“Who knows what the Big Five are?” my guide Kets asks as we bounce over sand dunes in Botswana’s Makgadikgadi National Park. “What about the Ugly Five?” he laughs. “And the Tiny Five?” The humour of the safari stereotypes, and the questionable ethics behind them (“The Big Five” aren’t the rarest, but the hardest for hunters to kill) aren’t lost on us. We’ve come to the Makgadikgadi and the Okavango Delta, two less visited regions of Botswana that swiftly reveal there’s much more to this vibrant country than a safari checklist.

Not to say I don’t have a checklist. I’m as enthralled as the next city slicker to see my first tower of giraffes in the wild. The privilege of seeing these graceful giants without another vehicle in sight was worth the extra flight on Safari Air. The journey is part of the adventure. Our hosts, Desert & Delta – a locally owned and run organisation for over 40 years – run nine lodges in lesser trodden corners of the country.

Migrating zebras and noisy elephants

Arriving at Leroo La Tau Lodge, perched on the western flank of Makgadikgadi Pans National Park, brought a cluster of surprises. The bungalows’ protruding balconies give views of thousands of migrating zebras, sauntering around the watering holes in the dried-up river below. The erstwhile Boteti River is now a ravine, as the water flowing through the delta changed direction following a shift in the tectonic plates. It’s the only inland delta in the world and doesn’t lead out to sea, just one fact that makes this lodge feel almost ethereal. The stretch is so laden with animals, herds of noisy elephants, wildebeest and zebra, all passing my bedroom, that we almost don’t need to go on safari but of course we do, bright and early.

Bumping around in our comfortable 4x4 I marvel at Kets’ eyesight. It’s as if he has a sixth sense, pointing out the tiniest of birds and shy steenbok (a small antelope), while the rest of us bop up and down with excitement every time we see an elephant. They may be easy to spot but are never not thrilling. Kets is one of the expert team, led by veteran ranger Metal Matmos, who has worked for Desert & Delta for 17 years. Metal has the answer to everything – whether its the details of our itinerary or what to do when a local leopard makes a late-night appearance. The answer, delivered with signature laugh, was “stay inside” – advice we gladly adhere to while the big cat roars in search of its mate.

Starlit sleepovers and birds of the delta

Leroo La Tau also takes groups out on overnight trips to the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans. Sleeping under the stars on the flats is humbling, no matter how many times you do it. Metal’s been visiting the park for almost two decades and is still enthralled. “I think about theories on the evolution of humankind between enjoying the scenery” he muses.

Heading northwest to the verdant Okavango Delta, we disembark from our tiny plane at Shakawe’s landing strip after flying over veins of water running through vast greenery as far as the horizon. The hour-long flight was followed by a lengthy drive in a 4x4 before arriving at our smaller, remote boutique resort, Nxamaseri Island Lodge, built on the banks of the water.

Here the lodge’s rangers transport us on boats, searching for hippos who give themselves away by clusters of bubbles rising to the surface of the bayou. Hippopotamuses, I learn, can stay submerged for five minutes and, despite being herbivores, are responsible for the most human fatalities on safari. I’m slightly unnerved as we float around, engine quietened, looking for a lonely male who we saw in the distance. The hippo finally emerges, parallel to the reeds that cushion the waterways, but he glides away, not keen to socialise, thankfully. I’m glad to get back to my exquisite tent of a room and kick back on my veranda to watch for eagles.

The birds of the delta are a revelation. We spy egret, heron, purple heron, kite, black geese, hamerkop, a kaleidoscope of bee-eaters, malachite kingfishers, white-backed night heron, fish-eating eagles and one Pel’s fishing owl back at the lodge. Fishing trips are also on offer and one of our gang goes out to catch dinner, which is made into delicious fish cakes by the lodge’s excellent chef. This stop at Nxamaseri Island Lodge really cements the rumour I’d heard pre-trip; there’s much more to Botswana than its wildlife.

Magical hiking in the Tsodilo Hills

I didn’t think my jaw could drop more but as a former art historian my highlight comes at the Unesco-listed Tsodilo Hills; four terracotta and copper coloured mountains jutting out of the Kalahari Desert like islands. These hills are the sacred home of a trove of 4,500 ancient cave paintings made by the San people up to 20,000 years ago.

We arrive in the foothills by sunset on the night of a full moon and the San staff and villagers tell us their legends. Descendants of the great cave painters, they perform their folk tales through dance and song; 19 villagers harmonising, clapping and stamping their ancient stories. Shamans in this group believe spirits of ancestors speak to them through the fire, telling them where to go hunting. After an impressive dinner we sleep in small pods, cleverly constructed by Desert & Delta, who are the only company with accommodation here by Tsodilo, meaning we can rise at the same time as the sun to head off for our hike.

The San believe their ancestors’ spirits rest in the hills and as we ascend the paths that loop Tsodilo there’s a palpable atmosphere of reverence. “This is Tsodilo that you’ve been looking for,” whispers Gabo, our guide who has worked on this site every day for more than 20 years. He leads us to a handful of the 420 sites of finger and hand painted forms, which are mostly human and animal figures, depicted in hematite and ostrich egg yolk, which served to make it so mind-bogglingly durable.

Beating the heat is the name of the game here, and on seeing a coach trip arrive at midday, we were glad we got up early. While they climbed the hills, we enjoy a hearty post-hike brunch. As captivating as the safari runs were, it’s the cultures of the 13 different communities of Botswanans we encountered that made this trip. I’ve been on safari before but nothing beats this, I decide, as we board the plane home.

Lucie was a guest of Desert & Delta Safaris; desertdelta.com

The South’s gorgeous — and diverse — beaches offer nearly every type of seaside experience. You can feel the white sand between your toes in Florida, kayak in Alabama’s turquoise waters, watch turtles nest in Texas and ride the waves in South Carolina. Whatever you’re seeking, you’ll find it at one of these eight wash-your-cares-away beaches.

Destin, Florida

Destin is one of the gems of Florida’s Emerald Coast. The soft, white sand beaches are perfect for lounging on, and the water is a “slightly different shade of gorgeous” than any other spot along the Florida Panhandle, said Southern Living. Destin is also known as the “World’s Luckiest Fishing Village,” due to the wide variety of fish species swimming in its waters. Visitors can fish year-round, including from the shore, or learn more about angling at the Destin History & Fishing Museum.

Folly Beach, South Carolina

At Folly Beach, you’ll find an “eclectic mix of Southern charm and seaside cool” that sets it apart from other coastal destinations, said Outside. It’s only 12 miles from downtown Charleston, with warm water “ideal for sunbathing, swimming and, of course, surfing.” The best time to hang 10 is during the winter. But visiting in the summer, when Folly Beach buzzes at “full intensity,” is the “prime time for live music, festivals, outdoor movies and crowds.”

Gulf Shores, Alabama

Have a surf and turf experience at Gulf Shores. Spend part of your day in the sea, fishing, snorkeling and kayaking through the blue-green water. Then enjoy the rest of it on land, learning about native plants and animals at the Gulf State Park Nature Center and building towering sand castles with private lessons through Sand Castle University.

Once the sun sets, make your way to DeSoto’s Seafood Kitchen for dinner. The fish is fresh, sides are made from scratch and the royal red shrimp, which taste like tender lobster, are a must-order.

Jekyll Island, Georgia

This barrier island boasts 10 miles of unspoiled shoreline, with each beach different from the next. Oceanview Beach Park offers unparalleled views of the Atlantic Ocean, Glory Beach has sand dunes and wide open spaces and Driftwood Beach is “scattered with huge, twisted, sea-weathered branches and tree trunks” ideal for “fun scampering and a dramatic photo op,” said Atlanta Magazine. The island is “relatively flat,” and walking and biking trails “meander” through salt marshes and live oaks.

Orange Beach, Alabama

Its “long strip of white quartz sand” and “aquamarine waters” give laidback Orange Beach “that quintessential Gulf Coast look,” said Travel and Leisure. Aquatic sports enthusiasts flock here for “jet skiing, kayaking and sailing” and swim and dive under its “glassy waters.” At night, head to The Wharf, a pet-friendly entertainment district where you can catch a movie, grab dinner and end the night with a Ferris wheel ride.

South Padre Island, Texas

This is party central for college students on spring break, but during the rest of the year, a “more mellow vibe prevails,” said Condé Nast Traveler. Surfing, parasailing and horseback riding on the beach are some of the more active ways to spend a day, while a visit to the South Padre Island Birding, Nature Center & Alligator Sanctuary, home to “stilt-legged birds, colorful butterflies and about 50 rescued ’gators” is more relaxing, said Condé Nast Traveler. It’s not only beachgoers who flock here — South Padre Island is popular with nesting turtles, who come between April and August.

Virginia Beach, Virginia

A highlight of Virginia Beach is its “classic” boardwalk, stretching three miles and all but guaranteeing a “lovely sunrise or evening stroll,” said Southern Living. Oceanfront Beach, with its massive King Neptune statue, is on one side, and stores, restaurants and hotels are on the other. Seasoned surfers enjoy catching waves here, but Virginia Beach is an “ideal” place for newbies too. The waves are a lot “calmer and a bit gentler than the barrels found out west,” making them easier to ride, and there are multiple surf schools offering private and group lessons.

Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina

When in Wrightsville Beach, pack a book in your bag, but don’t be surprised if you never crack it open. That’s because the “wide, clean sands and sparkling waters” beckon visitors, who jump in to go kayaking, paddleboarding and surfing, said AAA Trip Canvas. The atmosphere is “active and energetic” and inclusive for all: There is a wheelchair-accessible beach so everyone can relish the sun, sand and surf.

Toronto may not be top of your travel list, but there are so many reasons it should be. This vibrant city is a foodie’s sanctuary, a shopper’s delight, and a cultural hub bursting with museums, galleries and cafes.

Located downtown on University Avenue, the beautiful and luxurious hotel Shangri-La Toronto makes the perfect base to explore everything the city has to offer.

Why stay here?

Shangri-La’s central location means you can explore this multicultural metropolis, while enjoying a five-star stay with world-class comfort and service. But you may have to drag yourself outside; the spacious rooms and suites are bright and comfortable with floor-to-ceiling windows, hi-tech controls and marble furnishings.

My suite was an impressive 820 sq ft and featured a walk-in wardrobe, separate living room and stunning marble bathroom with a walk-in shower and a deep-soaking bath, where you can relax and take in the spectacular views – over iconic landmarks like the 1,1815ft CN Tower – day and night. The bathrooms are kitted out with divine John Masters Organic toiletries.

Toronto is easy to reach with direct Air Canada flights from Heathrow, and use of its Maple Leaf lounges when you fly business class. The hotel is a half-hour taxi ride from the airport and has an impeccable concierge service; the staff are happy to offer advice on what to see and how to get there.

Eating and drinking

Breakfast at Shangri-La Toronto is worth waking up for. It’s not your typical buffet, but an experience in itself with dishes that include a wellness frittata, duck congee, and homemade granola. It’s served at the hotel’s signature Bosk Restaurant, where dinner is just as delicious. The evening menu celebrates northern Italian flavours, sourcing produce from Canadian farmers and businesses.

One of the places the hotel sources its ingredients is St Lawrence Market, a short walk away. I took a tour with Bosk Restaurant’s chef de cuisine, Troy Cabarios. The market sells foods from around the world, reflecting Canada’s diverse population, and some of the stalls have been there for generations.

With your appetite woken, there are plenty of cafes and restaurants to try outside the hotel. I visited Takja BBQ House, a Korean restaurant where meat and seafood is grilled in the middle of your table. Lunch at the Peller Estates winery, producer of the best wine in Canada, is a must. It is close to Niagara Falls, so you can combine the two on a day trip. The winery runs a lunch and wine-tasting package, plus a tour of the winery. A five-course tasting menu starts from $200 (£107), and a tour alone costs from $45 (£24).

Don’t miss the 10below Icewine Lounge, made completely of ice, including the furniture. Its temperature remains at -10C all year round, which is the temperature Peller sets for harvesting its ice wine grapes. In the chilled atmosphere, enjoy a glass of the well-known Canadian ice-wine – liquid gold!

Things to do

As you may expect, the hotel’s Miraj Hammam Spa offers the perfect way to unwind and relax after a busy day of shopping and sightseeing. Middle Eastern wellness rituals blend with modern needs – you’ll want to try more than one treatment. I opted for a deep tissue massage, one of the best I have had, but you may be tempted by the Turkish bath or a Sodashi plant-based facial. You can also sample some in-room spa time: book the ‘bath butler experience’ in advance and your bath will be set up with petals, a candle and a bath bomb, alongside optional room service.

No visit to Toronto is complete without a tour of Niagara Falls, 80 miles away on the other side of Lake Ontario. But for something really special, book a trip with Niagara Helicopters, where you’ll have the opportunity to capture the most amazing views of the Falls. It doesn’t come cheap: a 12-minute flight costs $200 (£107) but you’ll leave with some incredible memories. I also tried out the recently opened virtual experience at Niagara Parks, where the immersive ride ($33 [£17] for adults) lets you soar above Lake Ontario and the thundering falls without boarding a helicopter.

While the falls is an unmissable side trip, there is plenty more to see. Don’t miss the CN Tower for amazing views of the city, Little Canada, the Aquarium – and the historic Distillery District is a must-see. See what’s on during your visit at Visit Toronto.

The verdict

Just as you would expect from any Shangri-La hotel, the Toronto outpost made my visit to the city truly enjoyable. It’s a seriously classy hotel and I found it the perfect place to come back to after exploring everything the busy city has to offer. If you want to combine adventure, luxury and relaxation, the Shangri-La is the place to stay.

Kalpana was a guest of the Shangri-La Toronto; shangri-la.com

The UK is home to some incredible birdwatching spots, but Europe’s scale and variety of wildlife is just as tantalising for twitchers. As migration season begins, get ready for an influx of species, from flamingos to forest woodpeckers. Here are some of the best destinations in Europe to try this spring.

The Camargue, France

“Few who slurp fizz on the French Riviera realise that one of Europe’s most rewarding birding destinations lies nearby,” said James Stewart in The Times. Situated on the south coast of France between Montpellier and Marseille, the Camargue is home to “abundant birdlife”. From autumn until spring, “thousands of flamingos” descend on the marshland, and touring around the Pont de Gau Ornithological Park is “photo magic”. For keen bird-lovers, consider driving half an hour inland for a chance to spot rare Bonelli’s eagles in the Alpilles mountains.

Andalusia, Spain

One of Andalusia’s biggest perks as the southernmost point of Europe is that it sits on “important migratory routes” between the continent and Africa, said David Escribano in Condé Nast Traveller. Each year, “millions of birds” make the nine-mile flight over the Strait of Gibraltar. The region is home to some of Spain’s “most elusive” birds, such as the “endangered Spanish imperial eagle, crested coot and red-necked nightjar”. Further north, the region is filled with the “colourful” oriole, hoopoe and the “beautiful” European bee-eater.

Bonus tip: head to the Fuente de Piedra Lagoon, famous for its colony of greater flamingos and the birds’ only breeding ground in Europe not located in a coastal area.

Folegandros, Greece

This “lesser-known” Cycladic island lies between Paros and Santorini, and is home to a reserve protecting the rare Eleonora’s falcon, which has a global population of under 20,000, said Freya Bromley in National Geographic. You can take part in seasonal bird monitoring programmes and volunteer surveillance expeditions to nearby inlets. For dedicated birdwatchers, you can even participate in measuring nestling growth, or for newcomers, depart on educational hikes with conservation experts.

Transylvania, Romania

Transylvania is one of Europe’s “last great unspoilt wildernesses”, said Stephen Moss in The Telegraph. You can see majestic Ural and eagle owls hunting at dusk, and the forests are home to “several species of woodpecker, including the largest member of the family in Europe, the crow-sized black woodpecker”. Be sure to travel into the mountains where you might spot “golden eagles soaring above, and also one of the most striking and beautiful birds in the world, the wallcreeper”.

You may be focused on what’s happening overhead, but don’t forget to keep an eye out for Romania’s other headline attraction: “Europe’s largest predator, the brown bear”.

Airlines are feeling the strain of swelling oil prices resulting from the Iran war and closure of the Strait of Hormuz. To deal with higher operating costs, many companies are making changes that shift the burden to consumers, including higher baggage fees, more fuel surcharges and canceled routes.

How are higher gas costs affecting airlines?

Airlines and their customers across the U.S. are being impacted but especially those based in four major hubs: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles and New York City. In these locations, the average price for a gallon of jet fuel is currently $4.25, according to the aviation trade association Airlines for America. On Feb. 27, the day before the war in Iran started, the average price was only $2.50. Airlines are also “facing an increase in the amount of fuel their aircraft use because of extra miles required to avoid flying over the conflict zone,” said The Guardian.

Fuel is already an expensive cost for aviators and is “generally airlines’ largest expense after labor,” said Quartz. Airlines are feeling the pressure as a result. If prices were to stay at their current level, it would mean an “extra $11 billion in annual expense just for jet fuel,” said United CEO Scott Kirby in a memo to employees. For “perspective, in United’s best year ever, we made less than $5 billion.”

How are airlines adapting?

Many are adding “extra fees and surcharges onto already rising ticket prices” to “recoup costs as the war in Iran causes fuel costs to surge,” said The New York Times. Luggage is one common area where airlines are bumping up the price. Delta and Southwest announced they would “start charging $10 more to check a bag on U.S. domestic flights,” days after United and JetBlue said the same.

The company with the most notable baggage changes may be American. The airline said it would “raise the fee by $10 each for the first and the second checked bag for travelers booking domestic and short-haul international flights,” said The Detroit News. The company also “increased the cost of a third checked bag by $50 to $200” for fliers and additionally announced an upcoming $5 increase on checked bags for passengers flying economy.

Some airlines are also including pricing for the fuel itself. Canada’s second-largest airline, WestJet, announced it would “add fuel surcharges of up to 60 Canadian dollars, or about $43, to some flights,” said the Times. Air Canada unveiled surcharges of 50 Canadian dollars to certain warm-weather destinations. For passengers, the decisions from airlines resulted in “rising fares and fees, fewer flight options and difficult decisions about whether a trip is worth the cost,” said The Associated Press.

Airlines are also cutting the number of places they go. Several Asian airlines have stated they would “cut flights to mitigate fuel shortages and mounting costs,” said Business Insider. Ryanair, Europe’s largest carrier, is also “considering reducing routes,” while Lufthansa could ground up to 40 planes. Air New Zealand will “cut about 5% of its flights, or about 1,100, at the start of May,” and in the U.S., United and Delta are both cutting routes.

As the world creeps toward peak travel season, industry leaders are taking notice of the fuel shortages. ACI Europe, an association representing airports in the European Union, notes these shortages could “hit within three weeks, disrupting summer travel and ‘significantly’ harming the European economy,” said CNBC. For people who still want to fly, experts say “flexibility and careful planning can help offset these costs,” said the AP, and “fare-tracking sites can alert travelers to price changes.”

Visiting a public garden is one of the best ways to get outside. You feel the sun’s warmth on your skin as you stroll by the trees and flowers in bloom, appreciating every leaf and petal. Give yourself the gift of fresh air and time well spent by taking a trip to one of these splendid gardens.

Edward James Sculpture Garden, Las Pozas, Mexico

During the 1960s, “eccentric” British poet and Surrealist art patron Edward James traveled to the Mexican rainforest and created this “otherworldly” sculpture garden, said The New York Times. More than 30 “elaborate” and often “nonsensical” statues and structures, with curious names like “The House of Three Stories That Could Be Five,” are scattered about, surrounded by massive ferns, orchids and waterfalls. Every area vies for your attention; exploring this topsy-turvy landscape feels like “stepping into a dream.”

Gardens by the Bay, Singapore

A 250-acre “fantasy land” of “space-age biodomes” and “whimsical sculptures,” Gardens by the Bay is known for its over-the-top features, said Lonely Planet. The “astonishing” Cloud Forest, with its 114-foot waterfall and aerial walkways through the trees, feels straight out of the tropics, while the Flower Dome “replicates the dry Mediterranean climates found across the world.” Once the sun sets, the giant trees of the Supertree Grove slowly illuminate for Garden Rhapsody, a nightly light and music show.

The High Line, New York City

Manhattan’s urban landscape is on “full display” at the High Line, said Condé Nast Traveler. This former freight rail turned “elevated, mixed-use public park” is a prime example of New York City “cleverly” turning “old spaces into exactly what you want them to be.” More than a dozen garden zones can be found along the 1.45-mile-long stretch, where perennials, grass, trees and shrubs come together in “perfect unkempt harmony.”

Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, Cape Town, South Africa

This trailblazing botanical garden, established in 1913, was the first in the world to focus solely on indigenous plants. It sits in a lovely spot on the eastern slope of Table Mountain, and though the garden “showcases more than 7,000 species,” a “high priority” is given to plants in the fynbos biome, like “stiff, structured proteas” and “shaggy, flowering ericas,” said The New York Times. Get a bird’s-eye view by taking the Tree Canopy Walkway, a curved bridge that offers “mountain vistas and sweeping forest views.”

Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania

Conservatories, topiaries, aquatic plants, meadows, dazzling fountains and more await at the spectacular 1,100-acre Longwood Gardens. The collection of plants is “incredible,” as is the main conservatory filled with “lush” displays that change seasonally, said USA Today. Variety is key to Longwood Gardens’ success, as visitors have plenty of sections to wander, including the spacious new Orchid House, tranquil Bonsai Courtyard, verdant Waterlily Court and the modern Cascade Garden, designed by Roberto Burle Marx.

Marqueyssac Gardens, Vézac, France

Nearly four miles of pathways wind their way through this enchanting garden, where more than 150,000 boxwood trees are “meticulously laid and manicured” to “create mesmerizing patterns,” said Veranda. Marqueyssac sits on a cliff overlooking the Dordogne Valley and offers impressive views of the land and river below. Peacocks roam freely and are often spotted enjoying the garden’s beauty.

Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, Sydney, Australia

Pack a picnic, don comfortable walking shoes and prepare to spend all day at Australia’s oldest botanic garden. Spread across 74 acres, Royal Botanic Garden Sydney is home to more than 5,000 native and international species and “adorned with ornamental plants, rolling lawns and ancient trees,” said Condé Nast Traveler.

Highlights include the Cadi Jam Ora garden, which “shares native, Aboriginal plants and those brought from Europe by Britain’s First Fleet,” and The Calyx, a “living art gallery” and one of the largest green walls in the southern hemisphere. Leave enough time to see the ancient Wollemi pine, one of the rarest plants on Earth.

