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It’s hard to go wrong with Italian food in Boston’s North End, but one surefire way to go right is to turn left from the door of the Paul Revere House and slip inside the historic town house that’s home to Mamma Maria, an unmissable fine-dining restaurant facing North Square. Settle into the serenely elegant dining room overlooking the square to feast on classics like terrine of suckling pig, veal osso buco, Tuscan-style rabbit pappardelle, and a wide selection of seafood dishes from local waters. The uninitiated may mutter a “mamma mia” at the prices, but for Northern Italian in the North End, Mamma Maria rules the house.

Opened in 1915 as Tent City—a string of luxury canvas tents along Lac Beauvert, with vistas of Whistlers Peak and Pyramid Mountain—the iconic Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge was possibly North America’s first “glamping” site. The destination proved wildly popular, and in 1922 a main lodge was opened, as well as a series of luxury log cabins spread across 700 acres in the heart of Jasper National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Bristling with Douglas firs and pine trees, the property sees herds of elk nibbling the grass, chipmunks scurrying through the trees, and even the occasional bear. The 442 rooming options—all of which were renovated between 2015 and 2017—include cozy spots in the main building, fireplace-equipped Junior Suites, and bring-the-whole-family Signature Cabins, all with views across the lake or the forest and mountains. The newly introduced Estate Cabins, located near the golf course, feature a private gated entrance for a more residential feel. Classic lodge-style interior design is the order of the day in the cabins, with wood beams and a combination of earthy and granite tones, while rooms and suites are clean-lined and decked out in fresh white bedding and light wood accents.

Come for the history, stay for the chowder. Bostonians have been slurping down oysters at America’s oldest continuously operating restaurant since 1826, and while you won’t find Union Oyster House on any haute dining lists, it’s well worth a stop when you’re walking the Freedom Trail or exploring the area around Faneuil Hall. Sidle up to the semicircular oyster bar right inside the front door just like Daniel Webster once did, or feast on a classic New England shore dinner in the upstairs dining room, away from the crowds. There you’ll find a plaque marking the booth where JFK liked to scarf baked beans and clam chowder—one of the restaurant’s many reminders of its long history of catering to celebrities.

Go shopping at Villagio Mall, an opulent Venetian-style shopping mall traversed by water canals and a fleet of gondolas offering rides to the shoppers. The Mall is inconspicuously partitioned into two sections: one geared to cater to middle class patrons which resembles an elegant shopping mall in the USA, and the exclusive side with high-end boutiques (Cavalli, Roles, Versace, Louis Vuitton, etc), French restaurants and designer jewelries, all under a lavish glass dome and flanked by balconies evocative of an old Italian town.

Puerto Vallarta, on Mexico’s Pacific coast, no longer lacks small, design-driven hotels. Located in the city’s Old Town, Amapa has 55 guest rooms that display Mexican weavings by fiber artist Mariella Motilla and hammocks handmade in the Yucatán peninsula. From $200. This appeared in the May/June 2018 issue.

For those of us used to seeing chicken cut into parts, wrapped in plastic, and cooling in supermarket refrigerators, a trip to a local Peruvian market is fascinating and a bit daunting. At the biggest market, San Pedro, just up the street from the Plaza de Armas, you’ll find fruits, vegetables, alpaca charqui (the Quechua source of our word jerky), pig’s heads, herbs, fruit juices, weavings, and much, much more. You’ll see a fair number of foreigners wandering here as well, so for an experience that feels more authentic, try San Blas Market or Rosaspata, both off the tourist track.

Why we love it: An upscale stay in Victor with special fun for families

The Highlights:
- Proximity to Headwaters Club and its golf course
- Spacious log cabins that can accommodate large groups
- Tons of activities in every season

The Review:
Jackson Hole, on the Teton Range’s east side, hogs most of the high-end traffic, but this westside resort offers an appealing alternative, with big, open skies and out-the-door golf on a Byron Nelson–designed course at Headwaters Club. Guests here can also look forward to a 5,000-square-foot spa with a fireplace-equipped relaxation room, an on-site restaurant serving grill fare, and an outdoor heated pool with two hot tubs and a geyser play area for children.

