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Bear Mountain Lodge has had many lives since it was first built in 1928. Back then, it was a school for unruly boys from the East Coast; later it became a country club and hotel for the well-heeled; and before artist-turned-innkeeper Linda Brewer bought the property five years ago and turned it into a 10-room lodge, it was owned by the Nature Conservancy. It’s fitting, then, that nature is the main attraction at the lodge, which sits on 178 acres and has horses, cows, and chickens, plus birds and butterflies and a pond that’s home to the endangered Chiricahua Leopard Frog. The Gila National Forest—at 2.7 million acres, the largest wilderness area in the Southwest—is the lodge’s back yard. If you find yourself missing civilization, Silver City is just over three miles away, but escape is really the point here. And while there is Wi-Fi, there aren’t any televisions.

The end to a perfect day in Bozeman is waiting for you somewhere on the doorstep of the beautiful Lehrkind Mansion Bed & Breakfast, quite possibly the most picturesque building in all of Montana. The Victorian marvel is a perfect base for a few days of exploring Bozeman, with a great library filled with inspiring tomes and photography books that will stir your Montana wanderlust further. Each of the mansion’s nine rooms has its own unique character, though The Muir Room is where you want to stay if you’re a writer looking for a spark.

Just minutes from some of the world’s best surf breaks, the Four Seasons has its own surf school offering lessons for all ability levels, from novices to big-wave riders. Surfari Splurge and book a boat trip aboard the Four Seasons’ Explorer, a three-deck catamaran that can get you to some of the area’s most remote atolls. See the Best Every August the resort hosts a week-long international surfing competition that draws both locals and elite athletes such as Tom Curren. You can buy day passes to watch the action. Sleep Therapy Wellness treatments linked to the lunar cycle are scheduled from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. at the resort’s spa, which sits on its own island.

One of my absolute favourite places to be at is the Meritus Club Lounge at the Meritus Pelangi Beach Resort in Langkawi. You have access to the lounge if you’re staying at one of the suites or Club rooms. Breakfast and tea are served here and it feels truly heavenly to be having your morning coffee and croissant under the coconut trees right by the beach. I especially love to come here for tea, around 5:30pm or so. A leisurely paced consumption of the delicious titbits served will ultimately end with a magnificent sunset.

Once the center of commerce in Charleston, the City Market is now the heart of tourism. Although its location near the cruise terminal can make it feel like a kitschy open-air market in the Caribbean, the tackiness is part of its charm. Yes, you’ll find Christmas ornaments painted with Rainbow Row and enough cutely packaged pralines to give you a stomachache, but you’ll also see Gullah artisans weaving the finest examples of sweetgrass baskets available. Peak season brings 140 different merchants, and weekends include live music and food vendors. The market’s a requisite stop for any visitor and a one-stop gift shop for loved ones back home.

It doesn’t get more quintessentially Australian than this: waking up to a symphony of kookaburras and the heady scent of eucalyptus, the sight of kangaroos roaming freely about the 7,000-acre nature reserve. You might be tricked into thinking you’d slept under the stars—if it weren’t for the four-poster bed, flicker of a warm fire, and sunrise reflected from the glittering private pool. A three hours’ drive west of Sydney, this luxury ecolodge feels worlds away, surrounded by sandstone bluffs and sweeping plains filled with leafy gumtrees and Wollemi pines. It has 40 homestead-style villas that are as eco-friendly as they are indulgent: materials sourced within a 60-mile radius, solar panels for hot water and lighting. Highlights include the Aussie cuisine, mostly grown and sourced within 100 miles of the resort (and included in the all-inclusive rate, along with a premium minibar). A fruit orchard and edible garden supplies organic herbs, vegetables, fruits, and nuts.


The most intriguing aspect of the property is an original farmhouse, built around 1832, that hosted Charles Darwin in 1836. Today, the homestead functions as a museum that highlights the Indigenous, settler, and agricultural history of the valley. The comprehensive program of activities gets guests off the homestead: There are peaks to climb, glowworms to ogle, and horses to ride. Following a landslide in 2022, Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley has faced access issues. It is temporarily closed.

It’s no surprise that the opening of this beloved gastropub back in 2007 coincided with Orlando’s rise as a culinary hot spot. While its owners James and Julie Petrakis have not stopped opening other ventures around the city (including at Disney Springs), this local favorite—known for its Cask & Larder beers and sophisticated Southern fare—has hardly waned in popularity. Start with the charcuterie platter (a spread of rillettes, dried sausage, and salami), then choose from favorites like shrimp and grits and the enormous Pub Burger, which comes topped with caramelized onions and buttermilk blue cheese. Whether you come for happy hour, dinner, or something in between, expect a lively atmosphere that’s perfectly suited to groups.

Once a separate town, the leafy colonial neighborhood known as Coyoacán has long been absorbed into the city at large, but retains a separate, old-fashioned air that’s impossible to resist. Restaurants and ice cream parlors (plus some venerable, divey cantinas) cluster around the quarter’s two central plazas that fill daily with strolling families, bootblacks, balloon sellers, and organ grinders. Feeling noshy? Locals swear by the esquites (stewed and seasoned corn kernels) on offer at a street stall next to the Sanborns store, right on Plaza del Centenario. A walk down Calle Francisco Sosa takes you past some of the city’s most valuable (often colonial-era) residences and ends at adorable Plaza Santa Catarina, with its petite parish church and a handful of friendly watering holes when it’s time for a drink or a snack.

