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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.

Wymara Resort Turks & Caicos (formerly the Gansevoort aims to be as much a scene as it is a hotel. Of course, with tots wandering through the lobby with sand buckets, it isn’t quite the party you might have in South Beach or NYC. But then, trendy urbanites don’t have this—the white-sand beach of Grace Bay, or an infinity pool with wood-deck islands that can be reserved for sunbathing, private dining, or just making everyone else feel less important. The 91 rooms are designer chic, with an open floor plan and plenty of space to stretch out. Also available for booking are seven luxury oceanfront villas, located on an elevated hillside overlooking the bay and Turtle Tail. Each features four to five bedrooms as well as two private pools, expansive indoor-outdoor living areas, sunken outdoor lounge areas with firepits, and over-the-water swimming platforms with direct ocean access. Stelle, the Mediterranean-influenced restaurant, has a DJ who spins on Friday nights. And Exhale Spa counterbalances the chill party vibe with sunset yoga in an outdoor pavilion.

Burma Superstar lives up to its name. Opened more than 20 years ago, the Inner Richmond restaurant has gained a following for such specialties as hand-wrapped samosas filled with meat and potatoes, chili lamb, and traditional rice salad. Known for its curries and use of spices, Burmese cuisine combines the flavors of India, Laos, China, and Thailand. All these influences come together seamlessly on Burma Superstar’s wide-ranging menu, which features home-style dishes prepared with traditional recipes. The restaurant also has locations in Oakland and Alameda. Reservations aren’t accepted.

Yes, Hauz Khas Village is perhaps most known for its artsy vibe, boutique shops, and trendy restaurants. But before it became a lively commercial district, Hauz Kaus was (and remains) a 13th-century historical complex with a mosque, tombs, and an Islamic seminary. Take a break from the bustle of shopping and dining to explore the sites from Muslim royalty, then spend some time at the charming lake with its swans, ducks, and other wildlife.

Maupiti, the smallest and most isolated of the Society Islands, feels like an unblemished tropical playground, where tranquility trumps everything else and romantic love stories of deserted sparkling white-sand beaches surrounded by shimmering aqua lagoons are realized. The best beaches are on the five motus, or small sandbars that also house pensions, ringing the main island. Of the five motus, Motu Tiapaa has the best beaches by far. For surfing and decent kite-boarding, you’ll want to head to Motu Tuanai, which also houses the airport.


Serving up a Robinson Crusoe version of paradise, Maupiti seduces lovers and adventurers on a quest for the heavenly Polynesia of lore, but it is not for everyone. Time moves slowly on this island, and the resort focus here is on small family run “pensions” (guesthouses), not luxury five-star resorts with multiple restaurants and Wi-Fi. If you’re the kind of traveler who’s craving a temporary separation from your Facebook account, and love watching the sun set over the lagoon while reading a book or chowing on fresh caught seafood with the family that owns the pension where you’re sleeping, Maupiti may be the perfect island for you. Oh, and if you stay at any of the guesthouses here, sign up for full-board, as it isn’t really the kind of place where many restaurants exist.

The Huffington Post named the Hilo Farmers Market the best in the United States. For fresh local flavors, the market is open every day except Sunday. The big market days are on Wednesdays and Saturdays where more than 200 vendors including farmers and crafts people gather to sell their goods. If you’re looking for local souvenirs to take home or just a place to grab a quick fresh and tasty lunch, the Hilo Farmers Market will provide a beautiful morning or afternoon of shopping and eating.

Chef Tory McPhail was recently named James Beard’s Best Chef South and his forward-looking take on Creole classics keeps this New Orleans institution, which has launched the careers of the likes of Paul Prudhomme and Emeril Lagasse, current. Still, you can’t go wrong with classics like the turtle soup, gumbo, and bread pudding souffle. On Saturday and Sundays, there’s more pomp than usual, including a jazz trio that makes its way from table to table, but weekday lunches are nearly as iconic and, thanks to 25-cent martinis, a good reason to have a midday cocktail.

I wouldn’t recommend doing the Ute Trail hike on your first day in Aspen, especially if you come from sea level, but it is definitely a must see. Known as one of the harder hikes in Aspen, it is short but sweet. You traverse up the side of Aspen Mountain on steep switchbacks and just when you think you can’t do one more switchback and your lungs are about to burst you come to a precipice with one of the best views of the town of Aspen. It should take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour to get to this point. From here you can keep hiking to the top of Aspen Mountain and take the Silver Queen Gondola down, which is about another hour and 30 minutes, or trek down the way you came on the Ute Trail.

Blue Heaven is a favorite in Key West—Jimmy Buffett even mentioned it in one of his famous beach tunes. The whimsical courtyard is filled with brightly colored tables and chairs, twinkly lights, foliage, and stray animals. The bar and restaurant is owned and operated by a husband and wife whose creative backgrounds in art and literature inspired the space. There’s a mini art gallery, a sandwich shop, and roaming roosters on the grounds. Once a boxing ring (with Ernest Hemingway as referee), the spot now pays tribute to the Caribbean, with bright accents and Cajun seasonings on the menu. Menu highlights include the scallops, which are locally celebrated, served with white wine and lemon butter with tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, and lots of garlic. Locals say the Key lime pie is one of the best in town.

With its waterfront location across from the San Francisco Ferry Building on the edge of downtown, the 1 Hotel is an ideal launchpad to explore San Francisco. Rooms have expansive views of the Bay or the city, and travelers can step out onto the Embarcadero for a morning run, to browse at one of three weekly farmers’ markets at the Ferry Building.

