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There’s no better place to practice yoga than a tropical setting tempered by constant trade winds, and at Manchebo Beach Resort’s two open-air studios, you’ll find just that. Located right on pristine Eagle Beach, the idyllic spaces welcome both hotel guests and outside visitors for all levels of classes, from Morning Vinyasa Yoga to Sunset Stretch. The 72-room resort also hosts private retreats from time to time.

One of the best views of Florence can be savored from the Piazzale Michelangelo, a short walk across the Arno River from downtown Florence. For a fun afternoon head to the square and enjoy an enchanting panorama of the city, followed by a relaxing alfresco lunch at one of the nearby restaurants. The Piazzale Michelangelo is also worth a visit at night to get a very different glimpse of Florence. The lights of the Duomo and the buildings surrounding it make for a magical nighttime scene.

Not too long ago, the Palms Casino Resort, just west of the Strip, was synonymous with “Oops! I Did It Again”-era Britney Spears and the Playboy Club that attracted porn stars from all over the world. That changed when the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians bought the place in 2021, and the property became the largest Native American–owned hotel-casino in town. Since then, the San Manuel have restored the coolness factor the Palms enjoyed in its early aughts heyday. The Playboy Club is gone, but the famous themed suites got a refresh and are as mind-boggling as ever. The Hardwood Suite famously has an NBA-caliber basketball half-court and a full locker room, while the Kingpin Suite is designed around two bowling lanes. The Cinema Suite contains a screening room with theater-style seating and a full movie screen.


In addition to the specialty suites, Palms has 1,365 guest rooms, all recently renovated. Accommodations in the Fantasy Tower were designed with muted tones, while the ones in the Ivory Tower are more colorful and feature modern art on the walls. Ghost Bar, a cocktail lounge on the 55th floor, offers epic views of the Strip; it’s not as hopping as it was in the 2000s, but it still offers live entertainment every weekend.


Related: 7 Hotels to Book for “Non-Vegas” People

For one of the best restaurant views you’ll ever enjoy, head to L’Orangerie at the five-star hotel Bastide de Gordes. Here, you can dine on the garden terrace or open-air veranda with breathtaking vistas over the Luberon Valley. The menu features traditional Provençale dishes, providing flavors—and prices—to match the elegant setting. Start with a salad of chilled watermelon, feta, mixed greens, and fresh mint, followed by roasted cod with squid ink spaghetti. The Grand Marnier soufflé with bourbon-vanilla ice cream will set you back around $20, but there are few places you can savor dessert in such extraordinary surrounds.

Set at the end of Duval Street, near Sunset Pier and Mallory Square, Pier House takes advantage of its waterfront address with three tiers of balconies and a pocket-sized stretch of private beach. Its location means guests are within walking distance of all of Old Town’s highlights, from the Clinton Square Market to the Harry S. Truman Little White House. Many come to follow in the footsteps of the mayor of Margaritaville himself, Jimmy Buffet, who played his first gig in town in the hotel’s now infamous Chart Room Bar. Order a rum runner, then head to the heated outdoor pool; though it’s on the small side, it has sweet views to Key West Bight. After an adventure-packed day, the rooms and suites offer low-key comfort, decorated with traditional furniture and local art and overlooking the ocean or tropical gardens and koi ponds. Equally serene is the full-service spa, one of the few on Key West.

Some of the world’s most jaw-dropping images of hotel infinity pools have been taken on Santorini, aka the honeymoon island. What makes The Grace stand out? With only eight rooms, 12 suites, and one villa, guests receive the staff’s undivided attention. Even before your arrival, you may be asked whether you’d like to organize a romantic surprise for your partner, or if you’d like your bathrobe to be personalized with your initials. Of course, the hotel’s pool, perched like a bird’s nest over the caldera and the blue hues of the Aegean, makes a pretty strong argument. Guests spend much of their time lounging around its perimeter and dining outdoors on a variety of dramatic terraces. Naturally, all the clean-lined rooms have equally stunning views of the sea and, after a 2016 revamp, are all white with brushed-concrete floors and handmade walnut desks, putting the emphasis on the azure setting. Drop your bags, then grab a cocktail at the Champagne Lounge to take in that sunset everyone keeps raving about.

Located in the Gaslamp Quarter, the recently constructed Hotel Indigo San Diego toes the line between hip and historic. The eco-chic boutique property prides itself on achieving LEED certification and boasts such unique features as a 4,000-square-foot green roof and a business center with Macs and iPads. History plays out in the hotel’s neighborhood story: an ode to the Wild West and the founding of San Diego.

Boldly designed rooms are outfitted with modern cherry blossom linens, vibrant murals, and oversized cushioned headboards. Clean up with Aveda bath products in your spa-inspired shower, and wake up to your own music thanks to an in-room iHome docking station. High-definition flat screens with premium cable and free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel mean you can stay as connected as you wish. At sunset go up to Level 9 Rooftop Bar for stunning city views and craft cocktails. Daily happy hour from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. sweetens the deal.

A longtime favorite among royalty, rock stars, actors, and visiting dignitaries, the Langham hotel completed a $30 million renovation in December 2014. London-based GA Designs was charged with retaining the hotel’s stately character—check out the original fireplace transplanted from the Sydney’s beloved Elizabeth Bay House—while creating a sun-drenched new look dressed in white, amber, and silver. The new design also maximizes the property’s Darling Harbour views, most notably in the opulent lobby, whose Calcutta marble floor and gold-leaf paneling are reminiscent of a high-end spa. What hasn’t changed is the Langham’s superlative customer service. Guests can request a chartered yacht or helicopter to get to their show or meeting, and arrange a private picnic, tennis match, sunset Harbour Bridge climb, or tour of the hotel’s display of Sidney Nolan paintings (Australia’s largest private collection of his work). There’s even a discreet entrance and in-room check-in for guests who want maximum privacy, as well as an unpacking service for travelers eager to feel at home right away.