There was some trepidation among locals when Rosewood first announced its plans for this 13 plus–acre resort—the largest in the UNESCO World Heritage Site’s cobblestone historic center. But it didn’t take long for both residents and repeat guests to embrace it. The property evokes an authentic sense of place, with buildings made with the limestone used to build parts of the old town, decor crafted by local artists and artisans, and the same beloved ladies making fresh tortillas and sopes at breakfast since the hotel was under construction. Designed to feel like a hacienda, the 67 rooms and seven multibedroom townhouse residences—some of which are available to rent—are scattered around intimate courtyards and gardens, many featuring art and sculptures; a large outdoor pool, rotating indoor art gallery, and spa featuring treatments inspired by indigenous healing traditions are also on-site, while programs such as the Art Concierge help engage guests with the destination. The cuisine is also a big draw: Savor reimagined Mexican flavors and learn about regional wine at the gourmet restaurant; try a tequila tasting at the bar, which turns into a sushi-and-craft-beer spot on the weekends, or join locals for the popular Sunday brunch.

When the Waldorf Astoria opened its Amsterdam outpost in 2014, the iconic brand took six 17th- and 18th-century canal houses—two of which used to be official residences for the mayor, and at least three of which have architectural details by iconic artists—and transformed them into a distinctively Dutch version of world-class luxury. Located in the heart of the historic city, on the picturesque Herengracht canal, the color palette that runs throughout the four eateries (one of which received two Michelin stars within seven months of opening) and the 93 refined rooms were lifted straight from Vermeer’s famous Girl With the Pearl Earring painting. Soothing shades of lapis lazuli and ochre harmoniously complement the views through the large, white-framed windows, whether of the canal or the lush interior garden. The Waldorf also brought the brand’s signature superlative service and decadent spa, guaranteeing that the Amsterdam iteration would be just as beloved by the international elite as the original New York hotel.

The Hermosa Inn, first opened in 1936, has the kind of history that a cowboy keeps under his hat. With 43 rooms and casitas spread across six acres of Arizona desert in the upscale Phoenix suburb of Paradise Valley, the inn was originally the home and studio of cowboy artist Lon Megargee. A $5.5 million renovation completed in March 2017 updated the hotel for the modern era. It still retains a historic feel, but without the possibility of escape it had when Megargee, a welcoming host clearly uninterested in background checks, built a tunnel from the main building to the stable in case a visit by the sheriff made it necessary for less law-abiding guests to execute a quick getaway. But then, with Camelback Mountain as a backdrop, few guests nowadays are in a hurry to leave.

Inspired by the lunar calendar, new spa treatments at the Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne resort on an island south of Miami Beach explore the moon’s influence on the senses. Products from Éminence’s biodynamic line utilize ingredients harvested during corresponding phases of the moon.

Swimming and snorkeling around Xtabi (pronounced “X-tah-bee”) Resort’s underwater caves are a unique experience and a well-kept secret from first-timers. While it’s a great place to stay, overshadowed by places like Rockhouse Hotel, you don’t have to be a guest to enjoy this “meeting place of the Gods” as the name describes. You’ll want to have lunch at the casual, outdoor restaurant first--choices are excellent and include club sandwiches to jerk chicken (even if a tad pricier than from the street grills). After lunch and a rest, change into your swimwear and make your way carefully down the steps until you reach a sandy cove entrance into the sea, beside caves and jutting rocks. Splash in and come out on the front side of the cliffs, where there are ladders to exit or enter as well, if you’re feeling a bit timid. A laid back environment, gorgeous waters--just a tad more jade-colored on this end, for some reason--and underground caves ideal for photo ops make Xtabi a great spot to spend the afternoon. When you tire, climb back up to sip on a Dirty Banana and sunbathe on one of the platforms beside splashing waves.

The Bahamas has many attractions to choose from but if you’re looking for a memorable and exciting excursion then this experience is right for you. Arrange to be picked up either from the port or from any hotel on paradise island. The stables are about a 25 minute drive from downtown Nassau. Whether you’re a novice or an expert at horseback riding, Duke, The trainer at Happy Trails Stables, is very experienced and will teach anyone how to ride a horse the English style. Horses are assigned to you based on your riding experience. (This helps to ensure safety.) Your adventure begins at the stable where Duke will escort you and fellow riders to Coral Harbour Beach. Along your journey you will see breathtaking views of natural unused beaches while you and your horse splash around in the water to cool off. The setting is very intimate since there’s only about 6 horses available for riding. This experience will surely stick with you for a lifetime.

When waterways in the Netherlands freeze into glittering paths, overjoyed residents take to the ice. Visitors can buy or rent a pair of noren (traditional long-blade skates) to glide across town or take part in one of the country’s dozens of tochten, organized tours or races held throughout the nation’s 2,200 miles of canals. Check the local newspaper or the website Schaatsen.nl for route announcements. Ice skating along the frozen lanes also provides a chance to marvel at how the canals have shaped the landscape. Because a quarter of the Netherlands lies below sea level, the Dutch have relied on drainage systems to keep their heads above water. Skate the molentocht, or mill tour, in the UNESCO World Heritage site of Kinderdijk (pictured) to see 19 windmills that once pumped water from the lowlands into the surrounding reservoirs. The historic village about 15 miles from Rotterdam is a peaceful setting for one of the country’s favorite winter pastimes. If you travel to Kinderdijk to skate the molentocht, reserve a room at the Pincoffs Suite Hotel in Rotterdam. Stieltjesstraat 34, 31/(0) 10-297-4500. This appeared in the November/December 2012 issue.