Wrest Park, Bedfordshire, England

The grand gardens at Wrest Park date back hundreds of years, giving visitors the chance to go on a “journey through three centuries of landscape design,” said The Times. The formal gardens showcase English, French, Dutch and Italian landscaping styles and “ornate” sculptures, but “venture beyond the pretty parterres and perfumed borders” and you’ll find far less manicured woodland trails. For fans of “Bridgerton,” if the grounds look familiar, that’s because scenes for season two and three were filmed on the property.

Nothing about these impeccably designed hotels is ordinary. With their architecture, decor and aesthetics, each property welcomes you into a thoughtfully curated world. Every detail tells a story and enhances your stay.

Ashford Castle, Cong, Ireland

Go back in time at Ashford Castle. Built in 1228, the estate was purchased by the Guinness family in the 1800s and used to “entertain guests — among them, George V — and display the family’s wealth and influence,” said Country Life. Now part of the Red Carnation Hotel Collection, Ashford Castle remains “luxury personified,” its common spaces filled with “rich fabrics” and “glittering chandeliers.” The 83 guest rooms each have their own individual designs. A standout is the King’s Room, featuring “plush” seating, a “sumptuous” velvet four-poster bed, dramatic floral wallpaper and a fireplace.

Hotel Château Du Grand-Lucé, Loire Valley, France

This “impressive” 18th-century chateau is a shining example of neoclassical architecture, where “grandeur is still the order of the day,” said the Michelin Guide. Think extravagant toile and damask wallpaper, limestone and French white oak flooring, crystal chandeliers and heavy curtains tied back with impressive tassels.

No two rooms are alike, with the Barron Suite being the crown jewel. It boasts 17-foot-tall ceilings, a private library filled with classic French literature and the marvelous Salon Chinois, a sitting room named in honor of the chinoiserie-style paintings by prominent French artist Jean-Baptiste Pillement that adorn the walls.

La Valise San Miguel, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

Tucked away in a “vibrant” corner of San Miguel de Allende is La Valise San Miguel, a “surrealist sanctuary” designed to “pay tribute” to the city’s history of art and culture, said Condé Nast Traveler. The property’s bold blend of “psychedelic installations and famous furnishings” by Mexican artist Pedro Friedeberg mixes seamlessly with mid-century furniture and “rich textiles.” Guests have six “completely unique” suites to choose from, and each one has a “standout” design feature, like a domed shower or white-stucco fireplace “adorned with Aztec monkeys.”

L'oscar, London, England

With Oscar Wilde serving as his inspiration, French interior designer Jacques Garcia gave new life to an old Edwardian baroque-style church, turning it into an exquisite boutique hotel dripping in gilded decor and rich silk, damask and velvet fabrics. Both Wilde and Garcia are “known for decadence, in different ways,” and L’oscar is “nothing if not decadent,” said the Michelin Guide.

The 39 guest rooms and suites and common areas are decorated in “hyper-saturated jewel tones,” with objets d’art on every surface and gorgeous Lalique bird-shaped lights illuminating the corners. Some original details remain, like opulent plastered ceilings and terra-cotta panels.

Leela Palace Jaipur, Jaipur, India

The attention to detail at Leela Palace Jaipur is extraordinary. Inspired by “Indian royal heritage,” the property is all about “opulence,” with marble corridors, hand-painted ceilings, frescoes and “impressive” flower displays” in the rooms and common spaces, said The Independent.

Even dinner is an extravagant affair. Jamavar (formerly known as Mohan Mahal) is the hotel’s signature restaurant, filled with 3,500 hand-cut mirrors that make the candlelight dance. The menu focuses on traditional Rajasthani cuisine with a modern twist, and between the food and ambiance, dining here is a “truly spectacular experience.”

Mandarin Oriental Bangkok, Bangkok, Thailand

When you arrive at the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok, expect to “nearly strain your neck trying to take in all the splendor,” said Condé Nast Traveler. The hotel opened in 1876 as The Oriental, and over time the property has expanded while retaining much of its original charm.

The lobby alone is a dream, with its “lattice woodwork, cascading florals, giant birdcage-style chandeliers and printed sofas.” Inside the rooms, you’ll find a “British East Indies aesthetic” based on “Bermuda pink, sea green or creamy yellow,” along with teak and leather furnishings and fresh orchids.

Romeo Roma, Rome, Italy

Rome’s past and present blend together beautifully at Romeo Roma. Zaha Hadid Architects transformed the 16th-century patrician mansion into a “striking” hotel where materials include “polished Macassar ebony,” and steel and glass are “teased into a riot of swirling, curving and overlapping forms,” said The Telegraph.

Contemporary art work, frescoes and artifacts discovered during the property’s restoration, including a marble head of the Roman empress Livia Drusilla, are also on display. You can get a glimpse of ancient times in the pool — it has a transparent base so swimmers can look down at the archaeological remains of Ripetta port.

Royal Palms Resort and Spa, Phoenix, Arizona

Desert decadence looks different at Royal Palms Resort and Spa. The 1929 Spanish Colonial mansion anchoring the property “stands in sharp contrast” to the “bland, corporate architecture” of area chain hotels, said the Michelin Guide. Hand-painted tiles, antique furnishings and oriental rugs “defy the usual pastel Southwesternisms” and give the resort a “distinctly Mediterranean feeling.” The grounds are just as stunning, and even on the hottest summer day guests feel at ease walking through the lush, shaded gardens planted nearly 100 years ago.

Spier Hotel, Stellenbosch, South Africa

The recently renovated Spier Hotel puts a chic spin on farmhouse style. It’s clear the design “prioritizes comfort,” with “plush linens” and gas fireplaces in rooms plus a “curated selection of artworks” like “delicate botanical drawings” and “mosaic murals,” said Travel and Leisure. Nearly every item and material, down to the jacquard throws and table placemats, was made in — or sourced from — South Africa. Spier Hotel is part of the Spier Wine Farm, and check-in takes place in its wine bar.

“February in Salinas is likely to be damp and cold and full of miseries.” So wrote John Steinbeck in “East of Eden”, describing how the weather patterns of Central California governed the agricultural land and the farmers who worked it.

Arriving in the same valley under unseasonably blue skies and warm winter sun, you might be tempted to think that Steinbeck’s California has vanished entirely. But travel through this stretch of the West Coast on the trail of the American writer and there are echoes of his world all around you.

Cannery Row and Pacific Grove

We stayed at the Spindrift Inn, right on Cannery Row itself, and having re-read the novel on the flight over, I was delighted to find myself dropped into the heart of its comic, ramshackle happenings.

The sardine canneries that once defined the strip are long gone – victims of overfishing in the 1940s and 50s – but the bones of the place remain. During an early morning stroll I found Doc’s Pacific Biological Laboratory, the original building still standing, a modest placard acknowledging the legend within. Doc was modelled on Ed Ricketts, Steinbeck’s closest friend and intellectual companion, whose passion for the bay’s marine life shaped Steinbeck's own philosophy throughout his writing.

Today, the bay holds some of the richest marine biodiversity on earth, a fact that would have delighted Ricketts and Steinbeck. From the near-panoramic window of our room at the Spindrift, we were greeted each morning by sea otters floating on their backs in the kelp beds, pods of dolphins arcing through the swell and the occasional seal hauled out on a nearby promontory.

A beautiful coastal walking path connects Cannery Row to Pacific Grove, the small town where Steinbeck lived for a time, and it’s worth the stroll. The architecture is predominantly grand Victorian villas in candy-box lilacs and creams, their aged wooden panels faintly reminiscent of a Norwegian coastal town.

We had lunch at the aptly named Aliotti’s Victorian Corner Restaurant, a charming throw-back, with healthy portions. Monterey town rewards an afternoon’s wandering before dinner; we ate at Stokes Adobe, a tastefully restored building whose Californian menu feels entirely in keeping with the town’s layered history.

Tracing Steinbeck’s steps in Salinas

Salinas sits inland, the undisputed centre of one of the most productive agricultural valleys on earth. Steinbeck grew up here, and his ambivalent relationship with the place – he was largely shunned by its conservative establishment after “The Grapes of Wrath” – is one of the more poignant stories in American literary history.

The California Welcome Center, housed in what was once the first railway station in the region, is an excellent scene-setter. It tells the story of Monterey County’s agricultural heritage with sweep and intelligence: from the Southern Pacific Company’s campaigns to attract settlers westward, to the valley’s evolution, to the family businesses that have grown into global leaders.

It makes clear something Steinbeck knew instinctively: California was built by migration. It was the Swiss who brought dairy expertise, the Italians who planted artichokes and the Chinese who constructed the railways. There were also the Japanese abalone fishermen, and the Mexican labourers whose descendants now make up the majority of the population and whose food, available all over town, is extraordinary.

We had coffee and cake at the Steinbeck House, the grand Victorian home where he was born. Now run as a restaurant by a non-profit, it’s an inspired solution to the challenge of preserving a literary heritage home: perpetually full of Steinbeck pilgrims comparing notes over homemade lunch. We received a brief tour of the downstairs floor by a volunteer, including the front room where Steinbeck was born.

The Californian landscape is a central character in Steinbeck’s fiction and in particular in the seminal “East of Eden”, where the Salinas Valley is rendered with a loving, geological intimacy.

A short drive from town into the valleys (along the rural River Road rather than the official John Steinbeck Highway) takes you through miles of vineyard and farmland, past dozens of family wineries. We visited Odonata Winery for a tasting: the valley’s cool winds and marine influence produce excellent chardonnays and pinot noirs, and the experience was unhurried and delicious.

Big Sur and the storied Highway 1

Steinbeck experienced Big Sur before Route 1 was even built, working as part of the first surveying crew in the area, pre-construction. The storied road had reopened just a month before our visit, following storm-induced landslides that had closed this notoriously fragile, distractingly beautiful, coast for months.

Steinbeck’s short story “Flight” is set along this stretch, tracing the primal, terrifying journey of a young man fleeing into the mountains after a killing, and as you edge into the cloak of the redwood forest, the violence buried in this landscape doesn’t feel far away.

We stayed for two nights in this area. First, at Glen Oaks Big Sur, a historic property that began as a 1950s motor lodge and has evolved into a rustic-modern retreat. We had dinner at Fernwood Resort, a short moonlit walk from our cabin, where we enjoyed burgers on a vast decking area surrounded by redwoods. The evening was elevated by live music from a local country band, complete with a pedal steel guitar, reminiscent of Lee Hazlewood.

The scale of this coastline only reveals itself on foot and we spent both days exploring spectacular, well-worn trails. We hiked in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park on a route that rises through redwoods and opens on to vertiginous coastal views, and ate a picnic on a clifftop watching two whales make their slow way across the bay. A morning hike up Buzzard’s Roost trail in Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park rewarded us with a panoramic view of the ocean below, before circling back to the Big Sur Lodge for a well-earned coffee in the stately lobby.

Lunch at the Post Ranch Inn was a world apart. We scrubbed off the morning’s soil, put on our best outfits and made our way up the miles-long winding road to a restaurant that is essentially one enormous sheet of glass looking over rolling hills that fall into the sea. The staff are extraordinarily attentive and the food spectacular. The day closed with a sunset drink at Nepenthe, the famous clifftop restaurant and terrace. It’s not to be missed; the entire mountain-range turns blood orange as the light floods in from the west.

We ended the trip at Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn, built by a Norwegian immigrant in the 1930s: a collection of hand-built cabins of great charm set in a redwood canyon above a creek. We dined at the restaurant for dinner and breakfast, the rooms were buzzing with hikers and locals and the food was deliciously decadent. The guest book in our room was a remarkable document; visitors write at length and with unusual honesty. One woman hailing from Massachusetts described her pull towards California in a register that was unmistakably Steinbeckian; proof that the passage from east to west on the tail of a dream endures.

More than a century on from the world Steinbeck documented, the migrations continue. The American dream persists. The land endures. Come for the charming towns, the diverse cuisine and the most dramatic coastline in America. Stay for what Steinbeck called “one of those pregnant places from which come wonders”, where history, landscape and the human story compress into a single, overwhelming present.

Alexandra was a guest of See Monterey; seemonterey.com

In a city with no shortage of swish five-star hotels, it’s hard to make an impact. Yet The Newman, which opened in February, has quickly become one of the most talked about spots in London, with its eclectic décor, subterranean spa and buzzy bar.

It’s the first hotel from British hospitality brand Kinsfolk & Co, a team of respected hoteliers and restaurateurs with years of experience at big names including The Beaumont and royal favourite The Goring.

Though The Newman is moments from Oxford Street, its trump card is its under-the-radar location in charming Fitzrovia, surrounded by tree-lined Georgian streets, quirky boutiques and independent restaurants, with the iconic BT Tower looming overhead.

Why stay here?

For big city thrills with a cool neighbourhood feel. The location is echoed by the hotel’s considered design. London-based studio Lind + Almond has used Fitzrovia’s bohemian past as inspiration for the interiors, displaying black-and-white photographs of modern-day residents and specially commissioned paintings of the area’s historical figures, including Virginia Woolf. Marble bathroom sinks are based on the balconies of a nearby art deco building, while even the distinctive bedposts are modelled on the chunky bangles worn by local writer and activist Nancy Cunard, heiress to the shipping empire.

There are 81 rooms in total, ranging from classic doubles to one-bedroom apartments, while the show-stopping penthouse suite has a dining table for eight, a dressing room and an enormous 130-square-metre rooftop terrace with a private sauna and cold plunge pool overlooking Fitzrovia. All are impossibly elegant, with a tasteful palette of chocolate brown, honey and oatmeal, geometric carpets, curved bronze furniture and leather-topped writing desks.

Bathrooms have underfloor heating, stone-carved vanity units, graphic tiling and oversized Anatomē products I couldn’t get enough of. Even the mini-bars have unexpected touches, including a coffee-flavoured mushroom drink, CBD sleep patches and essential oils alongside drinks by British brands. All guests can also access the Earth+Sky fitness app for on-demand workouts during their stay.

Eating and drinking

Brasserie Angelica is at the heart of the hotel, with all-day dining and tables lining the pavement outside. It has a lively but laid-back feel, with some staff recruited from the hotel’s innovative pop-up hospitality school that ran last summer to find team members from the local community.

The menu has a Scandi feel, with a trolley of open sandwiches served at lunchtime and a la carte dishes including gravadlax with pickled cucumber salad, Swedish west coast salad with prawns, mussels and crab, and lemon and blueberry custard tart. Meat dishes like my grass-fed 28-day dry-aged fillet steak are cooked over a woodfire – be sure to order the perfectly salty fries and deliciously rich bone-marrow gravy on the side.

Head downstairs afterwards to The Gambit, the hotel’s decadent art deco bar already loved by locals. Drinks include local craft beers, a large selection of zero-proof drinks and an unusual list of innovative cocktails such as “dazed and confused”, made with chilli-infused tequila, blood peach and açai. There’s plenty going on while you sup, from resident DJs and unplugged sessions from guest artists to regular chess evenings and nightly live music from the in-house band.

Just be sure to drag yourself out of bed the following morning for breakfast, also served in Angelica. Highlights include house pressed juices like the green detox elixir, ricotta hotcakes with caramelised apple, and homemade cardamom buns inspired by those served in Copenhagen’s Hart Bakery and made from offcuts of croissant pastry that would otherwise be wasted. They’re so good, I went back for a second and I’m still wishing I’d had a third.

Things to do

Every room includes free access to an entire floor devoted to wellness, including a large 24-hour gym and a studio offering yoga, Pilates and sound bath sessions for an extra cost. There’s a whole range of Hyperice gadgets available to tinker with, including Normatec compression boots and a Venom heat therapy belt. External visitors can now book a three-hour pass to use the spa's wet area facilities, too.

I was far lazier and spent an afternoon dipping between the glass-fronted Finnish sauna, ice lounge, hydrotherapy plunge pool and medical-grade salt room. All are only available to hotel guests so I was the only person there during my visit – a rare treat in a central London spa.

Soho is less than 10 minutes’ walk away for nights out, but Fitzrovia is a delight to wander, filled with dog walkers grabbing artisan coffees, historic pubs and shops you didn’t know you needed. The slick restaurants of Charlotte Street are on the doorstep while the elegant Fitzroy Square Garden is a prime picnic spot close to Virgina Woolf’s former home.

There are some surprise attractions too, from the Cartoon Museum, which documents the history of British cartoons, caricatures and comics, to the spectacular Byzantine-style Fitzrovia Chapel with its gold mosaic ceiling where King Charles recorded his Christmas broadcast in 2024.

The verdict

From the chatty staff to the speakeasy-style bar, The Newman already feels like a much-loved neighbourhood hangout you might drop by even if you aren’t staying over. It’s a far cry from a stuffy five-star-by-numbers, but is just what London’s booming hotel scene needed.

Siobhan was a guest of The Newman; thenewman.com

“Feeling stressed?” asked Suzanne Harrington in the Irish Independent. Then “find a forest and spend a few hours absorbing its quiet magic”.

That’s the essence of forest bathing or shinrin-yoku, a concept introduced in 1982 by director of the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Tomohide Akiyama. He believed spending time outdoors and purposefully reconnecting with nature could be the “antidote” to burnout from the fast-paced, tech-filled modern world.

The psychological benefits of forest bathing are well documented, said New Scientist. But as well as “reducing anxiety and stress”, a new study by researchers at Tokyo University of Agriculture found that a two-night trip to a forest with gentle hiking and a group mindfulness meditation session also boosted physical health by “lowering blood pressure and inflammation”.

Japan’s Yoshino forests have a “restorative, spiritual quality”, said Oliver Smith in National Geographic. Standing beneath the “towering cedar trees”, watching the sunlight stream through the branches and “listening to birdsong drift on the breeze”, it’s hard to feel anything but calm.

Exhausted workers from nearby Osaka “flock to this mountain idyll” to practise shinrin-yoku and unwind at the ryokans (traditional Japanese inns with tatami-matted floors). Days are easy to while away “gazing at the hypnotic textures in the wood”; while “idle” evenings can be spent soaking in an open-air hot spring bath.

But you don’t have to go far to try forest bathing. In fact, it’s as simple as finding a nearby forest and walk “slowly and mindfully”, said Harrington. Leave your mobile phone behind if you can and “allow plenty of time for silence”, engaging each of your senses by breathing deeply, listening to any sounds, touching branches and smelling the aromas of the forest.

I headed to Wiltshire to try out Bishopstrow Hotel and Spa’s forest bathing experience, said Shadé Owomoyela in Cosmopolitan, and “it might just have changed my life”. Holistic health practitioner Sue Judge ran the two-hour session, which included a leisurely stroll through the woods, poetry readings and a short meditation session. “When burnout inevitably creeps in again, I’ll know exactly how to ground myself.”

Bluebells spring to life from late March to early May, carpeting Britain’s gardens and ancient woodland with their violet-hued flowers. And, this year, the mild, wet winter means some of the perennial bulbs are already in bloom: Hole Park in Kent had its earliest spring opening ever, welcoming visitors to its 200-acre grounds last weekend.

Over half of the world’s bluebells are found in the UK and there are plenty of places to spot them around the country. Here are some of our favourites.

Grass Wood Nature Reserve, North Yorkshire

Located a short walk up the valley from the village of Grassington, this sprawling nature reserve is “one of the largest areas of broad-leaved woodland in the Yorkshire Dales”, said The Times. Come spring, “the ground is awash with bluebells” and wildflowers including primroses, lily of the valley and wild basil. Ideal for twitchers who don’t mind an early start, it’s a prime location for hearing the “spectacular” dawn chorus and the “hooting call of a male tawny owl can often be heard”.

Glen Finglas, Stirlingshire

Nestled in the heart of the Trossachs National Park, this “vast estate” is the Woodland Trust’s largest site, home to “Scotland’s biggest collection of ancient trees”, said The Guardian. At this time of year, the ground turns into a “sea of bluebells” and there is plenty of wildlife to spot roaming through the glen. Look out for otters, pine martens and golden eagles. After a long, bracing walk, warm up with home-cooked vegetarian dishes at the nearby Brig o’Turk tearoom.

Langford Heathfield, Somerset

Somerset Wildlife Trust’s second biggest reserve is a “beautiful mixture of oak and ash woodland with sunny glades and vivid patches of bluebells”, said The Times. Mornings are a great time to visit (listen out for the “rare, booming call of the wood warbler”), while at dusk you’re likely to spot pipistrelle and noctule bats. As the days get warmer, lizards and common adders come out, too.

Winkworth Arboretum, Surrey

Arboretums are “all about the trees” but this spectacular woodland “comes alive with jewel-coloured flowers every spring too”, said Time Out. The Azalea Steps are a real draw: the stone staircase leading down to the lake is lined with “cascading flowers” in “vibrant” shades of pink, purple and red that “burst into beautiful colour” every year.

Ashridge Estate, Buckinghamshire

Dotted with “stunning clusters of bluebells” the winding woodland trail at Ashridge Estate is well worth a visit, said Country Life. Tucked into the Chiltern Hills in Buckinghamshire, the idyllic estate is perfect for a family day out. Keep your eyes peeled for the “huge variety of wildlife”; the estate is home to fallow deer, lesser-spotted woodpeckers and the rare Duke of Burgundy butterfly (look out for its chequered orange-and-brown wings).

Elephants are among the planet’s most majestic creatures, walking steadfastly through the savannas, forests and deserts of Africa and Asia. These gentle giants are also the largest living land mammals, and being able to see them in person is a sight to behold. You can enjoy this bucket-list experience during an ethical tour, hotel stay or park visit that puts the animals first.

Chobe National Park, Botswana

So many elephants live in Chobe National Park — about 120,000 call it home — that there’s a “good chance” you will spot a few “wherever you go,” said Thrillist. Botswana has the world’s highest elephant population and is a longtime “haven for the trunked pachyderms,” thanks to strong anti-poaching and conservation efforts.

Chobe has four geographical zones, and the best way to see elephants is by choosing a safari in the grasslands and riverfront area because “where there’s water, there’s elephants.” And you can expect to see a parade of other incredible wildlife, like lions, zebras, giraffes, water buffalo, hippos, crocodiles and hyenas.

Elephants & Opium tour, Thailand

On Red Savannah’s 11-day Elephants & Opium tour, travelers start in Chiang Mai in northern Thailand and end in Bangkok in the south. Along the route, you will stop at temples, ride bikes through the countryside, visit historic ruins and the Hall of Opium Museum, and take a private home cooking class, with the highlight being your time in the Golden Triangle. Guests stay at the Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort and interact with rescued elephants going along on their daily jungle walk.