A large resort at the base of the Niseko Village gondola, the Hilton combines a central location, breathtaking views, and convenient amenities. This is the choice for travelers who plan to spend their day on the ski slopes or golf links from post-breakfast to pre-dinner, perhaps bookending the activities with a soak in the open-air onsen (or indoor on bad weather days). Rooms have panoramic mountain views and if you are lucky, you might get a room with a view of the unkai sea of clouds and Mount Yotei. Unwind with a steak dinner at Melt Bar & Grill before booking a private karaoke room at the hotel’s Ezo Pub. The Wakka Spa focuses on post-ski restorative treatments with a cedar soaking tub for couples.

This casual, open-air restaurant sits above an untouched stretch of Laguna Beach—and capitalizes on that beautifully. Floor-to-ceiling windows encircle the dining room so it appears to be floating above the ocean, all the better to watch the sunset while eating hand-shucked oysters and sipping Rum for Your Life cocktails. Chef Rainer Schwarz’s menu centers around seafood, prepared with a range of international influences—Spanish octopus is grilled with chickpea puree and zahtar, and lobster stars in a spaghetti carbonara. The spot draws a stylish crowd not just for dinner but also weekend brunch, with a must-try version of eggs Benedict (made with Berkshire ham and blood-orange hollandaise, plus steak or crab). While waiting for a table, sidle up to the Stateroom Bar, the former home library of Old Hollywood actor Slim Summerville, for artisan libations heavy on fine bourbon and whiskey. Pro tip: Locals know best, and they can’t get enough of the whole fried branzino, served with roasted shishitos and ponzu sauce.

On Puerto Rico, horses roam the farms, the mountains, the town centers—and also the beaches. A couples’ horse ride at sunset is a perfect way to kiss the day good-bye. With Tropical Trail Rides, in the northwestern municipality of Isabela, you can take a two-hour ride through the forest and by the beach as the sun sinks down toward the water. Make sure you take the opportunity to break for a hike or a swim along the way. On the north side of the island in Manatí, Kerry’s Horses designs personalized sunset rides by the beach or through nature reserves.

Four thousand modern art pieces throughout public areas and guest rooms liven up this Pudong waterfront hotel, which opened in April 2013. The highlight is the lobby’s Glass Murals, made from almost 72,000 mosaic tiles and inspired by local artist Miao Tong’s painting Sound of the Wind. Elsewhere in the lobby, guests will encounter Chinese screens, sculpted furnishings, and bronze tones that mimic the glow of sunset on the river. Rooms have taupe furnishings, with flashes of indigo and lotus-green, and abstract ink paintings of traditional Chinese garden landscapes. Some have hypnotic Huangpu River views. As with many hotels in Pudong, the property is set within a larger complex, in this case the 61-acre mixed-use Harbour City development.

Tucson is surrounded by mountains. As you look south, however, the highest and most distinctive peak is Mt. Wrightson (9,453ft/2,881m) in the Santa Rita range. Hike to the top and you’ll be rewarded with a 360-degree view from the highest point between Tucson and Mexico. In fact, on a clear day, looking south from the top of the mountain, you’ll see all the way into Mexico. On the way, you’ll drive and hike up through forested Madera Canyon — one of the best spots in the U.S. for birdwatching. Around 250 different species (including 15 different varieties of hummingbirds) of birds, have been spotted, some of which are normally only seen in tropical ecosystems. You’re also likely to encounter deer and wild turkey as you drive up from the high desert grasslands south of Tucson. This is a challenging hike: about 11 miles round-trip, with a four-thousand foot elevation gain. You’ll be hiking mostly in forest, but at the top there’s no shade and the winds can be formidable. Nonetheless—the views! City, wilderness, grasslands, mines, forested slopes, and endless mountain ranges...worth it!

The Santa Monica Pier embodies what Southern California is all about: fun in the sun. Popular with tourists and locals alike, this iconic boardwalk adjacent to the Pacific Ocean—filled with all the amusement rides, midway games, fried food, ice cream and cotton candy you can dream up—is a fantastic place to spend a nice day. My favorite attractions are the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium and the world’s first solar-paneled Ferris wheel, which provides breathtaking beach and ocean views as you ride ‘round and ‘round. Be sure to dip your toes in the soft Santa Monica sand, too. Nearby, you’ll find the Third Street Promenade, a bustling entertainment district filled with wonderful eateries and shops.

One of the most spectacular libraries in the world is at the Strahov Monastery in Prague. While it is a bit off the beaten path for most tourists, it really is a must-see. Over 125,000 classic and rare books fill floor-to-ceiling bookshelves at the monastery, which sits on a hill. There are two halls. The Theological Hall dates from the 1600s and features ornate, 18th-century Baroque frescoes on the ceiling. The Philosophical Hall (pictured) is truly spectacular - an 18th century creation built in the Classic style that features Greek frescoes and opulently carved wooden bookcases with golden accents. On the grounds of the monastery are also The Church of Saint Roch, an art gallery and a brewery with the best sweeping views of Prague - truly a wonderful, enchanting way to spend a beautiful afternoon.