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Do you fancy tootling around London on a classic double-decker bus whilst sipping tea and eating pastries? Of course you do. BB Bakery adds wheels and a French twist to the tradition of afternoon tea. A uniformed driver zips past London’s iconic sights as you enjoy your tea. ...the London Eye, Houses of Parliament, Hyde Park and more. Book early and get a seat on the top deck for the best view and don’t forget to raise a cup to the Queen as you roll past Buckingham Palace. It’s only proper.

Tahiti Iti, Tahiti‘s smaller sister island that’s connected to the main island at the southeast coast, is home to one of the most famous surfing waves in the Pacific, Teahupoo. This powerful reef break most certainly should not be attempted by anyone but the best surfers—a fall means being dragged by the current across the sharp coral right below the surface. That edge of drama makes for a tense but enjoyable afternoon of observation (from the beach). The left break is best between April and October. The Billabong Pro competition is held here August.

Staying in Midtown Manhattan is great if you’re planning to see Broadway shows and wander the paths of Central Park, but if your NYC itinerary includes dining out in Greenwich Village and shopping Soho and cocktails in the Financial District, you may want to consider one of these downtown hotels.

Due to the construction boom in Detroit, new hotels are popping up left and right and there’s something for everyone and every budget. From hipster-chic hotels to luxury icons to cozy inns, Detroit offers a variety of accommodations to suit any taste. Most properties are situated in Midtown, Downtown, Greektown, and Corktown, so you can rest assured you’ll be near all the action.

A trip through Austin’s shops and boutiques will send you home laden down with great vinyl, used and new books, and top-notch vintage western wear, but you may be surprised by local designers, too, showing off their stuff, from fashion to housewares.

Sydney takes its coffee seriously. Even casual joints serve espresso drinks with foam flowers, and locals sip from mugs all day long, even when it’s hot outside. More recently, third-wave coffee has taken over, bringing pour-overs, cold brews, and a new crop of bean geeks to the city.

It’s not often one gets to visit a home designed by legendary architect Frank Lloyd Wright—much less stay in one—but the Palmer House lets you do both. Situated in the nearby city of Ann Arbor, home to the University of Michigan, the brick and cypress home is one of Wright’s last masterpieces and features a teahouse on premises. Guests can rent the three-bedroom house for a quick getaway or for an event (25 people max for the latter).

Taiwanese-style shaved ice desserts (known as “bao-bing” in Chinese) consist of large bowls of finely shaved ice topped with a variety of sweets, including condensed milk, beans, jellies, and fresh fruit. For fifteen years, Ice Monster was a tiny open storefront hawking mango shaved ice on Taipei’s famous foodie destination, Yongkang Street. Its recent move to the trendy East District includes a thorough re-branding as well as a creative expansion of their menu. Although Ice Monster’s mango shaved ice is still a must-order, non-traditionalists will enjoy digging into their new innovative creations like taro and red-bean milk “avalanches”, or sampling a few of their handmade popsicles. My personal favorite is a tribute to Taipei’s most famous drink: a “deconstructed boba milk tea” made with milk tea shaved ice and served with tapioca “bubbles” on the side. 886/(0)2-8771-3263

Expat Dell Taylor (from New Zealand) left accounting for the restaurant business over a decade ago in Santiago when the concept of brunch did not yet exist. Café Melba was born and quickly became the place to get real french toast with real maple syrup, pancakes, eggs benedict and frothy cappuccinos. Her empire has since expanded from the El Golf locale within Las Condes (and adding alcohol to the menu for mimosas). Arrive early to get a table or be prepared to wait. Good venue for families. Don Carlos 2898, Loc 1 (Cross street El Bosque Norte) Phone: 56 (2) 2232 4546

While Campobello Island is located in the Canadian province of New Brunswick, the only access to it by car is by crossing the International Bridge from Lubec, Maine. The 2,800-acre park honoring President Franklin D. Roosevelt covers most of the island’s southern end. The Visitor’s Centre and the Roosevelt Cottage are about a mile from the bridge. Begin there, and register for Tea with Eleanor, an engaging one-hour program during which park interpreters share stories about the former First Lady’s visits to the island over tea and cookies. After touring the 34-room, memento-filled, red-shingled cottage and the exhibits at the Visitor Centre, pick up park maps and explore the carriage roads, picnic areas, beaches, woodlands, lighthouse, hiking trails, and scenic viewpoints.

