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The founders of Soho House and the developers behind such buzzy hotels as New York City’s The NoMad teamed up to turn the historic Midland Bank building into—what else?—a one-stop lifestyle hub that’s drawing regulars of both the suit-and-tie and hipster variety. Part-hotel, part-member’s club, The Ned (named for the moniker of legendary, 19th-century architect Edwin Lutyens, who first envisioned the building) features eight dining options set around the former banking hall, from Italian, French, and Californian spots to a New-York-style deli, Pan-Asian favorite, and lounge for an overflowing, British-style Sunday feast, complete with a Bloody Mary bar and mimosa trolley. Hotel guests also have access to a downstairs bar, and a wellness level with a nail bar, gym, separate hair salon and barbershop, Cowshed Spa, traditional Moroccan hammam, and vitamin IV drips by The Elixir Clinic. The spa level also features an indoor pool, while the Ned’s Club Upstairs offers a rooftop pool and restaurant (with views out to St. Paul’s Cathedral) to Club members or those staying in higher-category rooms.

The entire property is done up in cool, vintage-inspired design, including the 250 guestrooms, which range in category from Crash Pad and Cosy to Heritage and six types of suites. All feature 1920s flair, such as mirrored cocktail cabinets, wingback chairs, and Jazz Age motifs, as well as marble-mosaic bathrooms stocked with rainfall showers and 10 full-size Cowshed products. Suites have bonus perks like dining areas, bathtubs, and upgraded views. Take all the pictures you want in your room, but Insta-addicts may want to leave their phones behind when in select public areas: there’s a photo ban in any place that’s part of the Club membership, including that stunning rooftop.

Part Roman bath, part Turkish hammam, part massage parlor—it all adds up to a restorative haven in the concrete jungle that is Manhattan. Aire is part of a chain that started in Seville, Spain, and every location is specially chosen to include an underground bath area comprised of stone and marble pools, treatment rooms, a hammam, and relaxation areas. The Tribeca building dates to 1883; all original architectural elements were restored and garnished with lanterns from Morocco plus marble from Spain. Old wood beams that could have been thrown away during construction were turned into beautiful benches and tables, and candles are the only source of light in most of the 16,000 square-foot space. A salt pool allows you to experience what many travel all the way to the Dead Sea for: effortless flotation. The Eucalyptus-scented hammam cleared out my head so I could leave with renewed vigor for the day’s writing projects. My massage, too, was worth every penny, though you can use the pools and steam room without being treated by a masseuse. And extendd hours (from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily) mean you can drop in even after a full day of work or sightseeing.

If you’re in Granada, stop in for a meal or drink at Café Espressonista. Housed in a building from 1860, the café is owned by New York transplants Andres and Zoltan, who have created a fun, funky space with a true artisanal spirit. Chef Zoltan’s baked goods and ice creams are made in-house and the drink menu includes Espressonista’s own small-batch brewed beer. Thanks to relationships with the best coffee producers in Nicaragua, Espressonista’s coffee drinks are the best in Nicaragua. All ingredients are sourced from local markets or farmers, and the same attention to detail can be found in the design of the space and the plating of the meals. In addition, you can buy exquisite men’s shirts that Andres designs and has made by hand of the finest cotton. Photo by Marianna Jamadi.

Opened in a brick-walled space that used to be a favorite local bookstore, Brewtown is the latest venture by Simon Triggs and Charles Cameron, who met while working as managers for the coffee company Toby Estate. The coffee is what you’d expect from two industry veterans—well-executed espresso drinks made using a computerized machine and filter coffee served hot, brewed, or cold and poured from a tap. But the food is somewhat surprising for a small, coffee-focused place. For breakfast, there’s polenta with mushrooms and poached eggs, beet-cured trout served on rye toast that’s smattered with avocado and feta, and house-made “cronuts"—a cross between a doughnut and a croissant, imported from New York and earning a cult following here. There’s also a retail space run by Triggs’ wife upstairs, which has plans for an affogato bar.

According to a popular saying in Holland, “Money is earned in Rotterdam, divided in Den Haag and spent in Amsterdam.” To see where financial division happens in the Netherlands, head for the country’s seat of government: The Hague or Den Haag, as the Dutch call it. Den Haag is a cultured city with just under 500,000 people―less edgy than Amsterdam but more sophisticated than Rotterdam. Amsterdam may be the capital of Holland, but you’ll find the Dutch Parliament, Supreme Court and Council of State in Den Haag. In addition to being the seat of government, the Netherlands’ third largest city (after Amsterdam and Rotterdam) also is the locale for 150 international courts, foreign embassies and international organizations. As home to the International Court of Justice and International Criminal Court, it’s among six major cities that hosts the United Nations, along with New York, Vienna, Geneva, Tokyo and Nairobi.

New York City vs Montreal. Oh, the debate. In the ongoing Great War of the Bagels between the two cities, Montreal has always been the favorite contender, both among the proud locals and the tourists. Let’s be honest here—Montreal wins, and there is no such thing as better bagels than Montreal bagels. If you agree with the premise of this highlight, then you might want to add this to your next Montreal trip: the Fairmount Bagel Bakery in the Mile End area. Founded by Jewish immigrant Isadore Shlafman in 1919, the knowledge was transmitted from generation to generation, and the family still uses the same methods even today. Everything is done by hand, and with love! It’s very rewarding, as a consumer, to buy things locally and encourage an almost-century-old family-owned business. And in this case, it’s double the reward: good conscience, and full stomach. What’s not to like?