Accommodations are spacious and appealing to families. Luxury suites feature fully equipped kitchens, dining areas, and living rooms with gas fireplaces, while freestanding log cabins—available in three-, four-, and five-bedroom configurations—afford groups some extra privacy. When not relaxing in your room, take advantage of the resort’s extensive activities, including hiking, kayaking, horseback riding, and hot-air ballooning in summer and heli-skiing and snowmobiling in winter.

Why we love it: A family-friendly resort with a dizzying array of accommodations and activities

The Highlights:
- A range of accommodations, from cozy cabins to boutique hotel rooms
- More than 65 year-round activities to entertain the kids
- A water-themed spa and two championship golf courses for when you need a break from the family

The Review:
Situated on the shores of Gull Lake, the historic Grand View Lodge has been hosting family vacations since 1916. With everything from a kids’ club and indoor water park to a game room and fire pit for s’mores, the resort caters to children of all ages but offers plenty for adults as well, including a water-themed spa and two championship golf courses. Guests here can take advantage of more than 65 year-round activities, including a range of water sports, or venture a short distance to local zip lines, riding stables, and ski resorts. There’s even a newly constructed recreation facility on-site, featuring a 3,779-square-foot pool area, state-of-the-art fitness center, yoga studio, tennis court, ice-skating rink, and more.

Accommodations are equally varied, ranging from lodge rooms and lakeside cabins to garden cottages and entire homes. Come July 2019, a 60-room boutique hotel that’s perfect for company meetings will also be available. When hunger strikes, there are eight dining venues on the property, including a steak house, beachside cantina, and wine bar with a 2,000-bottle cellar. Whether you visit in the summer for the lake or the winter for the nearby mountains, expect cozy accommodations, a high standard of service, and a family trip that will long be remembered.

The Buddhist temple complex of Dambulla consists of five cave temples carved under a very large overhanging rock. The temples were carved out over several centuries, but the oldest dates back to the 1st century B.C.E. The temples include numerous carved statues of Buddha, and his faithful disciple Ananda, as well as Hindu deities.


The largest of the caves is known as the Maharaja Vihara Lena, or Cave of the Great Kings, so named because the cave contains the statues of two ancient, great Sri Lankan kings—Valagambahu and Nissankamalla. Fifty or so Buddha statues, including a life-sized granite one, are all contained inside the temple as is small stupa surrounded by eleven seated Buddhas.


The cave walls and ceiling are entirely painted with paintings depicting early Buddhist historical events and murals with traditional Buddhist designs. Like all the other cave temples, this one is dimly lit, preserving the vibrant colors of the paintings and murals.


Another unusual feature of this particular cave temple is the large metal bowl that was placed inside the cave centuries ago, presumably to catch rain dripping from the cave roof. It’s said that even in a severe drought, the water in the bowl does not dry up.

Dambulla is one of the UNESCO World Heritage sites located in the region known as Sri Lanka’s Cultural Triangle. If you ever go to Sri Lanka, you must go to Dambulla. It is a very unique and spectacular site!

At street level, the Capuchin monastery might seem like many other historic churches in Palermo. But once you go below ground, you’ll encounter the most unusual and macabre display in the city. More than 8,000 mummified bodies are interred in its catacombs, some stacked on wooden shelves, others standing or hanging upright along the walls. The oldest resident is a friar named Silvestro da Gubbio, who dates from 1599; among the more recent arrivals is two-year-old Rosalia Lombardo, who died in 1920 and is so eerily well preserved that she’s been nicknamed Sleeping Beauty.

This little private church is probably the most photographed stop in Oia. Our rented house was right next to it but lower on the steps so we could see lots of people getting lots of photos. Married couples would take their photos next to it, photographers were offering workshops that included this spot. I woke up at 5.30AM to wonder when nobody else was around. Best time of day to walk around this very busy tourist destination.