The debut of Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs sister property is finally here. Conveniently located in Santa Fe, Sunrise Springs offers programs from spa treatments to Eastern and Western practices and Native American teachings, and from nature-based activities to simply decompressing (and unplugging) in a tranquil, serene environment.

The first new building to be constructed on the Bund in 60 years, the terraced, granite Peninsula opened in October 2009. Celebrating the city’s Roaring Twenties, the standalone hotel creates a grand sense of arrival with a sweeping driveway. Art Deco design elements occur throughout the property, and traditional decor employs lacquer, marble, granite, wood, and original art. Rooms and suites come with spacious dressing rooms with a full-length valet box for discreet delivery of laundry and packages; they also feature Peninsula’s industry-leading, intuitive in-room technology, with room functions controlled at the touch of a button, and VOIP telephones that allow guests to make free local and international calls. For arrival and departure in style, book the hotel’s Rolls-Royce Phantoms or 1934 Rolls-Royce Phantom II. The property also has China’s first hotel private yacht, a British-built Princess 54 model.

Why we love it: A landmark-turned-hotel with elegant decor and top-notch dining

The Highlights:
- Five-star hospitality from one of Europe’s first luxury hotel groups
- Three-Michelin-starred cuisine at 15 Stamford
- An outdoor saltwater relaxation pool

The Review:
Located in Singapore’s civic and cultural district, the Capitol Kempinski Hotel is a modern-day union of two historical landmarks: The Capitol Building and Stamford House. Reimagined by late interior designer Jaya Ibrahim and his team (now part of BLINK Design Group), the property stays true to its roots with a colonial-meets-Art-Deco design, including high corniced ceilings, dramatic archways, and grand windows that reveal sweeping city views. Equally elegant are the 157 guestrooms, which boast Chengal wood flooring, custom lacquered Indian rosewood furniture, and cornices resembled fish scales—a reference to the Merlion, Singapore’s official mascot.

The hotel takes pride in its culinary programming, placing a heavy emphasis on high-quality ingredients and a carefully curated wine selection (reflecting the Kempinski brand’s origins as a 19th-century wine merchant). Nowhere is this more evident than at signature restaurant 15 Stamford, where three-Michelin-starred chef Alvin Leung serves reinterpreted Asian classics like Assam suckling pig with fresh fig and Hokkaido scallops with shiso and soy jelly. For something more casual, sample the specialty rums and chocolates at The Bar at 15 Stamford; take your afternoon tea at The Lobby Lounge; indulge in German breads and pastries at Berthold Delikatessen; or fill up on German-Austrian fare at Frieda. When you need a break from all that eating, pay a visit to the outdoor saltwater pool or spa, where the team performs calming treatments with award-winning products from Gaylia Kristensen.

Every book will tell you to have high tea at the Empress in Victoria, and you should. They welcomed our three-generation group, including 2 kids under 6, and had hot chocolate for those who didn’t want tea. They also had a full gluten-free option, which was a very welcome surprise. I recommend the Empress blend tea with milk and sugar, and the peppermint also got the stamp of approval from our group. The tri-level tray of treats is the fun part: chicken curry finger sandwiches and cake wrapped in marzipan were the faves. It’s actually fun and not stuffy at all, which was my fear.

With so many coffees to choose from, it will be hard to choose what to bring home. Coffee is great souvenir and all the shops and farms offer their beans and grounds along with coffee mugs, tshirts, and other souvenir items. Kona Coffee and Tea has a store and a cafe where you can visit and taste the flavors before you decide what to take home!