Elephant Valley, San Diego Zoo Safari Park, California

At the immersive new Elephant Valley, visitors come face to face with a herd of eight elephants led by their matriarch, Swazi. The space was expanded to give the animals “more areas to roam, bathe and sleep” and additional “opportunities to keep them engaged,” said KPBS. It’s easy to spend hours watching the elephants play together with puzzle feeders and splash around in a 250,000-gallon pool, and you can snap stunning pictures and videos at several lookout points.

When hunger strikes, you don’t have to tear yourself away from the views. Enjoy a meal or snack at Mkutano House, Elephant Valley’s open-air dining experience during which snacks and meals come with a side of gorgeous panoramas of the pond and savanna.

&Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve, South Africa

&Beyond has six lodges on its 74,000-acre reserve, and each offers ample opportunities to coexist with elephants and other wildlife. Phinda Homestead is a private villa with a dedicated ranger, tracker, chef, butler and host, while Phinda Rock Lodge sits on a cliff face, giving guests dramatic views from their stone suites.

The “most unique” accommodation is the recently revamped Phinda Forest Lodge, said Condé Nast Traveler. Situated on one of Africa’s last sand forests, the “glass-encased” suites have a “treehouse-like” feel. Start your day with a game drive, keeping your eyes peeled for elephants, leopards and lions, then take a guided bush walk and “laze by the pool, where the animals swing by for an afternoon drink.”

Udawalawe Elephant Transit Home, Sri Lanka

The Udawalawe Elephant Transit Home is a “halfway house” for orphaned and injured elephants, giving them a safe place for rehabilitation before being returned to the wild, said Lonely Planet. Visitors are invited to observe the elephants from a viewing platform and watch as they eat and interact.

There are typically 40 juvenile elephants out and about, and while you do have to keep your distance, the experience is “still a lot of fun,” said Lonely Planet. Udawalawe Elephant Transit Home is a short drive from Udawalawe National Park, which has “famous elephant herds” best spotted from 6:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Cheering on your favorite sports team while watching games from the couch is fun. But everyone knows it’s even better to cheer the team on in person. In these sports-centric destinations, the thrills exist inside — and outside — the stadiums and arenas.

Arlington, Texas

You’ll want to play ball in Arlington. A 2026 World Cup host city, it’s also the home of the Dallas Cowboys and AT&T Stadium, one of the “most impressive dome stadiums in the NFL” with the “largest retractable roof” and “largest high-definition screen” in the league, said Fox Sports.

Visitors can go behind the scenes on a guided stadium tour, stepping into exclusive areas and learning more about the facility’s contemporary art museum. Round out your Arlington experience by hitting a Texas Rangers or Dallas Wings game, experiencing the immersive International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame, and enjoying an evening at the Texas Live! dining and entertainment complex.

Boston

With its “championship teams, iconic stadiums and passionate fan base,” Boston is tops for sports fans, said Travel and Leisure. Fenway Park, home of the Red Sox, is Major League Baseball’s oldest ballpark, dating back to 1912.

You can take an hour-long tour or the 75-minute version that brings you to the field level. For those on a time crunch, the park offers Fenway in Fifteen, a quick quarter-hour journey around the beloved stadium. All of Boston’s teams and their biggest stars are honored at TD Garden’s Sports Museum, featuring exhibitions on the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots and Red Sox, and sculptures of Larry Bird and Ted Williams.

Green Bay, Wisconsin

Football and Green Bay go hand in hand. The city has a “deep-rooted sports culture” that is “highlighted” by the Green Bay Packers, said WalletHub. Tickets to games at the “iconic” Lambeau Field are often a “reasonable” price because the team is a nonprofit franchise, and being surrounded by the Packers’ loyal and “enthusiastic” fans adds to the experience. Consider going all out and tailgate, or watch the game while enjoying cheese curds and wings at Stadium View Bar, bratwurst at Johnsonville Tailgate Village or bloody marys at Anduzzi’s Sports Club.

Kansas City, Missouri

In Kansas City, “new sports find a warm welcome” and “sports history has a place of honor,” said writer David Von Drehle at The Washington Post. The Kansas City Chiefs may have the most name recognition, but there’s also the Kansas City Current women’s soccer team and a “baseball team with a couple of World Series trophies,” aka the Kansas City Royals.

This summer, Kansas City will be a World Cup host city, but its “fingerprints” will be on the entire tournament; games are being played across the U.S. in “stadiums designed by architects from Kansas City, the world capital of sports stadium design.” No trip to the city is complete without a visit to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, which “delightfully” showcases how athletes serve as “engines of culture and social progress.”

Los Angeles

Yes, there are nearly a dozen major sports teams based in Los Angeles, including the storied Dodgers, Lakers and Kings, plus new powerhouses like Angel City FC. But LA and its environs are also known for pickup basketball games in the park, impromptu soccer matches in neighborhood fields and beach volleyball games that last for hours.

When you’re not at a match (or joining a game with locals), tour the historic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, go surfing, hike the famous Runyon Canyon loop or show off your athletic prowess at Highland Park Bowl, a lovingly restored 1927 bowling alley where “old pinsetters serve as chandeliers,” said the Los Angeles Times.

Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota

When it comes to supporting women’s sports, the Twin Cities can’t be beat. Both the championship-winning WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx and PWHL’s Minnesota Frost draw enthusiastic crowds, and the University of Minnesota’s Golden Gophers women’s hockey team has “one of the best fan atmospheres anywhere,” said The Athletic. If you want to watch a game in a more intimate environment, head to A Bar of Their Own in Minneapolis, the first sports bar in the Twin Cities that shows only women’s sports.

Philadelphia

Whatever the game, you can find it in Philly. This is one of the “most impassioned sports cities in the country,” said Axios Philadelphia, and one of four locations in North America that is home to an MLB (Phillies), NFL (Eagles), NBA (76ers) and NHL (Flyers) team.

They all play at the Philadelphia Sports Complex, where nearly 400 events are held every year at the Xfinity Mobile Arena, Citizens Bank Park and Lincoln Financial Field facilities. Expect to get caught up in “contagious enthusiasm,” whether that’s at an Eagles game where fans “unitedly sing ‘Fly, Eagles, Fly’ after every win” or on the street, where you’ll likely run into people who “incessantly shout ‘Go Birds’ at passerby.” For the full experience, time your visit so you can attend an “epic” watch party or tailgate, where “everyone’s invited.”

From the outside, the Bvlgari Hotel Roma is all clean lines and quiet authority, a relic of the city’s fascist-era architecture. But step inside and the mood shifts entirely.

Directly opposite the Mausoleum of Augustus – currently emerging from a long-awaited restoration – the hotel is a confident homecoming for the Roman jewellery house that inspired it.

Opened in 2023, this is only the ninth outpost in the Bvlgari hotel portfolio, a brand that has always favoured considered expansion over ubiquity. The result? A stay that feels rarefied, polished and Roman.

Inside, a second-century marble statue commands the foyer with gravitas. It’s part of a rotating exhibition on loan from the illustrious Torlonia family collection, just one example of how the hotel blends heritage with high design. Beyond it, glass cases gleam with Bvlgari jewels, while the polished marble surfaces shimmer in the light. It’s less hotel lobby, more curated gallery of Roman splendour and a harbinger of the opulence to come.

Why stay here?

Upstairs, the atmosphere softens into something more intimate. The hotel’s 114 rooms and suites are spread across six floors, each one designed as a sumptuous cocoon away from the city’s lively streets.

Our Junior Suite was a study in balance: muted neutrals offset by jewel-toned accents, including a rich green headboard and coordinating rug. The living area, anchored by a cream sofa and a sculptural Arco lamp by Flos, felt both elegant and inviting. A marble coffee table, sleek minibar and leather armchair completed the picture.

The ceilings soared, giving the room a sense of grandeur, while tall windows – soon to overlook the restored mausoleum – were draped in billowing cream curtains. Service included thoughtful touches: plates of fresh fruit, delicate mini-cakes and a turndown service that included herbal tea served in flasks. It’s this attention to detail that elevates the experience from luxurious to genuinely indulgent.

But the bathroom stole the show. Ours was clad in blue-green Brazilian marble, streaked with deep rust veins – it was dramatic, unusual and mesmerising. Other suites feature equally striking palettes, including a rich Sudanese red. At its centre sat a deep porcelain tub, crowned by a celestial Bvlgari mosaic. Add a walk-in shower, double sinks lined with Bvlgari toiletries and a dressing room complete with vanity, Dyson hair dryer and generous storage, and you have a space designed for lingering.

Down below, the subterranean spa feels like a hidden world unto itself. Far from the modest wellness areas typical of city hotels, this is a vast, shimmering sanctuary. A 20-metre heated pool stretches out, its surface glinting with blue, green and gold mosaics inspired by Bvlgari’s signature design, the Divas’ Dream fan motif. Marble columns rise dramatically from the water, while a bubbling vitality pool and waterfall shower add to the sense of theatricality. It’s the kind of place where hours slip by unnoticed, especially when stretched out on one of the cloud-soft loungers.

Eating and drinking

Il Caffè on the ground floor is a bright, inviting space where marble and mirrors meet lush greenery. Breakfast here is an unhurried affair, with options ranging from continental classics to Chinese, Arabic and health-focused selections. Even the simplest dishes feel elevated: porridge arrives with an array of seven toppings, while avocado toast is generously layered with thick slices of smoked salmon. Everything is served on beautifully crafted Ginori porcelain for a final flourish.

As evening approaches, La Terrazza becomes the place to be. With panoramic views across Rome’s rooftops, it’s ideal for a pre-dinner aperitivo. The Bvlgari signature cocktail – a bright blend of gin, Aperol, citrus, and a delicate foam stamped with edible gold – captures the hotel’s spirit in a single glass and is served in all its bars worldwide.

The Bvlgari Bar is a destination in its own right. Its striking black marble counter, supported by Murano glass cones infused with gold dust, glows softly as the room fills with guests. There’s a lively and sophisticated energy here that contrasts with the calm of the hotel’s library lounge and chocolate boutique on the ground floor.

For something more formal, Il Ristorante – Niko Romito offers a refined take on Italian cuisine by the acclaimed chef. Here, traditional dishes are reimagined with precision and flair: think lasagne layered with pecorino and artichokes, or spaghetti vongole lifted with parsley pesto. A perfectly cooked turbot, paired with Sardinian vermentino, made for a standout main, while a chocolate mousse infused with Alchermes liqueur provided a fittingly indulgent finale.

Things to do

Step outside and Rome unfolds at your feet. The Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon and Piazza Navona are all within easy walking distance, while the boutiques of Via dei Condotti beckon just around the corner. Further afield, a short journey brings you to the grandeur of St Peter’s Basilica or the ancient drama of the Colosseum.

Yet Rome’s magic often lies in its quieter corners. A stroll through the leafy expanse of Villa Borghese offers a welcome escape from the crowds, while the Protestant Cemetery in Testaccio provides a moment of reflection. Here, among cypress trees and weathered stones, lie the graves of John Keats and Percy Bysshe Shelley, as well as the haunting “Angel of Grief” sculpture by William Wetmore Story.

The verdict

In a city overflowing with grandeur, Bvlgari Hotel Roma manages to carve out its own distinct identity. It’s not just a place to stay but a luxurious celebration of Roman craftsmanship, heritage and style. Once you’ve checked in, you may find it difficult to leave.

Vicki was a guest at Bvlgari Hotel Roma; bulgarihotels.com

Spanning 2,700 miles, the “gorgeous” new King Charles III Coastal Path will be the “longest managed coastal path in the entire world” when fully open, said Amy Houghton in Time Out.

The project was initiated in 2008 when Gordon Brown was prime minister. Now, almost two decades later, King Charles has finally inaugurated the footpath – 80% of which is open to the public, with the remainder set to be completed by the end of the year. Once finished, the trail will stretch around the entire coast of England, joining up with the existing 870-mile coastal path in Wales.

It’s a footpath of “spectacular beauty” that weaves along “cliff edges and across chalk downs, through dunes and around estuaries, linking castles, smugglers’ villages and seaside resorts”, said Andrew Eames in The Sunday Times.

Among the most “memorable” sections is the 14-mile stretch from Bamburgh Castle to Lindisfarne Causeway along Northumberland’s “jaw-dropping” shore, said Paul Bloomfield in The Telegraph. Along the way, you’ll pass “beach after beach as you skirt golden Budle Bay” with plenty of chances to spot seabirds, seals and dolphins.

Or, for a shorter route “ideal for the kids’ first taste of hiking”, set out from the Isle of Wight’s Compton Bay, keeping your “eyes peeled for dino footprints”. Once you reach Shippards Chine, climb the wooden steps and walk out on to the chalk downs heading westwards until you reach “the blustery viewpoint over the famous chalk stacks of The Needles”. The 7.4-mile walk concludes with a chairlift ride down to the “multicoloured sands” of Alum Bay.

As for thrill-seekers, the “adventurous stretch” between Hurlstone Point and North Hill in Somerset is well worth trying, said Jen and Sim Benson in The Times. Formerly a “little-used alternative to the main track”, the challenging eight-mile route is now a “fantastically undulating” part of the King Charles III Coastal Path, creating a “stunning circuit between the moor and the sea”.

Most tourists in Panama focus on its “storied” canal and resort towns such as Bocas del Toro. But this Central American country – a narrow isthmus stretching for 500 miles between Costa Rica (to the west) and Colombia (to the east) – offers far more to interest the curious traveller, said David Amsden in Condé Nast Traveller.

The canal, which was completed in 1914, bisects the country at its midpoint, where it is narrowest (at a mere 37 miles across). And set beside the Pacific coast at the great waterway’s southern end is Panama City, where its “sprawling” skyline of steel-and-glass skyscrapers trumpets the success of “Central America’s fastest-growing economy”. However, I stayed in the charming, pastel-hued old town, at the “excellent” Hotel La Compañía Casco Antiguo. From Panama City, I went on a “zigzagging” road trip, stopping first at Portobelo, a “drowsy” town with “candy-coloured” buildings on the Caribbean coast. It’s a place of “raw” beauty, with a “hushed, draughty” cathedral and an impressive Spanish fortress (in its early days, the town’s harbour was often raided by pirates).

It is also home to a large Afro-Panamanian community, the subject of “striking” photos by Sandra Eleta, a celebrated artist who runs an informal artists’ residency and hotel called La Morada de la Bruja, or The Witch’s Abode. An “eclectic compound” with breezy verandas and walls hung with “folkloric” murals and feathered masks, it is the best stay in town.

Next, I visited the Guna Yala islands, a “mesmerising” Caribbean archipelago that has been governed by the indigenous Guna people since 1925. Exploring it on a yacht chartered from San Blas Sailing, I enjoyed such “elemental” pleasures as snorkelling with stingrays and drinking rum cocktails on palm-fringed beaches.

My final stop was the undulating, big-skied Azuero Peninsula, on the Pacific coast, where I went riding and surfing, and also sailed alongside a pod of humpback whales.

Hot dogs are quintessentially American. Initially the food of immigrants, the humble combination of a frank wrapped in a bun became part of the country’s cultural fabric, a staple at picnics, baseball stadiums, barbecues and fairs. Regional styles vary — get yours topped with coleslaw in the Carolinas, cream cheese in Seattle and sauerkraut in Birmingham — but they all honor traditions while showcasing local flavors.

A quick history lesson

German immigrants who came to the United States during the mid-19th century brought along a love for sausages. During the 1860s, carts began to pop up in New York City, with peddlers selling bun-wrapped thin sausages that had a “special Old World snap,” said Smithsonian Magazine. They were both “portable and tantalizingly inexpensive,” and it wasn’t long before these “handy treats” made their way to Coney Island, where seaside revelers enjoyed them while strolling the boardwalk.

Millions more were introduced to the dish at the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago, when a pair of “entrepreneurial” Austrian Hungarian immigrants, brothers-in-law Emil Reichel and Samuel Ladany, set up a Vienna sausage stand in the Austrian Village section of the expo, said the Chicago History Museum. Their sausages, topped with mustard and onions, sold for 10 cents each and were such a hit that after the fair the pair opened Vienna Beef Inc., which remains “arguably the hot dog king of Chicago.”

By 1900, vendors were slinging sausages at race tracks and baseball fields, and people began referring to the portable meal as a hot dog. There are a few theories on how the name came to be, with some saying it’s because the meat was often called a “dachshund sausage” and others claiming a connection to the slang term “hot dog,” which meant a “swaggering young man who loitered with other flashy dandies,” said Smithsonian Magazine.

Chicago-style hot dog

What is it? An all-beef frankfurter in a poppy seed bun, topped with yellow mustard, relish, chopped onion, tomato slices, sport peppers, celery salt and a pickle spear.

This hot dog is all about the toppings, and “each component has a specific role to play,” said Mashed. Sport peppers bring the heat, pickles the brine and mustard the tang, which “balance the sweetness of the relish.” Various immigrants are responsible for these flavors, with the poppyseed bun “reflecting Eastern Europe” and the “elements that dragged the hot dog through the garden,” like onions, tomatoes and pickle, courtesy of Greeks and Italians, said WTTW.

There’s one condiment you won’t see on a Chicago-style dog: ketchup. That’s because during the early 1900s, ketchup was “used to cover up the flavor of poor-quality meat,” said NBC 5 Chicago. Not having to squirt any on your hot dog was a “source of pride” and “symbol of higher quality.” All these years later, the tradition still stands.

Where to try it: At Gene & Jude’s, the hot dogs are “expertly prepared” and have an “exceptional snap,” said Serious Eats. The stand, located outside of Chicago in River Grove, is “continuously packed,” but the dogs and “just-fried hand-cut fries” that come on the side are worth the wait.

Detroit-style Coney Dog

What is it? A beef frankfurter in a steamed bun, topped with meat chili, diced white onions and yellow mustard.

The Coney Dog, now ubiquitous in Detroit, was created more than 100 years ago by Greek immigrants. As the story goes, they “ventured first to Coney Island” in New York, where they tried the famous hot dogs at Nathan’s, then decided to sell their own version in the Motor City, said Detroit PBS. The secret ingredient in their chili is Greek spices and is an ode to the immigrants’ homeland.

One of the earliest hot dog joints to open in Detroit was American Coney Island, which brothers Constantine “Gust” Keros and Bill Keros opened in 1917. After a falling out, the two went their separate ways, and Bill opened his own shop, Lafayette Coney, next door. The feud is part of Detroit’s culinary history; both restaurants remain open today.

Where to try it: There is “no better spot to indulge” in a Detroit-style Coney than Duly’s Place, said Eater. Open for more than a century, the diner remains a “go-to” thanks to its “consistency” and “greasy-spoon environment.” The dogs here have a “satisfying snap” and come “slathered” in all the necessary toppings.

New York System hot wiener

What is it? A wiener made of pork, beef and veal in a steamed bun topped with celery salt, mustard, chopped onions and spiced meat sauce.

Rhode Island’s take on the hot dog, introduced in the 1920s, “began as a loose nod” to Coney Island-style, but its “identity” was soon “shaped” by Greek immigrant hands, “local tastes” and a “very specific spice profile” that made it stand on its own, said Tasting Table.

The wieners are “smaller than standard hot dogs,” and the meat sauce does not have the consistency or taste of chili. Rather, it’s a “finely textured, crumble-like mixture” seasoned with cinnamon, paprika, allspice, cumin and Worcestershire sauce.

Where to try it: Olneyville New York System in Providence has been serving hot wieners in the same spot since the early 1950s (there’s a sister location in Cranston). The operation is still family-run, and as such there’s a “‘Cheers’-style vibe where everybody knows your name,” said Tasting Table. Pair your dog with a coffee milk, Rhode Island’s state drink.

Puka dog 

What is it? A Polish sausage (or veggie dog) stuffed inside a Hawaiian sweet bread bun, topped with garlic lemon sauce, tropical fruit relish and Hawaiian mustard.

Poke, loco moco, kalua pig and huli huli chicken are all Hawaiian classics, but ignore the Puka Dog at your gustatory peril. The Hawaiian-style hot dog is a fusion of traditional ingredients with tropical accoutrements that give it a “vibrant flair,” said Chowhound.

These can be customized, with the relish alone covering “kaleidoscopic options, from star fruit to banana, coconut and more.” It was created in the early 2000s at the Puka Dog hut on Kauai, and while “spinoffs are widespread” across the Hawaiian islands, this is where the dish was perfected.

Where to try it: The place where it all began: Puka Dog. Ordering is a four-step process: meat or veggie dog, mild or spicy secret garlic lemon sauce, which tropical relish, and mustard or no mustard. The “patient” Puka Dog crew will help you “tweak” things if you “have any questions at crunch time,” said SF Gate.

Sonoran dog

What is it? A hot dog wrapped in bacon in a bolillo and topped with onion, tomato, mustard, salsa verde, pinto beans and mayonnaise.

The Sonoran dog is Arizona’s “most popular fusion of Mexican and American food” and over the last 30 years has “cemented itself itself as a cherished local tradition,” said the Arizona Republic. Its roots are in Hermosillo, the capital of the Mexican state of Sonora, where legend has it the flavorful dish got its start as a popular snack sold at baseball games during the 1940s. Benjamin Galaz of BK Carne Asada & Hot Dogs is credited as the leader of the pack in Tucson, opening the first Sonoran dog food cart on the city’s South Side in 1993.

Where to try it: Tucson has made it incredibly easy to find the best Sonoran dogs in town. The new Sonoran Dog Trail highlights 15 spots, from street cart vendors to old school establishments, and if you visit them all, you’ll receive a souvenir t-shirt. One of the stops, El Güero Canelo, is the “ultimate Sonoran dog spot,” said the Arizona Daily Star. Its hot dogs are “cooked well” and nestled in “nice and soft” buns, with toppings like cooked onions and mustard that add a “tanginess to all the savory flavors.”

In a city as electrifying and overwhelming as Japan’s neon-hued capital, the new JW Marriott Tokyo serves as a perfect refuge from the crowds and clutter of city life. The luxury hotel brand’s first outpost in Tokyo only opened in autumn 2025, but its faultlessly helpful staff seem to have already accrued a generation’s worth of Japanese hospitality.

Situated on the topmost floors of the new Takanawa Gateway development in the city’s southern Minato ward, the elegant hotel offers guests an atmosphere of calm and comfort, if only they can first tear themselves away from the view.

Why stay here?