Built in the 1930s as a private villa, this boutique hotel was renovated in 2012, but still makes guests feel as if they’re staying in someone’s home. Perched on a steep hillside across the bay from the Old Town, it features stone terraces, vine-covered pergolas, and colorful gardens, all of which offer breathtaking vistas of the Adriatic and Dubrovnik’s signature tiled roofs. The 13 rooms—all but one with sea views—have high ceilings and arched windows lined with white shutters to soften the afternoon sun, while modern bathrooms come stocked with plush bathrobes and decadent Bulgari amenities. When not enjoying their daily delivery of fresh fruit or cookies, guests can head to the bathing platform at the bottom of the stone stairs, the outdoor pool at the neighboring Grand Villa Argentina, or the spa at the Hotel Excelsior.

Why we love it: A Mdina refuge that offers the ultimate escape from the crowds

The Highlights:
- An ideal location within the city walls of Mdina
- Suites with terraces and outdoor Jacuzzis
- Al freso dining in the charming hotel courtyard

The Review:
Perched on centuries-old bastions and surrounded by stunning baroque architecture, this Relais & Châteaux property provides a fairytale setting for a stay in Malta. Housed in a 17th-century palace, it’s the only hotel within the walls of Mdina, making it the ideal refuge from cruise passengers and other day trippers who crowd the fortified city each day. Simply decorated with period furniture and muted colors, the 17 guestrooms are spacious and comfortable, with several offering lofted sleeping areas. Some rooms even have private porches or terraces, while a few suites boast outdoor Jacuzzis.

The hotel doesn’t have a pool, but guests are welcome to use the one at sister property Xara Lodge. If you’d prefer to relax on site, go instead to one of Xara’s four bars and restaurants, which range from the fine-dining deMondian and The Medina Restaurant in the courtyard to the Italian-inspired Trattoria AD1530 and the casual Palazzo de Piro Café and Bistro.

Since its founding in 1893, the Hassler has been a pillar of luxury accommodation in Rome. This five-star hotel is perched theatrically atop Trinità dei Monti, the hill at the apex of the Spanish Steps, providing dazzling vistas over Rome’s rooftop terraces and church domes. More than a century after opening, the hotel remains privately owned. Generations dedicated to carefully cultivating a loyal clientele have made the Hassler the destination of choice for many royal and celebrity visitors to Rome. Accordingly, the staff is well-equipped to fulfill every imaginable whim and desire, regardless of how outlandish.

The formal service and decor hark back to the last days of the Grand Tour when European and American elite converged on Rome for its cultural—and couture—offerings, a tradition that still thrives in places like this. The Hassler oozes Old World charm, and its nearly 100 rooms are clad in marble, embellished with antiques, and accented with gilded furnishings, a reminder of the city’s late 19^th-century splendor. The common areas are similarly lavish and offer palatial settings for meetings, cocktails, and lounging.

Just across the Piazza Trinità dei Monti, the Hassler’s second property, Il Palazzetto, offers accommodations with a lot less gilding but no less class.

Opened in May 2014 with a facade mildly reminiscent of a 19th-century European grand hotel, the Mandarin Oriental Taipei might seem incongruous in an Asian city—at least to those unacquainted with the Taiwanese penchant for blending international styles with more typically Asian motifs. The hotel’s Old World luxury extends throughout, from the marble-floored lobby (complete with white columns holding up high cathedral ceilings) to the rooms themselves, which are coolly stunning. Each room, from the standard Deluxe to the sprawling Presidential Suite, has separate tubs and walk-in showers inside a marble bathroom designed to make anyone feel like royalty. As for sleeping arrangements, “plush” is an overused word in hotel reviews, but it’s hard to find a better one to describe the feeling of sinking into a bed with 480-thread-count satin linen (which rises to 1,000 in certain suites) and a goose-down duvet. As a finishing touch, look up: Every room basks in the glow of its own chandelier. Though Marie Antoinette and the Empress Dowager Cixi lived on different continents, both would feel quite at home at the Mandarin Oriental.