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The latest sign that Luang Prabang, the once-undiscovered unesco World Heritage city on the Mekong River, now fully caters to upscale tastes, Villa Maly is in the former residence of Prince Khamtan, grandson of a 19th-century Lao king. The hotel’s 33 rooms, furnished with four-poster mahogany beds, rain showers, and parquet floors, surround the 1938 French colonial–style home in seven comfortable cabanas. During my stay, I fought the heat by spending time on the dark-wood pool deck ringed by tall palms and tropical flowers. It’s a five-minute stroll to the town’s historic center—and a five-minute stroll back to the hotel’s onsite spa for a massage. —This appeared in the December/January 2010 issue.

There’s a little slice of New Brunswick, Canada, off the coast of Maine, and it’s well worth a visit. Grand Manan Island is accessed by ferry from Black’s Harbour NB. The island is only 34km long and 18km wide, so it doesn’t take long to explore by car. Another popular option is to walk onto the ferry and rent bikes on the island. The main sights on Grand Manan are the beaches, rocky cliffs, and lighthouses. It’s a haven for artists, bird-watchers, and hikers. It’s also a great spot to enjoy fresh seafood. The journey to the island is one of the best parts as you often see whales, seals and other sea life from the ferry decks.

In the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it village of Volcano, on the slopes of Mauna Loa and just outside of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, are a handful of B&Bs and cottage rentals (see also Volcano Rainforest Retreat). Among the oldest—but no less charming for its 25 years—is Volcano Village Estate (previously known as Hale Ohia).


It’s a small cottage colony, with guest quarters scattered around a two-acre estate thickly carpeted in emerald-green moss and shaded by stands of soaring sugi (Japanese cedar) trees. The main house, a quirky Queen Anne style Victorian with a miniature turret and stone chimney that make it look like it was lifted right out of a children’s storybook, dates back to the 1930s when the manager of a sugar plantation built it as a summer holiday home. The gardens were planted by the same master landscape architects responsible for the Liliʻuokalani Gardens in Hilo (at one time the largest Edo style garden outside of Japan).


All guest quarters are sweetly decorated, in a largely Craftsman style with ceramic tiles and soft woods; some have pretty, stained-glass windows. But on a chilly Volcano night—and most of them are since the town sits at 4,000 feet—nothing is quite as romantic as curling up by the fireplace in one of the three stand-alone cottages, unless, of course, it’s sitting in the garden and watching the dazzling night sky, which is reason enough to stay on this side of the island.

I’ve been all over the California coast and Point Lobos is my favorite place to hike. We have hiked every trail in this reserve and never tire of this magical place. You can see many animals, such as sea otters, seals, elephant seals,sea lions, squirrels and deer that are often in little pockets near the trails. Most of the hikes are easy to moderate, you can make them longer by combining them or just hike smaller parts. There is a whalers cabin that has been transformed into a little museum at one end of the reserve.

Le Petit Collectionneur Museum is something of an ode to the nautical history of St Barths, and not a place to do all your island shopping, though you’ll find a few trinkets for sale here and there. Instead, spend your time brushing up on colonial, island, and Caribbean history.

A UNESCO World Heritage site, this hotel was the home of Hispaniola’s first governor, Nicolás de Ovando, and one of the first colonial structures built at the top of cobbled Calle Las Damas (the first paved street in the Americas). Built in 1502 and connected in 1974 during a reconstruction ordered by then President Joaquín Balaguer, the three stone buildings retain their original coffered ceilings, massive arches, tile floors, and brick and stone walls. In addition to 92 rooms and suites, including a dozen Imperial Club rooms overlooking the Ozama River and Don Diego Harbor (Room 4015 has a particularly stunning view and gorgeous bathroom), you’ll find a lovely reading nook, gourmet restaurant, lobby mojito bar, and tranquil garden, which features herbs and fruit trees used by the hotel kitchen.

One of Tasmania’s top tourist attractions is the crumbling ruins of a penal colony, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visit the penitentiary, where 60 stone buildings remain, for a sobering glimpse into the brutal lives of the 12,500 convicts incarcerated here between 1830 and 1877. Visitors can also tour the Dockyard and Port Arthur gardens. There’s so much to see that a guided tour is recommended—especially the one that covers paranormal activity. (There’s also a lantern-lit ghost tour, for brave families only.)

Part cigar store, part bar, and part lounge: Corona Cigar Company is pretty much cigar nirvana for some. With indoor and outdoor seating, including sumptuous leather and wood chairs, this is a chilled spot for a smoke and a drink. Go before a movie or after dinner at the Colonial Town Park.