Before opening Craving Restaurant in 2013, chef Adam Goetz worked everywhere from the James Beard House to the Waldorf Astoria in New York City. Now, he puts his talents to good use in North Buffalo, combining fresh ingredients with highly skilled technique to make the food diners crave. Open for lunch and dinner six nights a week and brunch on Sundays, Craving serves farm-to-table fare in a cozy setting, complete with a small bar and a patio out front. Dishes can be made vegetarian or gluten-free and the chef butchers all meats in-house to ensure nothing gets wasted. The menu changes constantly to highlight the freshest ingredients possible, but recent dishes included ricotta gnocchi, leg of lamb, and whole-roasted trout with asparagus sauce.

The Artisan, inside the Stonebridge Inn, serves modern American cuisine, using locally sourced ingredients in a refined and relaxed setting. Sound pretty much the norm? The Artisan is blessed with a charming setting: There’s a lovely stone fireplace in the main dining room and then, up some steps, bar seating and tables in a solarium with mountain views. Outside the solarium, deck seating means dinner with fresh-air mountain views. Set the tone for a great meal by ordering the grilled artichoke heart appetizer, garnished with a truffle aioli and lemon zest. The recommended entree: a New York strip steak, topped with a bourbon, peach, and cherry salsa, and served with cashew rice and scallions.

You may not expect to find the world’s best frozen pina colada at a joint hidden behind a gas station and underneath a condo unit, but that’s where to order the drink—lovingly dubbed the “Erik Estrada” and mixed with coconut milk and spices with a dash of Angostura bitters—and that’s how co-owner T.J. Lynch rolls. He took the hidden-gem aesthetic from his New York bar, Mother’s Ruin, and translated to the laid-back vibe of Folly Beach. In addition to the island’s best cocktails, Lowlife’s loyal following saddle up at the indoor/outdoor bar for the Old Bay-dusted local shrimp roll, the bold, rich tuna poke, and the Duke’s mayo-doused, addictive double cheeseburger.

This charming bakery by the beach in La Jolla rivals the best bakeries in New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. Founder Crystal White, a former lead bread baker at San Francisco’s Tartine, sources the best ingredients from California, except the high-fat European style butter. Fruit from Chino Farms, organic flour from Central Milling in Petaluma, and organic milk from Clover Dairy in Sonoma are showcased in fruit-filled galettes, nutty multigrain loaves, and croissant flavors like the sweet and salty strawberry-pistachio, inspired in part by Parisian baker Pierre Hermé’s famed croissant Ispahan. The bright seating area is decorated with a cheerful mural and midcentury modern couches, but the most desirable seats are on the patio outside.

Browse accessories designed and handcrafted in Barcelona at Iriarte Iriarte. Sleek yet sturdy leather bags with brass finishes make timeless investment pieces for any wardrobe. Iriarte Iriarte pieces have popped up in the pages of Spanish Vogue and The New York Times Style Magazine. Studio visits are available by appointment. Addresses: Iriarte Iriarte Studio and Shop Plaza Real, 08002, Barcelona Iriarte Iriarte Shop Cotoners, 12 08003, Barcelona

Whether you wander by boat, bike, or tuk tuk (or, highly recommended, a combo of all three), Bangkok spills over with places both new and very old to explore. Along the way, modern-day wonders rub shoulders with traditional Thai culture. Hop from the floating market to a day cruise on the Chao Phraya River to a cocktail at one of the city’s innovative bars. Make meals of tastes from street food vendors and mix in some table service at some of the city’s most renowned restaurants. Overwhelmed by all the options? Stop for a Thai massage. Need souvenirs? The weekend market awaits.

Art spaces, wellness retreats, and fine restaurants await, along with 22 miles of trails to reward hikers and cyclists with stellar vistas of New Mexico’s legendary landscapes, including the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and the Rio Grande River. The city’s epicenter, known as the Plaza, offers dining, window shopping, and Americana treasures. Start your visit with our A Perfect Day in Santa Fe guide, and then go a little deeper with the following recommendations.

Spain’s capital offers the best of food, art, architecture, and nightlife. For the best address in town, book a stay at AC Palacio del Retiro, set on the Parque del Retiro. For Old World splendor and a star-studded past, check in to the Gran Meliá Fénix. Foodies will want to score a room at Hotel Hesperia Madrid, home to one of Spain’s top restaurants, while design lovers will appreciate the details—old and new—at Urso Hotel & Spa in the hip Salesas neighborhood.

We’ve all heard about Sydney’s biggest cultural attractions like the Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge, but how about a convict island turned event site or the local theater that launched the careers of Mel Gibson and Cate Blanchett? Sydney’s best cultural attractions are world-class and getting better every day. Contemporary favorites include Carriageworks and the Museum of Contemporary art, while the Art Gallery of New South Wales has one of Sydney’s best aboriginal art collections.