The luxury hotel upholds a commitment to environmentalism, using local and reclaimed materials for the biophilic interior design, sustainability sourced bedding, and providing filtered water taps instead of single use water bottles. Rooms are equipped with soft cotton robes, slippers, and yoga mats to help turn a stay into a relaxing, wellness-minded retreat.

On the first floor, the bar and restaurant, Terrene is a lovely place to swing by for a drink or meal—whether you’re a guest or not. If the weather is nice, don’t miss the chance to enjoy a cocktail on their expansive outdoor patio (complete with space heaters) with great views of the Bay Bridge. If you’re looking for something more substantial, they have an excellent selection of fresh, Mediterranean-inspired dishes, like roasted carrots with a feta dip and refreshing tuna tartare.

Pets are welcome and there’s also a rooftop spa on site, complete with stone tubs and scenic views.

This particular area of the Gold Coast is jokingly nicknamed the Viagra Triangle, but the Thompson Chicago doesn’t discriminate by age. The 247-room hotel is dark and moody, drawing artists of every generation to its swanky lobby bar at the back, peppered with colorful canvases and couples sneaking a snuggle in a booth. The whole town is awaiting the opening of Tavern on Rush, a reboot of the beloved steak house that used to reside just up the block. Rumors say this hangout will become a dining destination, what with its cocktail lounge, main dining room, patio, and private rooms spread across 16,000 square feet and multiple levels.


Set among all the best shopping in the Midwest, the Thompson’s midcentury-style guest rooms with hardwood floors provide the perfect minimalist location to unbox those favorite finds from Michigan Avenue around the corner. Digital nomads can book their work meetings in one of the rooms named after the Chicago Seven: countercultural anti-war protesters charged by the U.S. federal government with conspiracy and intent to incite a riot to stop the Vietnam War. The Abbie Hoffman room is a favorite.

Occupying most of a 38-floor Times Square building, the Reverie Saigon initially made waves for its over-the-top flourishes: the house cars are a limited-edition Rolls-Royce Phantom Dragon and a Maybach, both parked out front; the lobby features a $500,000 jade-and-gold Baldi clock; and the property feels like it used all the marble and Murano glass in Italy. What’s surprising, then, is how well it all works—and how quickly you might feel at ease. A large part of that is thanks to the warm, attentive service (sniffle once, for example, and ginger tea will appear at your doorstep) and the 286 airy guest rooms themselves, which—though full of whimsical touches by international design houses like Visionnaire and Provasi—manage to call to mind serene sanctuaries floating high above the city bustle. The on-site dining options (including places for traditional Cantonese, fine-dining French, and modern Italian) draw local crowds, and the two-story spa features an ozone-infused outdoor pool equipped with underwater speakers—plus some of the best therapists in town.

Centrally located in the heart of the Cayo District, the award-winning San Ignacio Resort Hotel offers guests convenient access to the region’s best sights and activities. San Ignacio Resort Hotel features 24 rooms and has the distinction of being named “Hotel of the Year” in 2012 by the Belize Tourism Board. Room options include a honeymoon suite, regal rooms, deluxe balcony and garden rooms and one spa suite. The on-site restaurant features a number of tantalizing dishes and some of the best traditional food I’ve had in Belize. Check out the on-site Green Iguana Project and learn about San Ignacio Resort Hotel’s conservation efforts in Belize. Be sure to start at least one morning off by bird-watching over breakfast.

Few restaurants have been immortalized in both a popular book and a movie. Nam Kee, operated since 1981 by the Chan family in Amsterdam’s Zeedijk is one. A Chinatown favorite long before Dutch novelist Kees van Beijnum alerted foodies to oysters’ sensual pleasures in De Oesters van Nam Kee (The Oysters of Nam Kee) in 2000, the Cantonese eatery was named Best Chinese Restaurant in the Netherlands by Lonely Planet. In 2009, Time Out Amsterdam recognized it as Best Chinese Restaurant in Amsterdam. A 2010 renovation has replaced the former cold, white tiles with warm woodwork, stone accents and the obligatory Chinese calligraphy scrolls. The revamp has failed to make Nam Kee upscale or fancy, so don’t expect anything romantic or gezellig (cozy). A brightly lit dining room is simply furnished but filled with the flavors of salty soy and sweet ginger wafting from sizzling dishes of classic Cantonese favorites. The fabled Oysters of Nam Kee arrive steamy in their craggy shells, swimming in pools of silky black bean sauce, garnished with crunchy green scallions. My hot and sour soup with seafood was spicy, laden with chunks of shellfish. Friends shared a velvety corn soup with shrimp and minced pork. For light eaters, dim-sum-size appetizers include renditions of classics like Chinese Spring Rolls, Fried Won Tons and Sesame Prawn Toast. Main dishes are more substantial and include such Cantonese specialties as Salt and Pepper Squid redolent of peppercorns and crisp Peking Duck.

My deep love for macarons is no surprise to anyone that knows me, so it’s no wonder that after trying perhaps the finest ever in Paris, I’d look for a temporary fix in Los Angeles. This quest led to the discovery of Bottega Louie, one of my favorite restaurants in LA now. Nestled on the chaotic corner of Grand Avenue and 7th Street in downtown Los Angeles, Bottega Louie really knows how to enchant, intrigue, and satisfy the palate. Serving mostly Italian fare, it’s one of the best brunch places in L.A. (try the lemon ricotta pancakes) and certainly the best macaron bakery in the area. My absolute favorite is the salted caramel. Nothing beats people-watching on a breezy weekend afternoon with a platter of macarons and champagne!