recycled materials; energy-efficient lighting, heating, and cooling is state-of-the-art, and WaterSense showerheads ensure no water is wasted.

The 245 guestrooms and suites are classy, efficient, and relatively spacious, though it’s worth upgrading to a suite for a separate sitting area. Gold, leather, and wood hues are complimented by pops of red and orange with large work desks. Thanks to the 2001 renovation, the bathrooms are big, have glass-encased showers, and are stocked with Crabtree & Evelyn amenities.

It’s hard not to feel hip upon entering this Williamsburg hotel. Credit those Insta-cool vibes to the always abuzz rooftop lounge Westlight, or to Leuca, where food-loving socialites flock for a taste of the Italian plates that chef Andrew Carmellini does best. Thanks to the hotel’s partnership with Brooklyn Arts Council, locally designed artworks greet guests in each of the 183 rooms, as do luxe Frette linens, floor-to-ceiling windows, and wraparound balconies with stellar views of the Manhattan skyline. Once settled in, it’s straightaway to the pool, a 60-foot stretch of water surrounded by daybeds and cabanas. If you’d prefer a private hot tub, book the Vale Garden Residence, a two-story suite complete with an open-air Jacuzzi, a fully furnished patio, and its own covetable city vistas.

Embrace a rustic, woodsy vibe at these timber lodges such as the Fairmont Le Château Montebello in Quebec.