The first thing you notice (and indeed, will never fail to notice) are the floor-to-ceiling windows and the glittering, metropolitan panorama that stretches out below. Our southwest-facing room also rather generously provided a view towards Mount Fuji 60 miles away, all the more impressive when silhouetted against the blushing sunset. It’s breathtaking, restorative stuff.

Designed by interior gurus Yabu Pushelberg, the hotel’s 200 rooms are an authentically Japanese blend of contemporary design and Zen aesthetics, in pleasant contrast to the urban flurry beyond its walls. Natural tones and textures prevail, with panelled walls adding clean lines in charcoal and pale oak, and a glossy slab of olive green in the form of a window-length chaise longue from which to savour the view. The glass-fronted bathroom is a more showy affair, clad in honeyed marble with a walk-in waterfall shower, standalone bathtub and toiletries from UK wellness brand Aromatherapy Associates.

Also of note is the considerable size of the hotel’s rooms, with the standard ‘Deluxe King’ occupying an ample 460 sq ft, which seems positively palatial when compared to the dinky hotel rooms that are typical across much of Japan.

Elsewhere there’s a bright and well-furnished fitness centre, and a 25-metre indoor swimming pool and whirlpool with enticingly high-ceilinged views across the skyline towards Tokyo Tower. Underlining the hotel’s focus on wellness and mindfulness, there is a spa lounge with holistic treatments available including massages and therapy baths, and a relaxation space that brings to mind the sci-fi ambience of a futuristic starship.

While the hotel benefits from its proximity to Haneda Airport (25 minutes by rail) and Shinagawa Station (a bullet train hub), it’s worth noting the surrounding neighbourhood is primarily a business district with relatively few attractions beyond Takanawa Gateway’s boutiques and the modest Sengaku-ji temple. In a city as decentralised and as well-served by rail as Tokyo, however, this shouldn’t come as any kind of discouragement.

Eating and drinking

The JW Marriott Tokyo offers three on-site restaurants staffed by a coterie of Michelin-starred chefs, including Sefino and Saki, the former specialising in Mediterranean cuisine and the latter an intimate Japanese kappo experience. We dined at Kakō, a handsomely appointed space lined with wabi-sabi vases and another superb view, this time overlooking Tokyo Bay.

For dinner we enjoyed an eight-course tasting menu of traditional Japanese cuisine with an emphasis on seasonal fare, all impeccably presented. Dishes included tuna and sea bream sashimi, snow crab, and an intriguing pufferfish steamed custard that was perhaps a little too unusual for our palates. The star course was a rich fillet of grilled yellowtail fish, zhuzhed with a citrussy hit of kumquat and ginger.

Drinks range from wine to shochu, with a particular focus on sake, but after dinner the hotel’s JW Bar is everything you want from a nightcap in Tokyo: a chic lounge, sparkling city lights, and a glass of something feisty (the sakura-infused cocktail, in our case).

At breakfast, we opted for soufflé pancakes and croissants doused in honey and vanilla cream, but there is also a Japanese bento option as well as buffet items and various arrangements of pillowy eggs.

Things to do

If retail therapy is the kind of self-care you have in mind, Tokyo won’t disappoint. The ritzy Roppongi Hills complex houses a staggering array of luxury brand stores with a strong focus on fashion, alongside a modern art museum and smattering of clipped, green spaces. If you work up an appetite, indulge in afternoon tea at the much-loved French brasserie The Moon on the 52nd floor.

When you’re ready for some respite from the busy streets, Tokyo has no shortage of museums and galleries for you to enjoy a little culture at your own pace. The splendid Nezu Museum houses a collection of Asian art and antiquities ranging from paintings to samurai swords, with a traditional tea room and beautiful grounds to explore, too. Also nearby is the Tokyo Photographic Art Museum, another excellent space with a rolling programme where recent exhibitions have included overviews of 1960s Japan and legendary photojournalist Robert Capa.

Less celebrated for its green spaces than Kyoto, Tokyo still has an impressive number of parks that are well worth visiting, many attached to venerable temples and shrines. Shinjuku Gyoen is a rambling blend of European and Japanese formal gardens that becomes a focal point of the cherry blossom season in late March. The densely forested grounds of Meiji Jingu Gyoen feel a touch wilder, ideal for a morning stroll, and give way to neighbouring Yoyogi Park, frequented on Sunday afternoons by troupes of denim-clad rockabilly dancers.

The verdict

The JW Marriott Tokyo confidently blends understated style with a sense of Japanese refinement, and the result is a tranquil, enchanting space in the beating heart of one of the world’s most intoxicating cities.

Stephen was a guest at JW Marriott Tokyo; marriott.com

The White House dispatched squads of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) troops to at least 13 airports around the country, and thousands of commuters this week are coming face-to-face with the Trump administration’s anti-immigration push. ICE’s deployment was telegraphed by both President Donald Trump and White House Border Czar Tom Homan last weekend, with the ostensible goal of optimizing TSA operations during the ongoing partial government shutdown.

The move has thrust the White House’s authoritarian operations into the frenetic realm of commercial air travel, where delays and disruptions can grow to levels of national import. With the agency’s undefined remit and documented penchant for aggression, its presence in U.S. airports is a Rorschach test for attitudes on the regime’s militarized approach to law enforcement.

‘Political, publicity action, not a practical solution’

“Between 100 and 150 ICE officers” have been sent to more than a dozen airports across the country, The New York Times said. It is “unclear” if their presence is “helping or exacerbating long security lines” that have grown during the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown. Homan will likely deploy agents to be as “minimally intrusive as possible,” but their actual contributions to TSA’s airport security mandate won’t be “operationally significant,” said former Obama administration acting ICE director John Sandweg to Time.

Unlike TSA agents who are trained for specific airport duties, ICE personnel will not receive “requisite training to check identification, examine luggage x-rays” and “provide other key security services,” said Government Executive. Putting ICE agents at airports is a “political, publicity action,” one former TSA official said to the outlet. It’s “not a practical solution.”

“I have no idea how they can contribute at an airport unless it was for intimidation purposes,” said Aaron Vazquez, a TSA lead transportation security officer at San Diego International Airport and airport steward for the local branch of the American Federation of Government Employees union, to KPBS. “What are they going to do, find somebody and shoot them?”

As of Monday, “both masked and unmasked ICE agents in marked vests” had been observed at some of the country’s busiest airports, said USA Today. Travelers nevertheless were “still reporting long airport security waits.” One reason for the continued airport disruptions is Trump’s weekend ICE deployment having caught the agency’s officials “off guard,” leaving them “scrambling to come up with a plan to enforce it,” CBS News said. White House officials, however, insisted that dispatching ICE units to airports will be a smooth process. “When we deploy tomorrow,” said Homan on CNN’s “State of the Union” over the weekend, “we’ll have a well-thought-out plan to execute.”

ICE’s stationing in American airports, beyond any potential advantage to security enforcement, is “likely a tactical move” designed to “up the pressure on Democrats in Congress” who are blocking Homeland Security funds, in part over ICE’s conduct in Minnesota and Chicago, said New York magazine. Democrats have “condemned” ICE at airports, so it’s not certain whether the deployment will “move the needle as funding negotiations continue.”

If not ICE, ‘it would have been the National Guard’

President Trump’s pushing of ICE agents into air-travel security spaces is a “stunt, not a policy solution,” said The Washington Post. But “so is the ongoing shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security.”

Congressional Democrats want to use long lines and travel delays to aid in their DHS negotiations, said Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on ABC’s “This Week.” The White House’s deployment of immigration forces to airports will “take that leverage away and not make the American people suffer.”

Deploying ICE agents to airports is the “right course of action,” said Puerto Rico’s Republican Governor Jenniffer González Colón at a press conference. If the administration hadn’t sent ICE, “it would have been the National Guard. Why?” Because there is a “problem” with TSA absences leading to extreme travel delays.

Still, some White House’s supporters have expressed anxieties at the plan. The viability of ICE in airports depends on “whether or not logistically you can get these guys into those places and get them up to speed on it,” Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) said at The Hill. If the DHS shutdown continues for an “extended period of time, yeah, it could be a necessity.”

A ski resort probably isn’t the first place that springs to mind when brainstorming ideas for your next summer holiday. But as the snow melts in these charming Alpine towns, the crowds thin out and the lush greenery bursts into life.

It turns out ski resorts have a surprising amount to offer off-season: balmy (but not too hot) temperatures, crystal-clear lakes and miles of sun-dappled hiking trails to explore. These are some of our favourite spots.

Engelberg, Switzerland

Lying at the foot of the “mighty Titlis mountain” in Switzerland, Engelberg promises “challenging skiing” over the winter months, said Gabriella Le Breton in The Telegraph. When summer rolls around, though, there are more than 300 miles of trails for hikers to enjoy. They range from “child-friendly nature strolls” to the multi-day Buiräbähnli Safari adventure, which includes overnight stays in “rustic farmsteads” and rides on eight Buiräbähnlis (cable cars once used by mountain farmers). “A far cry from the winter bustle of Engelberg’s modern rotating Titlis cablecar”, this vintage transportation system offers a “rare glimpse into the tranquil pastoral world of Switzerland’s high-Alpine farms”.

San Candido, Italy

With its “pretty sawtooth peaks” and growing collection of luxury hotels, “it’s little wonder the Dolomites in northeast Italy are having a moment,” said Mike MacEacheran in The Times. San Candido’s Leitlhof hotel – “a daydream of wood, soft textiles and natural light” – is a great base for exploring. The pared-back “eco vibe” helps keep distractions from getting out into the mountains to a minimum. “Be clear with yourself on this: regardless of your fitness (or how much ham you’ve snaffled), you’ll have to hike to the dragon’s-back-shaped Tre Cime di Lavaredo.”

Chamonix, France

Chamonix is a “mesmeric place”, said MacEacheran. “Mont Blanc’s glaciers flow down over wild cliffs” and paragliders “twirl” in the sky. There are lots of places for “hairy-chested climbers” to stay, but I like the “chic” La Folie Douce. The lively hotel is famed for its “uninhibited après-ski that marries cabaret with clubbing” – and the same kind of “high Alpine hedonism” exists in summer.

Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany

This scenic Bavarian town hosted the 1936 Winter Olympics and is famed for its thrilling winter sports, said Vogue. Come summer there are “endless ways to immerse in nature here”, including hiking, biking and paragliding. “A dip in nearby crystal-clear Lake Eibsee, arguably one of the most beautiful in the country, is also not to be missed.”

Alpbach, Austria

Summer in Alpbach transforms the pistes into “blankets of pink blossoming mountain azaleas”, said Le Breton. This is the place to go for a family-friendly trip; it is easy to keep kids entertained, with trips to the mountain-top Lauserland adventure playground, Juppi’s enchanted forest and petting zoo. There’s also a wide variety of activities on offer from “herb foraging” to “visits to local beekeepers”.

At the very top of the Spanish Steps, where the crowds thin and the city seems to exhale, Hotel de la Ville presides over Rome with quiet confidence.

This five-star address in the Centro Storico is spread across three 18th-century palazzi deftly brought together around a sun-splashed courtyard, creating a retreat that feels both intimate and unmistakably grand.

Since joining the Rocco Forte Hotels portfolio in 2019, the property has been reimagined by Olga Polizzi and architect Tommaso Ziffer as a love letter to the Grand Tour. Its rooms are layered with classical references, playful objets and a rich colour palette. The result is a hotel that doesn’t simply nod to Rome’s past but revels in it – while delivering the kind of polished service, destination dining and cocooning spa that makes stepping back outside entirely optional.

Why stay here?

Location is the obvious draw: you’re moments from the Spanish Steps. But the real seduction lies inside. Our Junior Suite Deluxe, on the fourth floor, opened on to a balcony overlooking the terracotta courtyard – striped parasols and potted greenery glowing even in the soft light of January. Interiors are gloriously free of safe neutrals. Instead, there’s a confident clash of colour and texture: a navy velvet headboard against duck-egg walls, olive drapes pooling beside antique desks topped with busts and art books. It feels curated rather than decorated, like a collector’s Roman apartment.

Bathrooms dial the drama back to pure white marble, with generous rainfall showers and Irene Forte’s Sicilian botanical products. The top-floor suites come with expansive terraces and knockout views across Rome’s domes and cupolas – the kind of panorama that turns a sunset into a private show.

Downstairs, the boutique spa is a welcome counterpoint to the city’s sensory overload. There’s a hydrotherapy pool for warming soaks, a thermal circuit with salt room, sauna and steam, and the bracing option of a cryotherapy chamber for the fearless. We opted for bubbles rather than sub-zero temperatures – a suitably indulgent Roman compromise.

Eating and drinking

In a city where eating well is practically guaranteed, Hotel de la Ville still manages to raise the bar. At Café Ginori – linked to the adjoining Ginori 1735 porcelain boutique – dinner arrives on the very plates you can later buy, a clever touch that blurs the line between meal and memento. Lasagnetta al ragù and fettuccine Alfredo are comfortingly classic, while dishes such as cod tempura add a contemporary flourish. Each course is matched with thoughtful Italian wines; a bright Orvieto with the fish was a particular highlight.

Breakfast and dinner are served at Mosaico, an elegant space that spills into the courtyard in warmer months. Indoors, black-and-white floors, columns and chandeliers set a theatrical tone for a dinner menu that travels beyond Italy, weaving in flavours from North Africa and the Middle East. Mornings bring an abundant spread of cheeses, charcuterie, fruit, pastries and eggs cooked to order – a filling start before a day of sight-seeing.

Later, the jewel-box Julep Bar beckons with its vivid yellow walls and velvet seating, perfect for an armagnac nightcap. In summer, cocktails migrate to the rooftop Cielo Bar, where Rome’s skyline becomes the ultimate backdrop.

Things to do

Step outside and the city’s greatest hits are within strolling distance: the Spanish Steps, the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain and the elegant sweep of Piazza Navona. The green expanse of Villa Borghese is close enough for a morning wander, while the Colosseum and Forum are a short bus ride away.

If you’ve ticked off the icons before, Rome rewards deeper exploration. The Teatro di Marcello – a miniature precursor to the Colosseum – offers ancient grandeur without the queues. Art lovers can follow a self-guided Caravaggio trail through nearby churches, including San Luigi dei Francesi and Basilica di Sant'Agostino, dropping a coin into the light boxes to illuminate the paintings in situ – a quietly magical experience.

For retail therapy, the hotel is mere metres from Via dei Condotti, where designer flagships beckon customers craving haute couture, while Via del Corso offers a livelier, high-street passeggiata.

The verdict

Hotel de la Ville is more than a perfectly placed base; it’s a destination in its own right. Between the exuberant design, stylish rooms, accomplished dining and restorative spa, it offers a version of Rome that is as hedonistic as it is historic. Step outside and the Eternal City is at your feet; stay in, and you’re wrapped in a world of colour, craftsmanship and five-star ease. Either way, it’s la dolce vita distilled.

Vicki was a guest of Hotel de la Ville, a Rocco Forte Hotel; roccofortehotels.com

Visiting China these days, you can feel as if you are travelling two ways in time, said James Patterson in The Sunday Times: back into an “outlandish” past, and forward to a “strange” future.

The country is a place of “skyscrapers and temples, calligraphy and texting, AI and hand tools” and, on a recent trip to Shanghai and the nearby cities of Suzhou and Hangzhou, I got to see the best of this duality. In Shanghai, I stayed at the Amanyangyun hotel, where the guest villas are Ming- and Qing-dynasty houses, relocated – with some 10,000 camphor trees – from a village in Fujian province, some 400 miles away. And amid the modern luxuries, including a 20m lap pool, is a 17th-century school building offering calligraphy classes and music lessons on the seven-stringed guqin. The “hullaballoo of urban China” felt a long way away.

A 30-minute journey by bullet train took me to other “bucolic” Suzhou. This ancient city is known for its 60 or so “manicured” gardens (all of which have Unesco World Heritage status), including the Humble Administrator’s Garden, a watery maze of islands and elegant bridges. My hotel here, the Hanyu Garden Reserve, was redolent of the past, too, with its low pavilions and carved wood. I travelled to Hangzhou by taxi through the countryside, where women worked with mattocks in vegetable fields and, in the water towns of Lili and Nanxun, boatmen “propelled flat-bottomed skiffs along canals festooned with oblong lamps and willow trees”.

For the 13th-century explorer Marco Polo, Hangzhou was the “finest and noblest” city in the world, and it is still beautiful today. With its 10th-century pagoda and verdant setting, West Lake is “a vision from antiquity” and, in the spring, the forests in the surrounding hills are laden with peach and cherry blossom. I can also recommend the hotels where I stayed: the Muh Shoou Xixi and the Qiushui Villa, which can arrange trips to see the tea harvest around the village of Longjing.

Floating on my back and looking up at the shadowy tips of the trees and the warmly glowing windows of Palacete Severo, I can’t quite believe I’m taking a nighttime dip.

That morning, I had been standing on the tarmac waiting to board the aircraft beneath a gloomy grey sky in London. But in Porto there isn’t a cloud to be seen – and the hotel’s heated saltwater pool looked too inviting to miss swimming a few lengths before bed. It’s early March and no other guests have decided to brave it, so we have the entire garden to ourselves. Everything is quiet apart from the rustle of leaves and the gentle murmur of voices from the bar.

Why stay here?

Tucked away down a side street in Porto’s residential Cedofeita neighbourhood, Palacete Severo would be easy to walk right past if it weren’t for the attentive staff waiting to guide guests to the front door. The yellow-walled building peeping out from behind a curtain of crimson camellia trees doesn’t look like a hotel – at first glance it could be the elegant home of a wealthy resident.

For many years it was. The renowned Portuguese architect and engineer Ricardo Severo built the townhouse in 1902 for his Brazilian wife, Francisca Santos Dumont. It stayed in the family, slowly falling into disrepair over decades until the French art dealer Géraldine Banier bought the property and began the painstaking process of restoring the building to its former glory, transforming it into a luxury boutique hotel.

From the hand-painted azulejo tiles to the wooden panelling and ceiling frescoes, every effort has been made to preserve the architectural details and celebrate the building’s history. Look out for the immaculately restored original stained-glass windows, including one above the staircase, which is inscribed with the names Ricardo and Francisca.

The hotel has retained its residential feel with just 20 guest rooms split between the main building and a discreet modern addition across the garden, also home to the compact spa.

Designer Paulo Lobo is responsible for the beautiful interiors; rooms are pared back and spacious in calming neutral tones. Ours featured an enormous (and very comfy) bed with a rattan headboard, tasteful brass lamps, a plush green velvet armchair and a writing desk with views out over the camellia trees. Sliding glass doors lead into the marble-clad bathroom complete with a monsoon shower stocked with organic “8950” toiletries crafted from locally sourced figs, almonds and fennel.

Banier owns a contemporary art gallery in Paris and has turned the hotel into a second outpost; at every turn you’ll spot a painting or sculpture. One of the walls in our room was adorned with a striking ochre and saffron canvas by local artist Filipe Cortez. If something catches your eye, every piece on display is for sale, so you can take it home with you. Impressively, a curator changes the works every four months, and so you’re unlikely to see the same pieces twice.

Eating and drinking

Palacete Severo was relatively quiet when we visited in March, but the wood-panelled fine dining restaurant, Éon, had a buzzy atmosphere. Diners are in safe hands when it comes to the food; dishes are inspired by the early memories of talented head chef Tiago Bonito (who previously held a Michelin star at Largo do Paço). Each dish is expertly paired with a wine chosen by the knowledgeable and charming sommelier, Victor.

We kicked things off with a glass of white port (what else?) and a selection of delicious bite-sized morsels including mini pastry cases stuffed with trout and topped with dots of anchovy mayo, and Bonito’s playful take on Portugal’s favourite piri piri dish – a creamy chilli and lime filling sandwiched between two layers of crispy roast chicken skin. I could have eaten an entire plate of them.

Other stand-out dishes included delicate cubes of bluefin tuna served with a tangy Granny Smith apple ice cream and oyster emulsion; a consommé made from the heads of scarlet shrimp, dotted with drops of XO sauce; and a succulent piece of hook-caught hake with a heady pil pil sauce and a turnip head gel. Just when I was hoping for a bread roll to mop everything up, an entire bread course was served: sourdough and brioche rolls with extra virgin olive oil for dipping and three different butters. The final flourish came with the whimsical dessert – a tiny tree topped with candy floss, served with miniature churros, caramel and popcorn ice cream. It came as little surprise to find out Éon scooped its first Michelin star days after we dined there.

The bistro is a lovely laid-back setting for lunch; the glass-topped courtyard is decorated with pretty white-and-green tiles, and lush potted plants. Simple but tasty dishes span everything from truffle and mushroom linguine to veal loin with rustic potatoes and grilled tuna with malandrino “naughty” rice (a traditional Portuguese loose, soup-like rice dish with a similar texture to risotto). Breakfast is also served here. While you won’t find a buffet, guests are treated to a generous selection of bread rolls, pastries, cheeses, cured meats and fresh fruit, as well as a comprehensive menu of hot food including pancakes, scrambled eggs and smoked salmon on toast.

Things to do

Days are easy to fill sipping cocktails in the bar, reading a book in the wood-panelled library or taking a dip in the outdoor pool. Just a few steps from the main building, past the 300-year-old wild chestnut tree, is the tranquil spa complete with a Himalayan salt room, Turkish bath and gym. Susanna, the warm and experienced therapist, is on hand to carry out an array of treatments; the hot candle wax massage soon dissolved my lingering knots of tension.

The hotel is a short cab ride or half-hour stroll into town (a word of warning: Porto is very hilly, so allow some extra time to pause and get your breath back). The sun-drenched streets are lined with colourful, crumbling houses – these dilapidated yet beautiful buildings are all part of Porto’s charm, adding to its unique and authentic atmosphere that is absent from many of Europe’s more polished cities.

It’s well worth spending an hour exploring the shady interiors of Porto Cathedral, marvelling at the chapel’s elaborate frescoes and blue-and-white tiled cloisters, and climbing the steps to the roof for spectacular views out across the city.

For more wonderful panoramas of the Douro river, nip over to Arco Das Verdades – a small, friendly wine bar with a decent selection of traditional Portuguese nibbles. And for those with a penchant for port (and even those without), it’s worth heading down to the water for a visit to one of the historic cellars. Sandeman offers an hour-long tour and tasting for €23 (£20). Before you leave, be sure to visit the scenic Jardins do Palácio de Cristal, where peacocks and chickens roam freely through the winding paths.

The verdict

Whether relaxation is your priority or you’re eager to soak up as much of Porto’s culture as possible, you would be hard-pressed to find a better spot than Palacete Severo. This is far from a glossy resort. With its thoughtful staff, stand-out food and surprising artworks at each turn, this unassuming yellow townhouse is much more special.