The flavor and Spanish Colonial charm of San Miguel de Allende come to life at Los Sombreros, where the atmosphere is as enchanting as the satiny mole Poblano sauce. If you travel with a friend, try the 10-course tasting menu. For $75, it serves two and includes dishes like pozole soup, fig and panela cheese salad, and chile relleno. Los Sombreros also has more than a dozen margaritas to choose from as well as specialty drinks like the Tijuana Donkey with tequila, ginger beer and fresh lime.

The main draw at this Australian-run spot is the convivial and bohemian atmosphere. Housed in a stunning 1920s colonial villa in a quiet part of the Old Quarter, the cafe has a rustic, warm vibe. While items from the simple menu can be hit or miss at other times of the day, the breakfast offerings are exemplary and the coffee is right on the money.

In the historic Candelaria district, the 42-room Hotel de la Ópera occupies two colonial townhouses and parts of a 1940s art deco mansion. Head up to the rooftop restaurant, El Mirador, to enjoy ajiaco (potato soup with corn, chicken, and aji chili) along with views of the city’s main cathedral. From $162. 57/(0) 1-336-2066. This appeared in the August/September 2013 issue. Image courtesy of Hotel de la Ópera

Brussels has a number of African influences due to the influx of African immigrants from former Belgian colonies. A great example is the number of African restaurants in town. We ate at KoKob (pictured), an upscale, trendy Ethiopian restaurant. As is tradition in Ethiopia, we ate with our hands from a shared plate using a spongy crepe-like bread to scoop up meats and vegetables. We washed down the meal with St. Georges, a popular Ethiopian beer. Definitely a fun, unexpected experience.

Every day at noon at the Plaza de Armas (also called Plaza Mayor), trumpets blare, drums pound, and cymbals crash as the guard changes outside the presidential palace. Enjoy the Spanish fanfare like a local: from a plaza bench with an ice cream cone. The Plaza is also the site of festivals, concerts, and the much-loved annual National Pisco Day when the fountain spouts free high-proof grape brandy for all.

Why we love it: A 900-year-old fortress-cum-prison reimagined as a luxurious getaway

The Highlights:
- Historical details like artifacts, original ironwork, and a stone arch bearing the seal of Abdul Hamid II
- A fourth-floor infinity pool with uninterrupted views of the Mediterranean Sea
- A full-service spa with a Turkish hammam

The Review:
Located right on the main square in the old city of Jaffa, The Setai Tel Aviv is steeped in history. Built by the Crusaders as a fortress in the 12th century, the property later served as a kishle (jailhouse) under the Ottoman Empire, then a British command post during Israel’s War of Independence. When it became a hotel, the original building, with its stone corridors and inner courtyards, underwent a meticulous restoration that included archaeological digs to uncover several artifacts, which guests can now see in the lobby. Those eager to learn more about the hotel’s history can also walk through the large entry arch, crowned by the seal of Abdul Hamid II, or check out the stone-and-iron prison cells behind the grotto-like lobby bar.

Spread over three newly created floors, the 120 rooms and suites feature an Ottoman-inspired design, complete with richly colored Turkish rugs, laser-cut pendant lamps, dark wood furniture, and sleek, textured headboards. Spacious bathrooms further the luxurious vibe with granite sinks, large bathtubs, and separate rain showers. Elsewhere on property is Jaya, where guests can indulge in an ample breakfast buffet and new-Mediterranean kosher food for lunch and dinner; former prison yards that serve as the hotel’s stunning front and rear courtyards, with comfy seating among verdant lemon trees; and a basement spa, which boasts a traditional Turkish hammam. Still, the hotel’s principal amenity has to be the fabulous infinity pool with panoramic views of the Mediterranean and downtown Tel Aviv—sunsets here are nothing short of spectacular.

The closest thing Stockholm has to a full-scale zoo is quite impressive. Located 90 minutes’ driving from the city, Kolmården Animal Park (Djurpark) is the largest in Scandinavia with about 750 wild attractions from all the jungles, savannas, and oceans of the world. What makes the park exciting, in addition to its wide array of wildlife, is that it opened the world’s first wildlife-park gondola. The gondola takes you high above the trees—think spectacular views of the bay and Baltic—as you cruise over, coming as close as possible to animals from around the world including lions, bears, wolves, elephants, and giraffes. Marine World offers up dolphin and seal shows, while you can get up close to Siberian tigers in Tiger World. For kids, there’s a storybook setting of Bamse’s World, and an adventure camp with Sweden’s largest slide and a petting zoo.