Irenie was a guest of Palacete Severo, palacetesevero.com

The runway is alive with colour and music. Samba dancers fill the stadium, their sparkling, feather-bedecked costumes painting the scene in blocks of neon green, fuchsia pink, lemon yellow and glittering gold.

In between each flock of dancers, floats the size of buses glide by – a giant turquoise bird, a nodding, pawing lion, a palatial carriage, and a cat in sunglasses are among the creations that pass as I watch from the stadium seats, energy palpably on fire as the crowd dances, cheers and sings.

I’m at the Sambadrome – Rio’s 90,000-capacity stadium, purpose-built for Carnival’s world-famous samba parades – watching as four of the city’s most elite Special Group samba schools compete for a place in the final the following weekend.

Each night across the main Carnival days, more than 15,000 samba dancers grace the floor of this open-air arena, twirling with rapid dexterity along the 700-metre runway. It’s spectacular, the joy so contagious a smile is involuntarily etched on my face from beginning to end, and the atmosphere in the crowd doesn’t wane – even when it ends at 6am.

I’m here on a six-day Rio Carnival: Sequins & the Sambadrome group tour with G Adventures, and this is just one of the many festivities across a week that’s all about freedom, energy and joy.

Street parties and samba

Built in 1984 to provide a dedicated space for Rio’s competing escolas de samba, the Sambadrome has become a mainstay during Carnival – but the city’s blocos (street parties) are just as fundamental.

These moving, samba-playing processions have been running since the early 1900s, though the origins of Carnival go further back still. Portuguese colonisers brought their celebratory traditions to Brazil in the 17th century, marking a time of revelry in the run-up to Lent (‘carne vale’ means ‘farewell to meat’ in Latin).

Samba – which emerged among West African slaves in northern Brazil before spreading to marginalised Afro-Brazilian communities around Rio – became a key part of the Carnival festivities in the 20th century. Official samba schools began forming in the 1930s, bringing the (previously criminalised) dance into the mainstream and celebrating an art form produced by Rio’s favela communities (Afro-Brazilian heritage is still at the heart).

Today more than 400 blocos take over Rio’s streets across the Carnival period, turning the entire city into a giant festival day and night, and estimated to attract around seven million partygoers in total. Revellers from across Brazil and beyond don their best glitter, feathers and fancy dress as live samba bands parade through the streets, starting as early as 8am.

At the Bloco do Sargento Pimenta, we bopped along to samba versions of The Beatles songs as the sun streamed down on an estimated crowd of 100,000. We followed as stilt-walking, ribbon-strewn performers paraded along the street, while an 11-piece brass band, Orquestra Voadora, blasted out classic samba songs and pop hits like “Billie Jean”.

At Cordão da Bola Preta, we experienced the oldest and biggest bloco in the city, dating from 1918 and today attracting hundreds of thousands of attendees; and at Banda de Ipanema, we chugged along the beach, stopping intermittently to cool off in the sea.

At other times we caught smaller processions with just a few hundred revellers. There are so many blocos it can be a little overwhelming; our G Adventures guides helped us navigate and took us to the best ones, so it’s worth considering a tour here if you want to take the hassle out (it’s also ideal if you’re a solo traveller and want to enjoy the festivities as part of a group).

All were electric, energy-filled extravaganzas that had the crowd dancing and singing along for hours, fuelled by caipirinhas and summer sun, and it was an extraordinary atmosphere – topped off with a special ‘purple party’ one night at a local beach bar, arranged exclusively for our group as part of the tour.

Having a ball

“The greatest party on earth” doesn’t end with its blocos and Sambadrome parades, though; Carnival balls have long been another key cornerstone of the celebrations, from small, modest affairs to all-out, extravagant ones.

The most famous and exclusive of them all is the Baile do Copa, which has been running at the landmark Copacabana Palace Hotel since 1924. Brazilian celebrities and politicians are known to frequent this exceptionally lavish event, with a black tie, long-dress dress code; tickets start from £600 and go into the thousands.

I managed to snag a ticket and felt like I’d stepped into another world, with room after room decked out with elaborate, carnivalesque metallic sculptures, open bars offering free-flowing champagne and cocktails, and displays of lobster, oysters and macarons overflowing from decadent tables. Live samba bands played throughout the night and into the early hours in an immersive, surreal spectacle that went on until 5am, and there was the same sense of vibrancy, exuberance and joie de vivre I’d felt at the blocos and Sambadrome.

Carnival has long been a chance for people from all walks of life to let loose, and that’s what felt special about it to me: a sense of everyone coming together to celebrate life. I’ve never felt so alive, and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it if you want a chance to let your hair down and escape the world for a brief, joyful and uniquely liberating – and memorable – moment in time.

Laura travelled on G Adventures’ Rio Carnival: Sequins & the Sambadrome trip (part of its 18-to-Thirtysomethings range). The 2027 group tour departs on 5 February; gadventures.com

Set right opposite the beach in the heart of chic Leblon – Rio’s glossiest, most exclusive neighbourhood – Janeiro Hotel is all about the style.

Housed in a 19-storey tower with an elegant rooftop pool and bar overlooking the ocean, it’s the brainchild of Brazilian artist, fashion designer and environmental activist Oskar Metsavaht. He apparently wanted to recreate the ‘Carioca lifestyle’, echoing Rio’s swishest residences – meaning clean whites, leafy plants, natural wood furnishings and Brazilian artworks throughout.

It feels like the place to be seen with a youthful, stylish crowd, but luxury here isn’t overt or in-your-face. It’s more of a sleek, minimalist aesthetic with a laid-back, modern feel.

Why stay here?

First off, the location is excellent. It’s just across the road from the beach and a few minutes’ walk from Leblon’s cobbled lanes, where glamorous Cariocas gather at some of the city’s trendiest bars and restaurants. Upscale Ipanema and its namesake beach are also close by, while Copacabana is around a 15-minute drive along the coast.

I was welcomed with a warm, friendly smile as soon as I walked in; service here is smooth, intimate and personalised, with a small, boutique vibe (there are 51 rooms, but it feels like fewer).

Every room overlooks the sea, and they’re all immaculate in design, with custom-made furnishings, handcrafted light fixtures – made in southern Brazil from recycled glass, I’m told – and a light, airy palette.

I was staying in an Oceanfront Suite, which was huge and came with a very comfy king bed, standalone bathtub, sofa, desk, large TV and quirky, egg-shaped swinging chair, made from natural rattan. The walk-in double shower was ultra-powerful, and a yoga mat was a nod to the bohemian vibe. Large windows offered bright blue sea views as light poured in, with sunbathers dotting the sand below and the Cagarras Islands floating in green blobs on the horizon beyond.

Alongside the slick accommodation, the rooftop here is a key draw; it’s not huge and the pool is a bit too small for swimming lengths, but it offered a sweeping sea view, and a spiral staircase led to an extra terrace with more space and daybeds.

In a bid to be sustainable – and in keeping with Metsavaht’s background in environmental activism – drinking water is provided in reusable glass bottles, solar panels supply part of the hotel’s energy and smart systems are used to reduce water consumption. The hotel also supports various local conservation projects, including Restinga, aimed at preserving the surrounding coastline through rewilding.

Eating and drinking

There are two main dining spots here: the Janeiro Restaurant, where breakfast, lunch and dinner are served in a light, cosy space with big, sea-view windows; and the bistro-inspired Cedilha Bar, which sits on the ground floor with a handful of outdoor, streetside tables.

Breakfast was excellent and felt elegant rather than wasteful. An à la carte menu offered the likes of avocado toast, pancakes and made-to-order omelettes as well as more local dishes (think artisanal cheeses, tapioca wraps and acai bowls). I tried the eggs benedict and it was light and perfectly done, while the oatmeal with peanut butter, banana and sugar cane molasses felt like a healthy treat.

A small, delicate side buffet featured sourdough and other just-baked breads alongside fresh, flaky pastries (including one of the best almond croissants I’ve had). Healthy options like chia seed pots and freshly squeezed juices were also on hand, as gentle, chilled music played in the background.

The restaurant was closed for lunch and dinner when I was there, so I didn’t get to sample it, but Brazilian and Mediterranean-inspired dishes were the focus of the menu. Starters featured the likes of burrata with almonds, dill and honey; grilled scallops with edamame and hazelnut; and beef tartar with charcoal oil, salsa rubra and radish. Mains included shrimp ravioli, pumpkin agnolotti, braised ribeye, arroz de polvo (octopus rice) with artisanal sausage and a changing fish of the day, and they were all reasonably priced (averaging around £14).

I did eat at the Cedilha Bar, tucking into ultra-tender, fall-at-the-fork braised ribs and the MCM sandwich – a satisfyingly chunky brioche burger filled with panko-breaded fish filet and tartar sauce. I topped it off with a decadent chocolate mousse that was silky-smooth.

Complimentary room service is also included, and the Little Pool Bar on the rooftop served salads and sandwiches alongside classic caipirinhas and more creative cocktails. I sipped on an Aurora – made with vermouth, cashew compote, sugarcane molasses and allspice – as the sky turned peach and gold at sunset, and it was paradise.

Things to do

Guests aren’t short of things to do here – I whiled away an afternoon exploring Leblon (if you want to eat outside the hotel, I’d especially recommend Nola, which draws a crowd of well-heeled locals; try the hummus tahini).

The hotel also offers beach service, although it’s fairly low-key – you’ll be given deckchairs and a parasol, but be prepared for it to be a little busy, as it’s on a public beach (and there aren’t sunbeds).

A big plus for me, though, was the complimentary bike hire, with a cycle path that goes all the way along the waterfront. I hired one and ambled along past Ipanema and on to Copacabana, which I’d highly recommend doing.

There isn’t a fitness centre on site, but guests get free day passes to the swish Bodytech gym, which is a 10-minute walk away. Complimentary fitness sessions are also offered on the beach certain mornings of the week, and the hotel offers massages from its mini-spa treatment room.

For a lavish experience, you can also book a day’s sailing tour around the surrounding coastline and Guanabara Bay, with lunch prepared by Janeiro’s chefs.

If you fancy exploring wider Rio, Christ the Redeemer is a must-visit, although I recommend going early to avoid the crowds. I especially enjoyed ambling to the top of Sugarloaf Mountain by cable car, watching views of the city and surrounding sea shrink beneath. I also loved the bohemian hilltop neighbourhood of Santa Teresa, with its quaint restaurants and colourful street art.

The verdict

This is a sleek, stylish spot that’s perfectly located if you want a beachfront stay in one of Rio’s swankiest neighbourhoods. It might not be the place to head if you want all the facilities of a large-scale resort, but if you’re looking for a fashionable base from which to explore the city with excellent service, standout food and a laid-back, easy-living approach, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it. I’m still dreaming of the view from my all-white suite, and I felt incredibly relaxed and reinvigorated after a few heavenly days here.

Laura French was a guest of the Janeiro Hotel; janeirohotel.rio

The Indian Ocean has plenty of “glamorous” tropical islands, many “heaving” with luxury resorts. But the Bazaruto Archipelago, in southern Mozambique, feels different, said Stanley Stewart in the Financial Times.

It has no tarmacked roads, no yacht clubs, no shops full of “overpriced sunglasses”, and although there are six upmarket hotels spread across its five islands, they are “discreet and well-mannered”, with an easy connection to the life around them. During a recent visit, I stood on a beach on Benguerra, the second-largest island, watching the red sails of dhows tilting offshore, while fishermen counted their catch nearby and women with bright bundles on their heads walked past.

I stayed at three “delightful” resorts, all facing beaches of “squeaky clean” white sand. Azura Benguerra has 20 “spacious” thatched bungalows, all with private pools. Azura Marlin is “a more modernist creation,” with 10 villas and a “striking” blue-and-white colour scheme. The “star turn,” however, was Kisawa Sanctuary, with just eight villas. The resort’s palette of almond and straw-coloured tones echoes the dunes and forest around it, and there are many sophisticated design details, from elegant African baskets to sculptural baths.

Lying 40 minutes by speedboat from the mainland, the islands feel like sandbanks adrift in the Mozambique Channel. Awake late at night, I could imagine myself on a ship, so pervasive was the murmur of the surf. Then, as dawn approached, the unfamiliar bird calls (the archipelago is home to more than 150 species) would carry me back to land.

The seas here are carefully protected, offering rich rewards to snorkellers and divers. I watched seahorses feeding in seagrass beds, and saw stingrays and a hawksbill turtle on Two Mile Reef. Sadly, I failed to spot a dugong, or sea cow, roughly 200 of which live around the islands.

Journeys by Design (journeysbydesign.com) has five nights at Azura Marlin from $4,486, or at Kisawa Sanctuary from $21,983.

Gripping on with both hands, wildly swaying from side to side, this boat trip wasn’t all it seemed. My six-year-old was gleefully screaming in front of me, while I considered whether holding on to her pigtails for my own safety would be terrible parenting.

Luckily, with a dramatic splash, our ride on the Aqua Mouse ended – although we’re not quite back on dry land yet. The wacky water slide we’d just conquered is aboard Disney Wish, Disney Cruise Line’s 1,254-stateroom cruise liner. The stunning ship, recognisable from its distinctive red funnels, is a complete destination for Disney fans.

Something for all aboard

I’m on board with my two children, Finn, nine, and Isobel, six, although I haven’t seen much of Finn today. He made a new bestie called Freddie in the kids’ club and clearly mum and little sis were cramping his style. So, while he and Freddy take on a Star Wars mission or learn to be superheroes in the Marvel training camp, Isobel and I have been having a girlie day.

At the mega-buffet, Marceline Market, we make our own afternoon tea, including sandwiches, sushi, cakes with Mickey Mouse on them and unlimited ice cream. If that wasn’t sweet enough, we then head down to the Grand Hall to meet the Disney Princesses. Moana, Cinderella, Rapunzel and Isobel’s favourite, Belle, were in the beautiful three-tier lobby, complete with cascading staircase, royal chandelier and glass slipper in a case.

The four-night cruise, from Florida’s Cape Canaveral to the Bahamas, is a family favourite, pairing Disney’s immersive storytelling with a luxury cruise break. With expertise honed over 70 years of theme-park entertainment, Disney has tapped into a unique niche of those who want an elevated holiday experience but with all the key Disney elements that make theme parks like Disneyland a bucket-list trip.

Even better, for UK Disney fans, is news that Disney Wish will be sailing from Southampton next year. Until now, Disney Cruise Line has featured UK departures only for their smaller ships, Disney Dream and Disney Magic. However, the Wish is one of the biggest and most luxurious vessels in its eight-strong fleet.

The royal wave

The theming on board is exceptional, with restaurants, bars, beauty parlours and activities, all dusted with Disney glitter. Your cruise package comes with all-inclusive dining at a choice of two all-you-can-eat food markets and three table-service restaurants, each with a different theme. Soft drinks are included, but alcoholic beverages are priced separately.

Arendelle: A Frozen Dining Adventure was probably the most anticipated dining spot. Elsa and Friends perform the film’s famous songs on stage between courses, ending with a crowd sing-along of “Let It Go”.

However, Worlds of Marvel, a superhero-themed restaurant, was the biggest hit. With an impressive menu that includes dill and lemon marinated shrimp, orange pork belly bao and spiced pork chop, I was seriously impressed with the quality of the food. Even the bread basket was a win, with crispy red and black ‘hero’ loaf, served with a delectable red pepper dip.

As we tucked in, the lights suddenly dimmed and the Avengers burst onto huge TV screens in the walls. With ‘live’ scenes from the ship’s top deck, Marvel villains had invaded the cruise and the screens showed our heroes in action, saving the day. It’s all very well done, with Spider-Man racing through the restaurant at the end, much to everyone’s delight. My children loved the whole experience and everyone ate all their dinner – another victory.

The highlight of the cruise for many is a pirate party on the ship’s main deck, complete with Captain Jack Sparrow abseiling from the funnel. The grand finale is a firework display at sea, with Disney Cruise Line owning the bragging rights of being the only cruise fleet able to do so.

Beds fit for a king (and queen)

Adults hoping for a stylish family holiday are well catered for on Disney Wish. Despite nods to the Disney brand, the interiors are far from garish, with elegant fittings and subtle artwork throughout the ship.

The staterooms are a testament to this, decked out in muted tones of gold, silver and blue. When you do finally retire to your cabin, it’s a sanctuary of calm away from the fun on deck.

Up bright and early next day, both kids were giddy to get to the Oceaneer Club, the inclusive kids’ club open from 9am – midnight, for children aged three to 11. Older kids also have their own dedicated areas, featuring games, quizzes, sports and an entertainment lounge.

This gave me time to enjoy the adult-only areas of the ship, which includes a stunning pool deck with uninterrupted sea views from the stern. The cocktail of the day was a watermelon margarita, which went down perfectly on an oversized Bali bed, while a guitarist serenaded the crowd.

There are also two adult-exclusive restaurants, pubs and themed lounges, including a Star Wars bar: the Hyperspace Lounge, set in space – because why should kids have all the fun?

A family adventure

Despite the moments of tranquillity on offer for adults, exploring the ship as a family was the true highlight. How we giggled at being constantly lost or at the wrong end of the ship whenever we were going anywhere – a habit that led to us randomly bumping into Goofy, Black Panther and Chewbacca as we tried to find our way around.

The three of us scoffed popcorn as we watched a Broadway-style show of “The Little Mermaid” and then tumbled into bed, where we ordered milk and cookies from the complimentary room service. When you’re six, nine – and 39 – holidays don’t get much better than this.

I’d even take one last dunk on the Aqua Mouse to bank those memories of my little ones shrieking with laughter all the way down. Right now, there is nowhere I would rather be.

Helen was a guest of Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Wish, coming to the UK in summer 2027; disneycruiseline.com

The winter months in Europe are dominated by skiers heading for the Alps. But before you “(snow)plough on with your usual ski holiday booking”, why not see what else is out there to scratch the adrenaline itch, said Rhiannon Batten in The Times.

If there was one thing to take from the Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina this year, it’s that snow sports can take many, many forms. Here are some of our top recommendations for your upcoming coolcations across Europe.

Skijöring in Switzerland

The country’s “sporty mountain resorts” have always offered “far more than just downhill skiing”, said National Geographic. As you can imagine with such isolated Alpine communities, traditionally “getting from A to B in winter has often required ingenuity”.

Enter “skijöring”, also known as “horse-powered skiing”. The sport was exhibited at the first Winter Olympics, in Chamonix, France, in 1924. Try it for yourself in the Alpine resort village of Arosa, where a “horse-drawn sleigh takes riders from railway station to hotel”.

But perhaps the crown jewel is skijöring across the “sparkling Lake St Moritz”. With winter walking, ice skating and snowshoeing also on offer, Switzerland offers “some of the most diverse ways to have fun on frozen water”.

Wolf tracking in Abruzzo, Italy

Wolves have been “making a comeback” in Italy, said Batten. As a result of rewilding drives in Abruzzo National Park, visitors have the “chance to find out more about this keystone species” and its historical links to the region.

With trips available to Apennine Wolf Museum, the more adventurous can also embark on “hikes, snowshoe expeditions and torchlight forays into the surrounding mountains in the hope of sightings and to listen to the howling”. On your return, traditional “homemade pasta, proper pizzas and cups of rich hot chocolate” are the perfect way to warm up after your adventure.

Hiking in Germany

“It’s a mystery as to why the spectacular landscapes of the Elbe Sandstone Mountains in eastern Germany remain so under the radar,” said Annabelle Thorpe in The Guardian. This is a hiker’s dream, with “sandstone cliffs, dramatic gorges” and “flat-topped mesas”.

There is a famous self-guided walking tour through the region – known as “Saxon Switzerland” – which “takes in quiet villages of timber-framed cottages and dense pine forest, cloaking the peaks that sweep up to the sandstone spires”. Starting in Bad Schandau, “home to the spectacular, 11-metre-high Kuhstall rock gate and the beautiful Lichtenhain waterfall”, it provides plenty of opportunity to indulge in the area’s culinary delights. Expect piles of Spätzle, sausage and lentil soup, and marzipan cakes at traditional “Berggasthofs”, or mountain inns, en route.

Northern Lights tours in Norway

“Watching the ethereal Northern Lights as they dance across the skies is possibly one of the most awe-inspiring activities you can enjoy on a snow holiday,” said Jo Blyth in Country Living. Alta in the far north of Norway is nicknamed the “Northern Lights city” for a reason. It is one of the best places in the country to see the aurora borealis, so consider embarking on a tour to “discover the magic of Norway’s fjords, villages, and coastal towns in their winter glory”.

Lying in the shadow of Vesuvius, east of Naples, Pompeii is justly regarded as a wonder of the world – a Roman town frozen in time by the volcano’s eruption in AD79. But equally fascinating are the coastal towns west of the city, says Julia Buckley in The Times, at Campi Flegrei, or Phlegraean (“Burning”) Fields.

Although much of this area is densely populated, it is an active volcanic caldera, comprising 24 craters, as well as multiple steaming fumaroles and bubbling mud pools. The ancient Greeks settled here in 730BC at Kyme, their first colony in western Europe. Later, the Roman navy was headquartered at Misenum. And thanks to the area’s thermal waters and “epic” coastline, it became a playground for the Roman upper class, who frequented a “city-sized” spa complex at Baiae.

Pompeii was a “bog-standard” town, but emperors built villas in Campi Flegrei, and it was also a place of “legend”. Aeneas “nipped down to Hades” via Lake Avernus, Hercules dammed up Lake Lucrinus, and Daedalus built a temple to Apollo at Cumae (the Greeks’ Kyme, now Cuma). Today, the area is “a gumbo of old and new”, with ancient remains scattered amid later development. Among marvels too numerous to list are the bathhouses at Baiae, which “spill down the cliffside like an ancient Positano”; the Piscina Mirabilis at Bacoli, which is “like a cathedral built by mermaids”; and “elegant” Pozzuoli – Sophia Loren’s home town – where young inmates of the local jail guide visitors around the Tempio-Duomo, a “jaw-dropping” Roman temple converted into a baroque church that houses three dazzling and “tender” paintings by Artemisia Gentileschi.

Small earthquakes known as scosse have been increasing in frequency in recent years. Experts say an eruption is not imminent, but each one is a reminder to “live for the moment” – a task that is made easier by the area’s excellent restaurants and vineyards. I particularly loved Scapricciatiello, in Pozzuoli, and Le Cantine dell’Averno, where the wine was “heavenly”.

Hundreds of thousands of Britons have been stranded across the Middle East by the Iran conflict and many more could see holidays cancelled due to flight restrictions and airport closures.

However, people who purchased travel insurance to protect against such disruption might be out of luck.

Travel insurance often excludes protection against war, said the Daily Express, so “you may not be covered by your holiday insurance at all”.

How travel insurance works

Travel insurance typically covers a “range of possibilities”, said MoneyHelper, such as lost luggage, medical care and disruptions including delays and cancellations.

But unless you have a specialist policy, most standard travel insurance won’t include losses linked to a war, “meaning disruption to your trip”, said the Association of British Insurers. Extra costs you may have, such as food and hotels, may not be covered.

There may be some protections if government guidance on a destination changes after you booked, such as if the Foreign Office advises against travelling to a country.

If the guidance changed after you booked, said Axa, travel insurance coverage “may apply” and your policy may cover you for getting home or let you cancel your trip and get a refund for flights, hotel bookings and tours.

Travel disruption rights explained

It is always worth checking with your airline or travel provider when there is disruption such as delays or cancellations before claiming on your travel insurance. Most travel insurance policies “don’t cover claims if the losses can be recovered from another source”, said the Financial Ombudsman Service.

As the Foreign Office guidance changed on the Gulf, customers who have already booked have the right to cancel a package holiday.

If you are stuck in a destination such as Dubai or Abu Dhabi, package holiday operators “have an obligation to book you on the next available flight home”, said The Sun.

Airlines typically have to pay compensation if they are at fault for a delay. But those flying in and out of the UK and European Union, or with a non-UK or non-EU airline, should not expect redress, as the airlines are not at fault for the outbreak of war. However, there is a duty of care for airlines to look after affected passengers. This means they should help with rearranging flights and provide food, drink and accommodation.

But don’t rush to take a refund from your airline while you are stranded as “it manages down the problem at little cost to the carrier”, travel expert Simon Calder said in The Independent. You are better off hanging on to your ticket and “hope that eventually they come up with an alternative journey for you”.

It is also worth checking if the local destination is providing support. The United Arab Emirates has publicly said that it is “bearing accommodation and hosting costs for affected passengers” amid the Iran conflict, said Condé Nast Traveller, so many travellers “won’t need to pay for hotels at all” and won’t need to claim on insurance. However, you may still need your insurance for “extra expenses” such as missed onward connections or medical costs.

There’s no one way to do spring break. Flee the cold and head to the beach. Embrace the snow and take a ski trip. Disappear off-grid to a remote locale. Settle into the heart of a big city. Let these ideas inspire your bespoke getaway.

Seek serenity at Hotel Belmar, Monteverde, Costa Rica

There is no rush at Hotel Belmar. Guests come here to slow down and enjoy the experience of living in the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, taking in the views of the “lush natural landscapes” from their private terraces, said The New York Times. The 26 rooms and suites feature high ceilings and hand-carved furnishings made from tropical cedar and teak. On each bedside table is a Good Night Guide, with tips for unwinding, and an herbal tea sachet with botanicals from the family-run property’s garden.

Both “quiet and adventurous” activities are offered, added the Times, like forest bathing, birdwatching, low-impact hiking and naturalist-guided night walks. There are culinary options as well, including an organic coffee tasting and cocktail and mocktail classes, where guests use “infusions, syrups, teas and muddled herbs or flowers.”

Race down the slopes at Club Med Québec Charlevoix, Canada

Sure, you’re on spring break, but it's still a winter wonderland at Club Med Québec Charlevoix. This mountain escape offers “crisp air” and a “place to truly unwind,” said Fodor's Travel. You’ll spot “ski gondolas dangling every which way in the distance” on arrival. The slopes overlook the St. Lawrence River, and because the property is all-inclusive, lift passes, group ski lessons for kids, teens and adults and unlimited ski-in/ski-out access are included in every stay.

Accommodations are “stately-meets-ultra modern,” said Fodor's Travel, and when not in your room or skiing, chances are you’ll be in the central building. It’s home to the indoor pool complex, steam room, gym, fitness class studio, spa, wine bar, theater and the restaurants Le Marché and Le Chalet. Start with Le Chalet’s “killer” charcuterie board with local cheeses and meats.

Enjoy the great outdoors at Hotel Las Torres Patagonia, Chile

In the heart of Chile’s spectacular Torres del Paine National Park is Hotel Las Torres Patagonia, a family-owned lodge giving guests the chance to choose between dozens of different guided experiences, each showing a different side of Patagonia. The Baqueano Cultural Experience is a highlight, with Patagonian cowboys and cowgirls providing visitors a peek into their life, teaching them how to saddle and ride horses before sitting down for some maté herbal tea and pumpkin bread with fresh salsa.

Hotel Las Torres is an excellent base for those who want to bask in the natural beauty of the park while staying in comfortable accommodations. Torres del Paine’s “rugged wilderness” is a “dreamscape,” filled with grasslands, “jagged granite peaks” and “glacier-fed lakes,” making it a “rewarding” spot for hikers, said Afar. Hotel Las Torres guests can embark on the famous W Circuit trek or take the sustainable trail — recently restored by the property and volunteers — to Base Torres viewpoint.

Welcome wellness at Lefay Resort & Spa Dolomiti, Italy

If you’re ready for a “best-kept secret” wellness experience with a side of incredible views, Lefay Resort & Spa Dolomiti is for you, said Vogue. The hotel’s “seriously impressive” spa is one of the largest in the Alps, with saunas, steam rooms, sensory waterfalls, cold plunges, pools, a salt grotto and the complex’s centerpiece: an “enormous whirlpool of magnesium-rich salt.” Guests can also break up spa sessions by heading outside for adventures like guided “pulse-quickening” hikes that include forest bathing and birch sap tastings.

Keep the theme going by booking one of the Exclusive Spa Suites, equipped with a bio-sauna, jacuzzi, selection of herbal teas and infusions and a private terrace featuring valley views. When it’s time to eat, you have options, but be sure to dine at least once at Grual. This Michelin-starred restaurant serves dishes based on the different altitudes of the Dolomites, with courses focusing on ingredients found in the valleys, passes and peaks.

Delight in a desert getaway at Rancho de los Caballeros Resort, Wickenburg, Arizona

Sprawled across 18,000 acres of desert land is Rancho de los Caballeros Resort, one of the “last vestiges of the true dude ranch,” said Condé Nast Traveler. The recently-renovated property’s “authenticity” is apparent around every corner. There’s a “rustic charm” to the Western-inspired lounge and guest casitas, as employees “walk by in cowboy hats and Wranglers” and Saturday nights are spent at group cookouts under the stars. Rancho de los Caballeros is the “real deal,” complete with a herd of 125 horses that are central to the experience. Guests can sign up for rides, barrel racing and roping lessons and team penning and watch the daily horse run, a “rather remarkable sight.”

All stays include breakfast, and more robust packages are available that cover lunch and dinner. Because of how large the property is, there’s room for a “constant stream of activities,” said Condé Nast Traveler, like archery, trap and skeet shooting, desert nature walks and swimming in the new pool complex.

Have a big city adventure at Tribe Hotel, Nairobi

At this stylish property in Nairobi’s Gigiri neighborhood, you might ask yourself, “Is it a gallery or a hotel?” said The Independent. The Tribe Hotel is filled with 900 African artworks and artifacts, including bronze statues from Benin and leather work from Cameroon. “Even walking to breakfast is a cultural experience.”

Shining a light on African and Kenyan traditions is important to owner Shamim Ehsani, who founded the hotel in 2008. The menu at Jiko Restaurant “spans the African continent” but “pays homage to Kenya’s farmers” specifically, said The Independent. It features dishes like forest mushroom soup with baobab powder and spicy suya nundu skewers with cassava. In the 10,000-square-foot Kaya Spa, a signature treatment is the Kenya Gold, which includes a scrub made from fresh Kenyan coffee beans.

When booking your stay, go with one of the “lovely” garden terrace rooms, which look out over a protected wetland. When relaxing on these balconies, guests can spot all types of birds, from “hadada ibis to marabou stork,” The Independent added. To see even more wildlife, ask the staff to arrange a night game safari at nearby Nairobi National Park, with the glittering skyline in the background.

Hit the sand and links at Tryall Golf & Beach Club, Montego Bay, Jamaica

Everything you need for an “unforgettable tropical escape” can be found at Tryall Club, said Forbes. There’s a world-class golf course, a beach club, tennis and pickleball facilities and a luxurious spa, plus an untouched, private stretch of shoreline that’s more than a mile long. It’s the perfect location to splash around or plop down a chair, soak up the sun and watch the waves.

No two accommodations are the same; The Tryall Club has 74 independently-owned villas, “each designed to be your ideal vacation home,” said Forbes. Choose the size you need — a one-bedroom for a couple, two-bedroom for a small family or 10-bedroom for a multi-generational trip — and decide which amenities are essential. For true luxury, select a villa with over-the-top outdoor features, like a “jaw-dropping infinity pool” or “waterfall you can sleep under.”

Come summer, throngs of tourists descend on the likes of Florence, Rome and Venice to marvel at the historic architecture and sample the delicious food. But for those willing to look beyond these heavyweights, Italy is home to some underrated gems that offer all the ingredients for a memorable city break – without the crowds. Here are some of our favourites.

Livorno

This vibrant port city on the west coast of Tuscany is a popular spot for cruise ships, but it’s also a “winning weekend destination in its own right”, said Julia Buckley in The Sunday Times. Just 12 miles south of Pisa, Livorno (historically known in the English-speaking world as Leghorn) was built by the Medici family in the 16th century “to rake in the riches of Mediterranean trade”. Now, bars “unfurl” along the canal, and “ghostly” Armenian and Dutch churches “quietly crumble”. There is plenty to keep you busy, from Italy’s third-largest aquarium (great for kids) to the Medici fortresses in the centre where you can “wander the eerie bowels and ramparts, then exit via the modern drawbridge across the water”.

Turin

With its “majestic palazzos”, “beautiful 360-degree views of the Alps” and “world-class restaurants”, it’s hard to believe Turin has “flown under the radar for so long”, said Luke Abrahams and Alessia Armenise in Condé Nast Traveller. Perhaps “most importantly”, the capital city of the Piedmont region is the birthplace of vermouth and the “beloved Italian tradition of the ‘aperitivo’”, so you’ll find lots of bustling buffet bars here. And every second Sunday of the month, bargain-hunters flock to the Gran Balon flea market to “get their hands on all sorts of fine Italianate steals”, from retro furniture to vintage clothing. If you’re keen to experience the “real Italy, far away from mass tourism” it’s hard to think of a better destination.

Genoa

Some use Genoa (Genova in Italian) as a “stopover on the way to the Italian Riviera”, but I think it “deserves to be a destination in its own right”, said Lisa Niven-Phillips in Vogue. The port city has the “character, charm, culture and culinary prowess” of somewhere like Rome – but without the influx of tourists. A “stylish alternative to Marseille”, Genoa boasts similar “colourful, hilly streets” to the French city, with “buzzy bars spilling across pavements”. Days are easy to fill “taking in the exquisite interiors and impressive art collection” of the Palazzo Rosso, wandering through the “tiny, medieval alleys” and “exploring the city’s hidden parks”.

Bologna

Home to a “marvellous medieval centre” and “piles of perfect pasta”, Bologna ticks a lot of boxes required for a “memorable” trip, said Sarah Lane in The Telegraph. The “lesser-known rival to Rome and Venice” has plenty of “treasures to be discovered”, including its world-famous porticos and “monumental statues with intriguing stories attached”. But the real draw is the city’s culinary culture. “Food is taken seriously here”, from the Quadrilatero market (“bliss for foodies with its colourful medley of sausages, cheeses, fruit and veg”) to the excellent pizzerias and pavement cafes.

Trieste

With its “sprawling waterfront location”, “broad boulevards and historic cafe culture”, Trieste feels “perfectly pitched at the modern traveller”, said Paula Hardy in The Telegraph. Filled with “pretty public gardens” and “wine bars that tumble out onto every cobbled piazza”, it’s a relaxing setting for a weekend away. There’s also an “epic” art museum, the Museo Revoltella, and a “wealth of outdoor pleasures”. These include scenic cycle trails, coastal clifftop walks and ferries to the charming town of Muggia, “where you can scoff barbecued fish straight off the boat”.

Travel is for everyone or rather should be. Cities, landmarks, national parks and other destinations across the U.S. are increasingly making their spaces accessible for all. All of these spots were originally designed with inclusivity top of mind or have adapted to offer equal access.

Badlands National Park, South Dakota

With its “dramatic” canyons and colorful rock formations, Badlands National Park offers visitors gorgeous views of “striking” landscapes, said Travel and Leisure. It also provides them with plenty of accessible spaces, starting with the Ben Reifel Visitor Center, which has ramp entrances, accessible movie theater seating and bathrooms, tactile exhibitions and captioned and audio-described versions of the park’s informational film.

Multiple viewpoints on Badlands Loop Road have accessible parking and paths. A park highlight is the Fossil Exhibit Trail, a “short, accessible” route showcasing the “unique geology and fossil history” of the Badlands, said WheelchairTraveling.com.

The National Park Service is doing its part to improve support for “neurodiverse travelers” with “social stories, sensory guides and staff who can respond to families’ needs by suggesting calm spots or less-crowded trails,” said Afar. U.S. citizens and residents with medically documented permanent disabilities can also receive a gratis America the Beautiful Access Pass, which gives them lifetime free entrance to recreation areas managed by the National Park Service, Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Reclamation, Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Boston

This is a historic center, but when it comes to accessibility, Boston is thoroughly modern. Over the last several years, the city has worked with advocates to make attractions easier to visit and compile lists of accessible hotels for quick reference. Boston’s subway and trolley system is inching closer to becoming fully accessible and now has low-floor buses in its fleet and additional elevators being installed in stations. Even The Freedom Trail, featuring American Revolution sites, is accessible; it is recommended visitors use a power wheelchair to go over the cobbled streets and up hills.

During a recent visit to Boston, travel blogger Cory Lee from Curbfree with Cory Lee was “pleasantly surprised” by how effortless it was to get around in his wheelchair. From the top of the View Boston observation deck, Lee enjoyed “gorgeous” views of the city, and at the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum he was “impressed” by the “step-free entry and accessible pathways throughout,” plus the “interactive experience” of throwing faux tea crates overboard. His “spacious” suite at the waterfront Boston Harbor hotel had meaningful touches, like a bed with a removable box frame, in case a guest needed it lowered. This kind of “flexibility is rare,” Lee said, and “incredibly helpful for wheelchair users with different transfer needs.”

Moonlight State Beach, Encinitas, California

This beach north of San Diego is “one of the country’s most accessible stretches of sand,” said Travel and Leisure. An access mat is available throughout the year, allowing wheelchair and scooter users to cross the sand, and visitors can also borrow beach wheelchairs on a first-come, first-served basis. These chairs have large wheels that keep them from sinking and are not meant to go into the water.

Morgan’s Wonderland and Morgan’s Inspiration Island, San Antonio, Texas

Every aspect of Morgan’s Wonderland, the world’s first “ultra-accessible” theme park, was thoughtfully planned to “ensure no one feels left out,” said Southern Living. The 25 attractions and shaded playgrounds can be enjoyed by “guests of all ages and abilities,” with rides like the wheelchair-accessible Joy’s Happy Swing and Rocket’s Sky Flight Adventure, a four-seater zip line over the park’s lake. On a hot summer day, plan to spend time at Morgan’s Inspiration Island, a water park with elaborately themed splash pads, a river boat ride and waterproof wheelchairs. Tickets for both parks are free for individuals with disabilities or special needs.

Oregon

As the first state to be named “accessibility verified” by Wheel the World, Oregon leads the way in letting travelers know ahead of their journeys about accessible hotels, activities, attractions and transportation. Wheel the World collected “over 200 specific data points” at each location, said The Oregonian, such as “bed height, bathroom features and doorway measurements” at hotels. Wheel the World then posts these details on its online platform, acting as an “Expedia for people with disabilities,” said Joy Burns, the communication and partnership manager for the company.

Travel Oregon also launched a statewide grants program for a variety of initiatives, which included helping “fund projects that make travel experiences more inclusive,” like the installation of more than 600 feet of nonslip wheelchair-accessible mats on pathways through Kiyokawa Family Orchards in Mount Hood. These make it easier to navigate the orchard and its parking lot, and also benefit visitors with other mobility aids and baby strollers.

Smithsonian Museums, Washington, D.C.

At the Smithsonian’s 21 museums, “accessible options and resources are front and center,” said Smithsonian Magazine, from “wheelchair accessible exhibitions and entrances” to “open captioning on videos and media experiences.” The National Museum of Natural History, for example, offers visual description tours that are “essential” for helping people who are blind or have low vision navigate areas “teeming with objects and specimens.” These narrations are extremely detailed, not only describing the objects but also the “levels of light in the halls” and “murals lining the display cases.”

During Morning at the Museum events, the facilities open early for neurodivergent kids, teens, young adults and their families. This gives attendees “access to quiet and darkened spaces” and the chance to participate in educator-developed sensory-based activities. Advance registration is required.

The UK, Gibraltar and the EU are set to end “almost a decade of uncertainty for the British overseas territory since the Brexit referendum”, said London’s The Standard.

A draft treaty drawn up by the three governments aims to “protect British sovereignty, UK military autonomy and secure Gibraltar’s economic future”. Madrid will hope, however, that this deal drags the territory further towards Spanish control.

What is in the treaty?

Though not fully ratified, the draft treaty claims to tackle the “last major unresolved issue from Brexit”.

Under the new rules, the UK will allow Spanish border guards to check passports for those entering territory by air or sea. This means that these arrivals will present their passports to both British and Spanish authorities – in “dual border control checks” similar to those seen at Eurostar terminals at London’s St Pancras.

In effect, this “shifts the EU’s external border from the between Spain and Gibraltar to the Rock’s points of arrival”, said The Times. Gibraltar will not become part of the EU, but residents will be able to pass into Spain freely, and vice versa. The “barbed-wire fence” separating Gibraltar from Spain is “expected to be dismantled” after more than a century to create a “fluid border” for people and goods.

As a result, “the Rock effectively becomes part of the EU’s Schengen zone of passport-free movement”, said The Telegraph. By removing the land border, the “deal protects Gibraltar residents and Spaniards from post-Brexit rules”, meaning they are no longer subject to the visa-free travel limit of 90 days every 180 days.

In terms of customs, Gibraltar must now “align with EU single market rules” and be “subject to the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice”. This means that “cigarettes and alcohol will no longer be as cheap on the Rock”. Gibraltar will keep its zero-VAT regime but a new “transaction tax” starting at 15% will apply to goods imported to the territory for sale.

Crucially, the draft agreement does not affect sovereignty of the territory. According to the treaty, the UK will “never enter into arrangements” where sovereignty would pass to another state against the “freely and democratically expressed wishes” of the Gibraltarian people.

Why now?

Gibraltar was ceded by Spain to the UK in 1713, under the Treaty of Utrecht, and the resident population is “heavily in favour of remaining a British overseas territory”, said The Independent. The last time Gibraltar voted on the issue of sharing sovereignty with Spain, in 2002, “almost 99% of Gibraltarians rejected the move”.

Spain had been due to apply the EU’s new automated “Entry/Exit” border system from April, which would include biometric checks on the border with Gibraltar, said the BBC. If no agreement had been reached, there would have been “mandatory passport checks” at air, land and sea borders, which would “devastate Gibraltar’s economy”, lead to “endless” entry queues and cost “hundreds of millions a year” to UK taxpayers, according to the proposed treaty.

Who will it affect?

Around 15,000 people – just under half of the territory’s 35,000 population – cross the border each day, mainly for work purposes. They will not need to have their passports checked and can pass through freely.

What has the reaction been?

The “safe and secure” proposals allow Gibraltar to “look to the future with confidence”, while “protecting our British way of life” and exploring “new opportunities for growth and prosperity”, said Fabian Picardo, the chief minister of Gibraltar.

British and Spanish diplomats hope “the treaty will improve bilateral relations”, said The Standard. However, Spain wants to “strengthen” its “legal claim on the Rock, leading the way for Madrid to wield greater influence over the territory”. Some in the UK, meanwhile, may see the deal as an “erosion of sovereignty”.

Any agreement that “hands Spain new powers over entry, residency, infrastructure or enforcement must be examined line by line by Parliament before it takes effect”, said shadow Foreign Office minister Wendy Morton.

What will happen next?

The treaty has been published in draft, so still needs to be reviewed by legal teams from all parties. Then it will have to be ratified by both the UK, Gibraltarian and European parliaments.

“Gibraltar’s government says it is hoping to provisionally apply the deal from 10 April,” said the BBC.

Henry Haselock is a qualified expedition leader, adventurer and fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. He has led many expeditions across the world and completed a world-first crossing on foot of the Chalbi desert in Kenya.

There’s more than one way to tackle the Sahara. For some, a day trip by minibus and camel is more than enough desert – but the true adventurer will want to seek out the untrodden sands of southern Algeria.

I found a real spirit of romance here. Algeria offered a place of solitude and calm, an escape from the noise and stress of urban life for the two weeks I spent trekking with the Tuareg, the true custodians of the desert.

Getting to know the Tuareg

The Tuareg people are an ancient nomadic group found across northern Africa. For centuries they have followed a traditional way of life, plying trade routes through Algeria, Mali, Libya, Niger and beyond.

Their ability to survive in such extreme conditions is testament to their knowledge of the desert, which has been handed down through generations. Traditionally, they were trans-Saharan merchants, using caravans of camels to transport all sorts of goods, from salt and spices to gold. Their journeys could last weeks, sometimes months, as they passed through remote parts of the desert.

Travelling this network of routes gave the Tuareg a unique understanding of the water sources that allowed them to thrive, ensuring their survival to this day. You can still find some of their descendants living a nomadic life, upholding their cultural traditions – and crossing the desert to find new grazing for their livestock.

The role of tourism

For a traveller looking for a more adventurous experience, spending time with the Tuareg offers a truly unique experience. There is no better way of seeing the desert than by learning about their traditions, skills and history. Guests are warmly welcomed by Tuareg communities, and by visiting them you will be supporting community-based tourism that contributes directly to the local people.

They certainly need your support. The Tuareg are currently facing challenges due to climate change and political instability in some areas, which has cut the income they receive from tourism. Desertification, and the resulting loss of grazing land, has led many of them to switch to a semi-nomadic lifestyle – while holding on to as much of their heritage as they can – or even to move from the desert into towns.

The trekking experience

The best way to see the Sahara is on foot, which delivers a sense of connection to the desert that you wouldn’t get in a 4x4. It is also more sustainable, and the slower pace provides more opportunity for getting to know the local culture, food and people. It does, however, require a good level of fitness. The terrain can be a mix of high dunes, loose rock and deep sand, all of which have to be crossed in the Saharan heat.

My trek started from a small Saharan town called Djanet, from which we headed north, covering 10 to 13 miles a day for 12 days, during which we were completely cut off from civilisation. Each day started with a hearty breakfast to set us up for a day’s hiking through unbelievable scenery, accompanied by birds and occasionally snakes. Later, after sharing food, tea and stories around a campfire, we would hear the sound of wolves howling.

The most extraordinary thing I came across was the rock art, carved and painted into the stone thousands of years ago, depicting the animals that wandered this land when it was green and rich with vegetation.

Board and lodging

You can stay in tents, but I preferred to sleep outside like the Tuareg, gazing up at the night sky. The temperature drops sharply in the evening, but as long as you have a good sleeping bag it’s not a problem. The Tuareg will also provide thick mattresses for sleeping outside.

I ate well, with lots of fresh vegetables and salad. The bread is traditionally made, with dough mixed by hand, then heated by coals from the fire, buried in sand, covered with more coals and left for 30 minutes. It’s fresh and very tasty. You will occasionally have meat – some chicken and goat – which is grilled on the campfire.

Logistics

The best time to be here is between September and January, when the temperatures are not at their highest. It is essential to have a good team with you when you embark on a desert adventure like this. There are a few UK-based adventure tour operators that can source trusted fixers to organise the expedition and select the right guides, cooks and translators. For most of the trip you will be many miles away from towns, so you will need desert-ready clothing, equipment and medical supplies.

Nonstop flights help start — and end — trips on a high note. There are fewer stressors like worrying about tight connections or if your suitcase will make it on the next plane. Plus, you save time by not having to wait around the airport for the next leg of your journey. Ready for takeoff? Pack your bags, and book a seat on one of these new nonstop routes.

Alaska Airlines: Seattle (SEA) to Rome (FCO)

For its first foray into Europe, Alaska Airlines is heading to Rome, with daily, seasonal summer service beginning April 28. Travelers will board a long-haul 787 Boeing Dreamliner with three sections: Main Cabin, Premium Class and Business Class, which features 34 enclosed suites with lie-flat beds.

Rome was one of the most requested nonstop destinations from Seattle customers, Alaska said, and flight frequency was bumped up from four times a week to daily due to travel demand. It’s not surprising that this is already a popular route, as the Eternal City sees millions of visitors during the summer months.

American Airlines: Miami (MIA) to Bimini, Bahamas (BIM)

On Feb. 14, American Airlines expanded its already robust service to the Bahamas, launching direct flights to Bimini on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. This is American’s seventh destination in the Bahamas and the sole nonstop flight from the U.S. to Bimini, a “collection of cays and islands” that “offer a mix of adventure and rest,” said Travel and Leisure. Divers come to swim through the “cerulean” water and explore a “coral reef system teeming with wildlife and tropical currents,” while anglers are drawn to the island’s “famous” bonefish flats.

Delta Airlines: Atlanta (ATL) to Riyadh (RUH)

This nonstop flight from Delta’s hub in Atlanta to Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, will be both a “historic” and “strategic move reshaping global aviation routes,” said Fortune. Delta is the first U.S. airline to offer direct service to Saudi Arabia, and it comes at a time when Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is trying to “shift the country away from oil dependence and toward tourism, investment and technology.” When service begins on Oct. 23, flights will operate three times a week on Airbus A350-900 planes equipped with Delta Main, Delta Comfort, Delta Premium Select and Delta One.

JetBlue: Boston (BOS) to Barcelona (BCN)

JetBlue’s seasonal daily flight to Barcelona, set to launch on April 16, is the airline’s latest transatlantic offering. As with its treks to London, Paris, Edinburgh and Dublin, the company plans to fly Airbus A321LR narrow-body jets, which carry “fewer travelers” than twin-aisle planes but are “cheaper to operate since they require less fuel,” said CNBC.

Travelers should try their best to nap on the flight over; after touching down in Barcelona, you’ll want to immediately start exploring this “fabulous showcase of Catalan culture,” said Lonely Planet. Night arrivals are no exception; after dark, the city is “reimagined,” with plazas, parties and clubs “springing to life.”

Starlux: Phoenix (PHX) to Taipei (TPE)

Starlux’s nonstop flight from Phoenix to Taipei links the two destinations for the first time. Flights are taking off three times a week, with passengers boarding Airbus A350-900 planes featuring four “ultra-lavish” first-class seats and 26 lie-flats with direct aisle access, said Condé Nast Traveler. Upon arrival, travelers can hit the ground running, visiting the Longshan Temple and Elephant Mountain and stopping to enjoy “world-famous street food.”

United Airlines: Newark, New Jersey (EWR) to Seoul (ICN)

When United starts its daily nonstop service from Newark to Seoul on Sept. 4, the airline will be the only U.S. carrier offering direct flights to the South Korean capital from the New York City region. This route “capitalizes on Seoul’s rising popularity,” said Afar, with travelers flocking to the city year-round to experience its “four true and very scenic seasons.”

Seoul has an “extensive and efficient” subway system that makes it easy for visitors to “cover a lot of ground in a single trip,” said Afar. That includes the chance to sample the “storied food scene” and hunt for the “coolest new K-beauty brands.”

United Airlines: San Francisco (SFO) to Adelaide, Australia (ADL)

Koalas, kangaroos and delicious wines are now a 16-hour flight away. United’s new route from San Francisco to Adelaide is the first to directly connect the U.S. and South Australia, with the airline flying Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners three days a week.

Adelaide proper boasts a “walkable” center, with stops like the Adelaide Botanic Garden and Adelaide Central Market offering a “first taste” of the area, said Travel and Leisure. Outside of the city in the Adelaide Hills you’ll find 50 different wine cellars and Cleland Wildlife Park, where visitors can “interact with some of Australia’s most iconic animals,” like wallabies.

Emerald Fennell’s film adaptation of “Wuthering Heights”, starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi, has sparked “a new wave of Brontë pilgrims”, said Maria Crawford in the Financial Times.

I made my own trip to West Yorkshire to experience the “tumult of windswept moors” that inspired Emily Brontë’s 1847 novel, and the books of her sisters, for myself. Today, it feels something like an “open-air literary theme park”.

My first stop was the village of Thornton, near Bradford, to visit the Brontë Birthplace: “part museum, part magical guesthouse”. Charlotte, Anne, Emily and brother Branwell were all born here and the community-owned property was revamped and opened to the public last year.

“Excitingly”, its three bedrooms can be booked by those eager to “sleep where their literary heroes once did”, said Cathy Toogood in The Telegraph. I stayed in “Charlotte’s room” where all four Brontë siblings slept. The “grandest” of all, it features a four-poster bed, “dusky pink chaise longue, an original fireplace and a small en-suite bathroom”.

If you’re after something even fancier, consider booking a room at Simonstone Hall – a “grand stone country-house hotel” around 50 miles north of Thornton where the cast of Fennell’s adaptation stayed during filming.

But it was the “handsome” village of Haworth, where Emily moved in 1820 as a toddler, and the “moody moors around it” that inspired much of “Wuthering Heights”. Today, her old family home – the Brontë Parsonage Museum – is filled with the world’s biggest collection of Brontë manuscripts, personal possessions and furnishings.

Here, you’ll find “everyday ephemera” from “Emily’s christening mug” to "Charlotte’s small writing desk”, said Victoria Moss in Vogue. The front parlour is set up as if the family had “just broken for tea”, but “tragedy, too, isn’t far from sight; against the wall is the sofa where Emily died from tuberculosis, aged 30”.

And “nestled next door” is St Michael and All Angels Church, where their father Patrick was the curate for four decades, and its “deeply atmospheric graveyard”. Emily is buried in the family vault beneath the church.

Afterwards, stop for lunch at the Black Bull Inn, where Branwell “the struggling Brontë brother fed his addictions”, said Crawford. Then head out into the “untamed wilderness” of the countryside; it’s a four-mile walk to Top Withens – the ruined farmhouse that’s said to have inspired “Wuthering Heights” – via the Brontë Waterfall, a tranquil spot beloved by the sisters.

On August 2, 2027, the skies above parts of southern Spain, Northern Africa, the Middle East and the Horn of Africa will plunge into darkness as a total solar eclipse blocks all direct sunlight. Witnessing a solar eclipse in its totality is powerful, and not only because it’s quite a sight. The temperature also drops, wild animals transition to their nocturnal routines and stillness fills the air. Experience it for yourself at one of these destinations in the path of totality.

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (totality time: 5 minutes, 54 seconds)

You have the best of both worlds in Jeddah. The city is going through an “exciting wave of regeneration,” with a fresh crop of “museums, cafes, galleries and cultural festivals” giving it an “unmistakably modern edge,” said Condé Nast Traveler Middle East. Not everything is shiny and new — the “beguiling” old town, Al Balad, still draws crowds for its souks, ancient buildings and lively street scene. Because Jeddah is on the Red Sea, it also offers “year-round warm waters” and the “enviable” chance for diving and snorkeling excursions.

Luxor, Egypt (totality time: 6 minutes, 20 seconds)

Luxor, with its “rich cache of historical treasures,” is “often touted as the world’s greatest open-air museum,” said The Times of London. Visitors can bask in the glory of “mighty monuments” like the Avenue of Sphinxes, the “vast” Karnak Temple Complex and Luxor Temple, “fronted by colossal statues” of the “prolific” pharaoh Ramses II. While the temperatures will be sweltering here during the summer, experts say there is a “near zero-chance” of clouds over Egypt during the eclipse, said Space.com (The Week’s sister site).

Parts of the Mediterranean Sea (totality time: depends on exact location)

Instead of viewing the eclipse from land, watch it from the Mediterranean Sea. You can book a spot on a boat, charter a yacht or take a cruise, like the 8-day A Solar Eclipse at Sea: Voyage Along the Iberian Peninsula.

On this Smithsonian Journeys and Ponant Explorations adventure, 264 guests will glide along the southern shores of Spain and Portugal on the Le Boréal. The day of the eclipse, the ship will stop in the band of totality off the southern coast of Spain, with guests invited to take in the awe-inspiring event from the top deck. The cruise starts in Lisbon on July 30, 2027, and includes stops in Marbella and Málaga, with one excursion or activity included at every port.

Siwa Oasis, Egypt (totality time: 5 minutes, 29 seconds)

Hundreds of miles away from the packed streets of Cairo is “far-flung” Siwa Oasis, a historic outpost in the Western Desert “full of natural wonders” like salt lakes and “spring-fed pools framed by date palms,” said Afar. Take your time exploring the “spectacular ruins” of the Shali Fortress and “striking remains” of the Temple of Umm Ubayda, and set aside at least one day for floating in the salt lakes and “sand bathing,” an ancient ritual where you are “buried to the neck in hot sand” for therapeutic purposes. It will be hot in August — expect temperatures of 104 degrees Fahrenheit and above — but worth it to see the eclipse from this “refuge from the clamor of daily life.”

Tangier, Morocco (totality time: 4 minutes, 51 seconds)

This “laid-back coastal city” has a “distinctly Mediterranean feel,” with its mild climate, sea breezes and buildings featuring “whitewashed walls and candy-colored wooden shutters,” said Lonely Planet. The Kasbah is Tangier’s “historic heart,” where visitors enjoy “panoramic views of the sea and city skyline,” boutiques, museums and cafes. The city is also home to thriving botanical gardens and the Rmilat Forest, where eucalyptus trees brought to Morocco from Australia “now stand alongside palms, pines, poplars, willows and oaks.”

Tarifa, Spain (totality time: 4 minutes, 39 seconds)

Tarifa earns its nickname “City of Wind” honestly. This is continental Europe’s southernmost point, and the “strong” gusts off the Atlantic make it a “mecca” for activities like kitesurfing and windsurfing, said Travel and Leisure. If you prefer your toes in the sand, lounge on the beach for the afternoon, then take a stroll around the “laid-back” beach town.

The road into Camber crosses flat land dotted with windmills, marshes and small cottages, with vast moody skies ahead. When we arrived, Storm Goretti had just departed, leaving the landscape soggy and cold with just a few hopeful patches of sunshine.

The village of Camber is a funny sort of place; quiet and unassuming during the colder months, with the now-abandoned purple Pontins holiday park casting a gloomy spell on the village. In high summer, the roads leading to Camber Sands are choked with cars – on some days it feels as though the entire capital has been tipped on to the groaning beach.

The recent headlines from Camber have only contributed to the winter gloom – a recent environmental disaster made the news after millions of plastic microbeads were discovered scattered across the endless dunes sparking a massive clean-up effort. And yet the miles of glorious golden sand – one of the only sandy beaches in Sussex – is undeniably delightful, and just nestled behind the dunes is a splendid hotel, The Gallivant, which proclaims that happiness is a place, right here, in Camber.

Why stay here?

The hotel seems to lend itself less to the idea of gallivanting around, but more to hunkering down and getting cosy. If you crave peace and quiet, with a touch of luxury and close proximity to a fabulous beach, this is the hotel for you.

It’s close enough to the capital for a quick getaway for Londoners, and it has a vibrant, old-school glamour to it, without being kitsch. It’s a small hotel, all on one level, which gives it charm, as does the cosy fire and comfy retro chairs in the lounge, with many pooches resting contentedly when we arrived.

We loved the stylish square central bar with its plush, forest green bar stools, the vintage postcards, the beautiful drinks cabinet and the piano with Beach Boys music placed on the stand, just waiting for someone to sit down and play. Overall the hotel has the feel of a fine and exclusive members’ club, with a cake hour at 4pm and a complimentary glass of English wine on offer at 5. The snug, with books, board games and curiosities lining its comfortable seating, is the perfect spot for a nightcap or a quiet moment.

The retro ambience extends to all 20 bedrooms, which vary in size. Our garden room had direct access to the ‘coastal garden’ with a small deck and chairs and table. We liked the fun, framed vintage swimsuits on the walls and black and white photos of surfers and beach babes, the vintage books stacked on shelves, digital radio and smart TV. Our garden room was fairly small, but snug and stylish too, with a gorgeous dusky-pink tiled bathroom filled with Wildsmith toiletries. Our only complaint would be how warm the room was at night – a feature of so many hotels these days, which go out of their way to make you feel luxuriously snug at all times, but which can be a bit stifling. The scattered cigarette butts over our terrace slightly detracted from the gorgeous greenery. Whoops.

Eating and drinking

The ex-Bibendum chef Matthew Harris’ new restaurant Harry’s has received rave reviews, and with good reason. The menu was refreshingly different from what one might expect, with snails and crème brûlée hinting at its French brasserie influence. A smoked eel starter with punchy remoulade got us off to a good start, followed by a glorious chicken kiev and fishcake. This was followed by a wickedly rich Saint-Émilion au chocolat for dessert, and a brilliant wine list – the hotel has one of the largest English wine cellars in the country.

Breakfast is a homely affair, but also with a slightly special spin on what you might expect. There’s the option of boiling your own fresh, local eggs and toasting your own homemade bread, before a breakfast tray is placed on your table, featuring smoked salmon, hams, pastries, yoghurt and compote. The coffee, like in so many other fine establishments, seems not to have caught up with the general quality of coffee now on offer in most independent coffee shops, but you can’t have everything – and there was a recovery station offering homemade shots of ginger and turmeric.

Things to do

For such a small hotel, there is plenty to do. The hotel offers yoga classes in the Open Space studio, which are also available to locals, and wild yoga on the beach during the warmer months. In fact, the hotel has many thoughtful offerings to complement its surroundings, including the opportunity to take a beach bag with cocktails to the dunes to watch the sunset, raclette Fridays and an oyster happy hour on certain days. There is also a beach hut mini spa for treatments, and the hotel will lend you wellies for inclement weather. The quaint town of Rye is an eight-mile drive away, as is Rye Harbour, and there is a great selection of vineyards, among them Tillingham and Chapel Down, to be discovered in these parts.

The verdict

This is a charming hotel for those looking for something small, stylish and coastal. Harry’s is a real gem of a restaurant, worth the visit alone, and the extra, thoughtful touches make The Gallivant stand out as a must, whether you’re looking for uproarious gallivanting, or something a tad more gentle.

Felicity was a guest at The Gallivant; thegallivant.co.uk

Inclusivity matters. More cities and countries are passing laws and implementing changes so their infrastructure and transportation options are accessible for all, and these updates are opening up the world for travelers with disabilities. Here are some destinations that are ahead of the accessibility curve.

Berlin

Here in this city that “constantly reinvents itself,” it is “comforting” to realize that inclusivity is a “quiet constant,” said Evangeline Chen of Matador Network. While exploring Berlin, visitors will delight in how “effortlessly accessible” everything feels, thanks to "wide sidewalks" and "barrier-free" landmarks including the Brandenburg Gate.

The Berlinische Galerie is the perfect example. A tactile floor guidance system leads visitors to areas like the ticket counter and permanent exhibitions, wheelchairs and folding stools can be borrowed free of charge, all exhibition panel texts are available in a large-print brochure and guided tours are conducted in German Sign Language. Expect a similar experience at Humboldt Forum, one of Berlin’s “biggest statement pieces.” Housed in what was once Berlin Palace, this “massive space blends history, culture and global perspectives under one roof,” with “tactile exhibitions for low-vision visitors, wide corridors and elevators to every floor.”

Cape Town

The Limitless Cape Town campaign is changing the way people visit the city. This program aims to give visitors equal access, starting with the installation of city-wide braille touch points and an “easy-to-use” wheelchair-friendly bus system, said AAA Trip Canvas. Winston Fani, the first certified blind tour guide in Africa, is “redefining how people discover and connect with Cape Town,” said Cape Town Tourism, leading visitors to the best street art, shops, restaurants and wine farms. He’s also working on putting together sensory-led tours.

Cape Town is one of South Africa’s three capitals — it is the legislative capital and the seat of parliament — and close to both the wheelchair-accessible Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela and other anti-apartheid leaders were imprisoned, and the Cape Floristic Region, “one of the most diverse regions of plant life on Earth.”

Las Vegas

There’s no need to try your luck in Las Vegas. This is one of the “most disabled-friendly and wheelchair-accessible cities in the United States,” said John Morris of WheelchairTravel.org. It’s “filled to the brim with accessible things to do.” Las Vegas is a “getaway for gamblers,” but activities abound, including exploring the Neon Museum and its glittery signs from the early days of Vegas, seeing the city from the top of the High Roller Ferris Wheel, catching a Cirque du Soleil show, watching the dancing Fountains of Bellagio and lounging poolside at your hotel.

The city is home to many mega resorts, so there’s a “mind-boggling” number of wheelchair-accessible rooms, from the more affordable Luxor and New York-New York to the luxe Bellagio and Encore at Wynn Las Vegas. Accessible transportation options include city buses, taxis and the Las Vegas Monorail that sweeps visitors from the MGM Grand to Sahara Las Vegas.

Rio de Janeiro

Thanks to “substantial” infrastructure investments made ahead of the 2016 Summer Olympics and Paralympics, Rio de Janeiro is one of South America’s “most accessible cities,” said AAA Trip Canvas. Public transportation, including buses, subways and trams, and sidewalks are accessible for wheelchairs, as are several beaches and “heritage sites” like Sugarloaf Mountain. The famous Christ the Redeemer statue is partially accessible, due to escalators at the final ascent; power wheelchair users could transfer to a manual wheelchair at this point, if one is available.

Singapore

Singapore’s “excellent” infrastructure and “high degree of accessibility” make it “especially attractive” for travelers who have disabilities, said the BBC. Public transportation is almost entirely “accessible to people living with a variety of impairments,” with ramps, elevators and tactile flooring. Important announcements are delivered over loudspeakers and written on digital screens.

Most attractions are just as universally accessible. The “enthralling” Gardens by the Bay, a floral fantasy filled with horticultural displays, is wheelchair-accessible, as is the National Gallery Singapore, a “model of accessibility.” Before visiting this “phenomenal” museum, filled with thousands of pieces of Southeastern Asian art, visitors can download a “comprehensive” access guide to the facility, developed with the country’s Disabled People’s Association. There is a calm room on-site for those who become overstimulated or overwhelmed, and staff and volunteers are trained in how to provide a dementia-friendly environment.

Sydney

In Sydney, public transportation is wheelchair-accessible and many of the city’s most popular venues and attractions are equally accommodating. At the “iconic” Sydney Opera House, for example, there are options for everyone, including attending an accessible performance (open to those who are deaf or hearing impaired, blind or low vision or have sensory sensitivities) and taking a “tailored mobility tour,” said the BBC.

Ferries are a great way to get around Sydney while soaking up gorgeous views of the harbor. Once you’re back on land, there are miles of accessible paths connecting the area’s landmarks. Across the city, more than 2,100 braille and tactile signs are installed at pedestrian crossings with signals, ensuring safer navigation.

With its pretty pastel houses, shimmering blue water and rugged hills, few places are quite as beautiful as the Amalfi Coast. The dramatic setting has inspired countless writers, including Patricia Highsmith who first visited Positano in the 1950s. From her hotel balcony early one morning, she spotted a pensive young man walking alone on the beach – a chance sighting that sparked the idea for her novel “The Talented Mr. Ripley”.

Spring is a wonderful time of year to visit, before the crowds descend for the summer months. And while there are plenty of lavish hotels scattered among the clifftop towns, there are more affordable options too. Here is our mini guide to the Amalfi Coast for a taste of la dolce vita.

What to do

Ravello, “the region’s dreamiest hill town”, is a great place to start, said Louise Roddon in The Times. Wander through the medieval streets, then stop by at “the elaborate villas of Rufolo and Cimbrone, each set within highly romantic gardens”. The former inspired scenes from Richard Wagner’s “Parsifal” and boasts a terrace with a “wonderful sunset lookout along the coast”.

“If it’s warm – actually, even if it’s not – get out on the water,” said Elise Taylor in Vogue. Be sure to book a boat trip during your stay; the “most popular swimming hole” is Grotta della Smeraldo – a tranquil cave in Conca dei Marini (between Amalfi and Positano).

And if you want to get a feel for the area but don’t fancy braving the “squiggly hairpin bends” of the famed Amalfi coast road, consider hopping on the Sita bus which stops at towns all along the Sorrentine peninsula. It’s a great way to soak up the views of “lemon groves, pine-fringed bays, Saracen towers and pretty villages”.

For history buffs eager to “sample ancient Italy”, a trip to the “mesmerising ruins” of Pompeii is a must, said Helena Smith in Lonely Planet. “Achingly frozen in time” since the eruption of Vesuvius in 79AD, the city’s “frescoed homes, businesses and baths” remain waiting for their occupants to return.

Where to stay

If it’s “unparalleled” views you’re after, then the Caruso Belmond Hotel is a safe bet, said Taylor in Vogue. Nestled on a cliff overlooking the coast in Ravello, the “dazzling historic gem” is set within an 11th-century former palace. From the moment you step through the door you’ll feel “whisked away to another era” while outside you’ll find a pool “which has a serious claim to being one of the most picturesque in the world”. Sipping a Caruso spritz from one of the sun loungers while looking out at the sea is “about as close to paradiso as it gets”.

There are some excellent “mid-range B&Bs” too, said Smith in Lonely Planet. Stand-out options include “Casa Giovanni da Procida, prettily perched La Fenice in Positano and hillside Ercole di Amalfi, just outside Amalfi town”.

Eating and drinking

“You’ll find spaghetti alle vongole (with fresh clams) on practically every menu in the region,” said Smith in Lonely Planet. And of course, the Amalfi Coast is within “dough-throwing distance” of Naples, which is home to some of Italy’s best pizza.

Or, for “pure in-your-face romance”, book a table at La Sponda in Positano, said Nicky Swallow in Condé Nast Traveller. The “dreamy” restaurant – which reopens at the end of March – features a “beautiful vaulted dining room” lit by “400-odd suspended candles” and an “equally atmospheric” terrace looking out over the “theatrically lit town”. Dishes are “unfussy” and delicious; expect classics like “spaghetti with lobster fished from the waters round Galli islands” and a “light-as-air hot lemon soufflé” made with fresh lemons from Amalfi.

Hong Kong is a city of two halves: Hong Kong Island is the business hub, where many of the tourist sights are located, while Kowloon is part of the mainland, which is considered more traditional and authentic. There you can find cheaper food and shopping options.

Regent Hong Kong in Tsim Sha Tsui occupies a prime spot overlooking Victoria Harbour in Kowloon, with a recent and extensive two-year makeover making it a contender for one of the most fashionable hotels in Hong Kong.

Why stay here?

After a relaxing flight via Helsinki on Finnair in a swish business-class seat that transforms into a super-comfortable bed, I was excited to check in.

Formerly known as the Intercontinental Hong Kong, Regent Hong Kong has been lovingly rebranded and revamped by furniture designer and architect Chi Wing Lo. When you step inside the main lobby you’re greeted by a colourful LED wall showing specially commissioned video art and glass walls crafted using a local glass-making technique. It’s clear that its take on luxury is much more playful and cutting edge than other five-star offerings in the city.

The main draw of Regent Hong Kong is its waterfront location and it makes the most of its harbour views. There’s a stylish lounge area that has high floor-to-ceiling walls looking out to the always bustling promenade, while the focal point of its harbour rooms are the windows, styled to look like picture frames, so you can take in Hong Kong’s beautiful skyline. A long daybed rests below the window so you can while away the hours watching as day turns into night and the city’s skyscrapers start to beam the Symphony of Lights, a colourful light show each night at 8pm.

Rooms are decorated in a neutral palette with beige carpets, tactile patterned walls, and yellow chairs. Ceilings feature a huge gold circular cut-out in lieu of a chandelier that gives the rooms a space age feel. The bathroom, featuring Perricone MD toiletries, is just as stylish with bronze taps and brown leather dressing tables. To enhance the feeling of natural light inside, LED panels that glow with a marbled pattern can be found in the hallway, bathroom and toilet. The bathroom also has a Japanese-style bath with a seat so you can sit down properly instead of lying down while soaking in the tub. Bliss.

Eating and drinking

You’ll never go hungry at Regent Hong Kong. The hotel caters to a wide range of tastes with six restaurants and bars, including the Hong Kong branch of the famous celebrity hotspot Nobu, which serves up Japanese-Peruvian fusion cuisine.

Breakfast is a decadent affair served up at Harbourside. With its super high ceilings, giant lamp shades and walls of plants, it’s a bright and airy place to dig into a huge buffet while watching people walking along the promenade. Along with the usual array of eggs, cereal and delectable Danishes, it also offers Asian breakfast options like congee, crispy youtiao and custard baos. There’s a noodle-making station, a section with cold cuts and fresh fruit as well as cooked dishes like ginger braised chicken. You can eat your way around the world in one morning sampling curry samosas and Korean-style fish cakes.

Guests at the hotel also get access to Regent Club, a soothing space on the second floor where they can enjoy afternoon tea with a spread of delicious cakes, egg tarts and pastries, and exquisite finger sandwiches that are slightly more adventurous than the normal fare like smoked salmon with avocado wasabi and salmon roe.

You’re spoilt for choice when it comes to dinner. We dined at Lai Ching Heen, a two-Michelin-starred Chinese restaurant, one night. There, we sampled a tasting menu with each beautifully presented dish more delicious than the last. Stuffed crabmeat was served up in its shell, the flesh turned into a beautifully creamy concoction with onion and milk. Wok-fried prawns with homemade XO sauce were plump and juicy. Tender wagyu beef was served up with mushrooms. Dessert was a Hong Kong classic – mango pudding, accompanied with lychee sorbet and a crispy sesame dumpling filled with pineapple and custard cream. The whole meal was exquisite and one of the best I had during a long trip around Asia.

Things to do

Regent Hong Kong is next to K11 MUSEA, a shopping mall full of expensive brands like Loewe and Alexander McQueen, and K11 Art Mall, which has cheaper options including chainstore Owndays, where you can pick up cheap prescription glasses in 30 minutes. A few MTR stations away is Mong Kok, which is the place to go for bargain shopping in Hong Kong – try out your haggling skills at the Ladies' Market. Remember: never accept the first price.

The hotel is also a short walk to the Tsim Sha Tsui ferry station where you can catch the iconic Star Ferry for a quick 10-minute trip to Central on Hong Kong Island. From there, you have your pick of the other major Hong Kong islands to visit for a day trip. I headed to Cheung Chau, a beautiful dumbbell-shaped island an hour from Central on the ferry, famous for its fresh fruit mochi, giant fish-ball skewers dipped in curry sauce and stunning hiking trails.

The verdict

Regent Hong Kong is like the coolest art gallery, sexiest nightclub and most elegant private members establishment all rolled into one playfully luxurious space. It’s the closest you’ll get to the harbour without renting out your own junk boat and the best option if you want a serene haven to cocoon yourself in while experiencing Hong Kong’s exuberant pace of life.

Ann was a guest of Regent Hong Kong, hongkong.regenthotels.com; Finnair flies from London Heathrow to Hong Kong via Helsinki; finnair.com

The capital of the wild northern island of Hokkaido, Sapporo feels like Japan’s “last frontier”, said Alex Halberstadt in Condé Nast Traveller, a place where “everyone is from somewhere else” and a newcomer can “cast off the shackles of their past and reinvent themselves”.

The city’s fabric is overwhelmingly modern and “prosaic”, and its people are chattier, more open and less bound by tradition than in, say, Osaka or Kyoto. Nowhere is this difference more evident than in its food scene, the “strangest and most fascinating” in the country.

Hokkaido’s “unspoilt” valleys and cold waters yield fabulously “flavourful” ingredients, and though Sapporo’s restaurants can’t reach the “culinary heights” of Kyoto’s “hushed kaiseki pavilions”, they are often “much more fun”, making the city worth a visit for gastronomic thrills alone.

At Cucina Italiana Magari, for instance, the food did not strike me as very Italian, but it was “delectable” even so. I loved the creamy soup (like a New England clam chowder) “loaded” with mantis shrimp, milt (cod sperm sac) and fugu (the potentially lethal blowfish you need a licence to prepare).

Also unmissable is Noa Hakobune (Noah’s Ark), for its chargrilled seafood and its weird building (designed by the British architect Nigel Coates), decorated with biblical murals. Sapporo is also known for its “hearty” street food, including ramen, which is best sampled at Menya Saimi, a restaurant reminiscent of a “school canteen”. Its noodle soup is “stunning”.

It’s worth visiting the hot springs at nearby Jozankei, where one secluded inn, Kasho Gyoen, offers in-room onsen baths and good Italian food (done straight).

The Sapporo region has Japan’s “most exciting wine scene” – but the city is also famed for its ice cream. At Gyokusuien, it is plain and buttery, and served with green tea. At Tempura Masa, it has the dense, smooth texture of ripe mango. And at Nanakamado, you can get a two-foot-high sundae called a shime parfait, with 20 elements, from rhubarb sorbet to bamboo-charcoal-flavoured mascarpone.

For some, romance means rose petals, chilled champagne and magnificent views. Others are content with a no-frills cabin in the woods and a bit of peace and quiet. Whichever you prefer, these romantic hotels are perfect for a Valentine’s Day escape.

One&Only Aesthesis, Athens

For “seaside seclusion” and a “sure-fire hit of coastal glamour”, One&Only Aesthesis (pictured above) is a safe bet, said Rachel Howard in Condé Nast Traveller. Located on the Athenian Riviera within a protected forest reserve, the beachfront resort has a series of private bungalows and villas – “some are right on the sea, others enveloped in rosemary, bougainvillea and olive trees”. Couples can relax by the private pool, take a romantic stroll on the beach, or book in for a pampering session at the “light and luscious” Guerlain spa. The hotel is offering a Valentine’s Day package complete with welcome cocktails, a treatment for two, and a romantic meal at the gourmet restaurant Ora by Ettore Botrini.
oneandonlyresorts.com

The Lake Cabin at Lime Wood Hotel, New Forest

This “gorgeous” cabin at Lime Wood Hotel in the heart of the New Forest dials up the romance with its “open fires and a freestanding bathtub”, said Tamara Hinson in The Independent. The cabin also features a “fully stocked larder” and kitchenette, making it ideal for “couples seeking a secluded hideaway”. There are plenty of activities for “lovebirds” including a newly launched foraging masterclass led by local plant expert Sammie Longhorn.
limewoodhotel.co.uk

Saint James Paris

“It’s easy to spark a love affair with France’s capital,” said Vogue. For extra romance, consider booking a stay at Saint James – an “exquisite château hotel in the 16th Arrondissement”. Unlike the big, glitzy hotels Paris is famous for, this “neoclassical trophy” offers a “supremely intimate experience in a quiet neighbourhood”. The interiors are seriously luxurious: expect “rooms, suites, and pied-à-terre style pavilions designed by Laura Gonzalez”.
saint-james-paris.com

Hermitage Bay, Antigua

This boutique resort in Antigua is “designed for romance”, said Jessica Chapel in Condé Nast Traveller. The property comprises 30 “airy, contemporary cottages” complete with private plunge pools and sweeping views of the ocean. Couples can “indulge in endless gourmet meals”, relax with a treatment at the hillside Garden Spa or “snorkel together in crystal-clear waters”. This really is a “slice of peaceful paradise”.
hermitagebay.com

Sarara Treehouses, Kenya

Hidden in a forest in northern Kenya, Sarara Treehouses has “long been popular with honeymooners for its wild location in the Mathews mountain range” and its “infinity pool overlooking a watering hole visited by elephants”, said Gemma Bowes in The Times. The unique safari lodge comprises “eight tented suites raised high in the treetops” of the sprawling Namunyak Community Conservancy, where “buffalo roam below”. Days are easy to fill with horseback safaris, game drives and “dinner out in the bush”.
sarara.co

San Ysidro Ranch, California

This fairy tale ranch in Montecito has “played host to its fair share of high-profile romantic moments”, including the 1953 honeymoon of John F. Kennedy and Jackie Kennedy, said Vogue. Tucked away in the leafy foothills of the Santa Ynez mountains in California’s wine country, the tranquil grounds are “dotted with olive and orange trees as well as blooming roses and magnolias”. Order a bottle of wine and enjoy it in the privacy of your “very own vine-covered cottage”. Heaven.
sanysidroranch.com

Dragging our wheelie cases through the frosty streets of Vienna, we are just another pair of anonymous tourists in a busy European capital. But then a man in a top hat opens a heavy glass door – and we tumble through the back of the wardrobe.

Now, all is hushed and warm, and there is marble beneath our feet. Another smartly dressed man appears, smiling, and guides us into a discreet anteroom. We feel like VIPs, and indeed we easily could be at this hotel – so we are being afforded privacy in which to check in.

Ten minutes after that, we are sitting on a sofa in a bright seventh-floor Junior Suite, gazing over the green domed roof of Vienna’s State Opera House, eating the chocolates and fruit that have been left out for us, reading the handwritten welcome note – and already regretting that we are only here for three nights. This is the Hotel Sacher, and there are few places in the world quite like it.

Why stay here?

All European capitals have their five-star hotels, but the Hotel Sacher is more than that. It is an institution, home of the Sachertorte (a classic Austrian chocolate cake invented in 1832 by the father of the hotel’s founder, Eduard Sacher) and celebrating its 150th anniversary this year.

Arguably, the key to its particular charm is that it is not part of a luxury collection, but still owned by the descendants of Anna Sacher, Eduard’s cigar-smoking, pug-loving wife who took over the hotel after his death in 1892 and ran it until 1929. While the Sacher has of course been modernised and expanded over the years, the family have made sure to preserve its traditions and character. This is a hotel fit to entertain royalty, movie stars and prime ministers – but which also feels warm and personal: children are welcome here, and so are dogs.

Today, the hotel has 150 rooms and suites, decorated in a style that feels true to the hotel’s 19th-century origins, but also contemporary. The standard rooms are called deluxe because everything here is immaculate, generously proportioned and exquisitely comfortable – and all the guests are made to feel special. The top floor junior suites have balcony doors and phenomenal views. The most prestigious suites, with high ceilings, fine art and marble-clad bathrooms, are mainly on the first floor, because in the days before lifts, you could hardly expect the president or the grand duchess to climb multiple flights of stairs.

The lobby and other public areas are sumptuous – with original floor-to-ceiling mahogany panelling, damask sofas in rich reds and antique chandeliers everywhere. At the Hotel Sacher, even the lifts are grand yet cosy, with delicate lighting and fine wallpaper.

Eating and drinking

Breakfast at the Sacher is a princely affair, consisting of a lavish buffet and an a la carte menu of cooked options. For dinner, there are two restaurants decorated in opulent 19th-century style, one serving Viennese food, the other international cuisine. To eat in either would be an extraordinary experience – but this is formal fine dining, and not for every budget.

It would be a shame, though, not to splash out on a cocktail or two in the velvety and intimate Blue Bar. Guests can also request a table for a snack or a slice of Sachertorte at one of the hotel’s two elegant cafes (open to the public, and a great way to enjoy the hotel without booking a room). Of course, nearby there are coffee houses and restaurants to suit all tastes and budgets; and if, say, you were to find that the famous Café Central was fully booked, fear not because one of the hotel’s charming concierges will get you a table.

Things to do

This is a big city, so the options are limitless. On a short break in winter, it might be tempting to hunker down in the hotel (which has an excellent boutique spa); but we focused on Vienna’s art galleries, blissfully empty in January. The Albertina, with works from Monet to Picasso, is across the road. The Leopold, with its Klimts and Schieles, is in the museum quarter, 10 minutes away. It’s only 20 minutes or so on foot to the Belvedere Palace, home to Klimt’s “The Kiss” and much else besides.

Be sure to visit the cathedral, St Stephen’s, which is awe-inspiring even when full of tourists. Film buffs can look out for the streets where Carol Reed filmed “The Third Man” in 1948. He stayed at the Hotel Sacher – and so did Holly Martins, the film’s main character.

The verdict

Vienna is one of Europe’s grandest cities, so if you can stay at its grandest hotel, why stay anywhere else?

Caroline was a guest at Hotel Sacher Wien, sacher.com

Bolivia is not well known for its wines – but cutting deep into the arid plateau in the country’s southwest are narrow fertile valleys where vineyards have flourished for centuries. This region must have made the first conquistadors feel quite “homesick”, said Stanley Stewart in Condé Nast Traveller, so strongly does it remind one of Andalusia.

The main towns, Tarija and Tupiza, have “sleepy” old squares and a distinct air of the Wild West (indeed, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid fled here in around 1906, and died near Tupiza “in a hail of bullets”). There are “atmospheric estancias” where you can stay, and beautiful wineries offering tours and tastings. Some also have good restaurants. Among the oldest vineyards is San Pedro, founded in the 16th century. Its “gracious” whitewashed buildings are set around cobbled courtyards where bougainvillea tumbles and fountains trickle. Production is now focused on its famous singani, a white grape brandy that is the Bolivian national drink.

Also wonderful is the Tierra Roja estate, which was founded in 2008 and supplies wines to Central, a Lima restaurant named the world’s best in 2023. But it was San Francisco de la Horca that really captured my heart – there’s something about the weathered old equipment there, and the “big Burgundy-style red” I drank in its courtyard garden, a “sylvan paradise” that was alive with birdsong. While in Bolivia, I also visited Potosí, a city set beside the Cerro Rico, a mountain that provided vast amounts of silver to the Spanish empire. You can still enter its mines, where millions of men have died over the centuries. (For protection, people offer llama blood, coca leaves and singani to El Tío – The Uncle – a demonic figurine with an erect phallus.) And I finished my journey at an “elegant” new lodge, Jirira, beside the Salar de Uyuni, a salt flat like “a vast and peaceful nothingness”, with shallow waters that mirror the local flamingos, the mountains and the stars.

The writer travelled with Dehouche

Imagine this: While everyone back home is bundling up and shoveling snow from their driveways, you are relaxing on a beach, soaking in the sun. Make it your reality by booking a getaway to one of these Caribbean resorts, where relaxing is the top item on the agenda and all that is cold is your drink.

Belle Mont Sanctuary Resort, St. Kitts

Tucked among the trees is Belle Mont Sanctuary Resort, a special spot that overlooks where the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea meet. The “charming” cottages and villas are designed to nudge guests into slowing down, with features like private pools, outdoor tubs and showers and “sweeping” ocean views, said Travel and Leisure. Because of Belle Mont’s prime location, the sounds of nature — birds chirping, waves crashing — can be heard at all times. It offers a lively soundtrack during the day and a comforting lullaby at night.

Buoy Haus Beach Resort, St. Thomas

A “chilled-out island escape” awaits at Buoy Haus Beach Resort, said Travel and Leisure. Every room comes with a balcony where guests can start their day with a cup of coffee, then spend their morning reading or taking in views of the gardens and “bright blue waters of Frenchman’s Reef.”

Come afternoon, move to the infinity pool before enjoying a rum and chocolate tasting and then a leisurely tour on the hotel’s Flying Frenchman catamaran. Guests also have access to Buoy House’s sister property next door, the Westin Beach Resort & Spa. It’s the “best of both worlds.”

Emerald Hill, Mustique

Secluded Emerald Hill provides guests with complete privacy. This fully-staffed villa is booked by one party at a time and can sleep eight, giving families and friend groups plenty of room to spread out.

The tranquil grounds feature a stone infinity pool, koi pond, gazebo and multiple sundecks that look out over the water, and all four bedrooms have private verandas. Villa staff will work with guests to book experiences, including tennis coaching, horseback riding on the beach and catamaran charters.

GoldenEye, Jamaica

This is “Jamaica’s favorite estate,” where the “good-natured” staff helps guests experience the “sheer joy of island living,” said Condé Nast Traveler. GoldenEye is the former estate of Ian Fleming (he wrote the James Bond books here), and over the years it has transformed into a melange of private villas, lagoon cottages and beach huts.

Outside, take it easy with a casual snorkel in the clear lagoon or swim in the “bewitching turquoise sea,” or stay in for a calming vibrational sound healing and hot stone massage in The Spa. The rooms have a “cheerful feel,” with “well-thought-out” amenities like hand-dyed batik robes and personal music players.

Grace Bay Club, Turks and Caicos

There are no bad views at the impressive Grace Bay Club. This flagship property of Grace Bay Resorts sits “perched on one of the world’s most famous beaches,” giving guests “unrestricted access to 1,100 feet of prime beachfront,” said Forbes.

Every suite looks out on the turquoise waters, so there is “blue as far as the eye can see.” Relaxing here is easy. Rise early for a gorgeous sunrise walk on the white sand, dip in and out of the three pools, book a massage at the Anani Spa and clink glasses at the 90-foot-long Infiniti Bar, which “gives the illusion of extending into the sea.”

The Inn at English Harbour, Antigua

With a maximum capacity of 62 guests, it's easy to pretend the intimate Inn at English Harbour is your private sanctuary. The “small but perfectly formed” estate is set against a “dramatic backdrop of turquoise waters and pink-hued Caribbean sunsets,” said Condé Nast Traveler, and you will want to spend hours walking around the grounds.

For instant access to the sand, book a Beach Cabana; if you’d prefer a private plunge and spectacular view of English Harbour, go with a hillside pool suite. All guests have access to an array of amenities, including beach hammocks, tennis courts, a library, freshwater pool and spa.

Mandarin Oriental Canouan, St. Vincent and the Grenadines

When staying at the Mandarin Oriental Canouan, it feels like the gorgeous property is your little secret. Canouan is a three-square-mile island in the Grenadines archipelago, an “under-the-radar” destination with natural areas “so unspoiled you feel as if you’re one of the first to visit,” said Travel and Leisure.

You can see it all from the 5,000-square-foot hillside villas at the resort, which are in a “league of their own” with private infinity pools, patios and, in some cases, elevators. You’ll want to spend all your time relaxing in the villa. But do get outside and see the red-footed tortoises that live here and take a boat to the overwater spa bungalow for a calming facial or body treatment.

Silversands Beach House, Grenada

Silversands Beach House has perfected indoor/outdoor living. The 28 canopied accommodations sit on a “forested headland above platinum-bright Portici Beach,” with verandas overlooking the “aquamarine shallows” and pine decor that “lets nature do the talking,” said The Times of London.

Guests are spoiled for choice, with dozens of excursions and experiences to book. Private yoga, reiki, guided meditation and cold plunges “delight wellness fans,” while those who would rather relax by focusing on taste can sign up for farm-to-table gourmet dining, chocolate making and high tea at the nearby Tower Estates.

Zemi Beach House, Anguilla

This “approachable yet luxurious” retreat sits on six acres of Shoal Bay East, one of Anguilla’s “most coveted” beaches, said Condé Nast Traveler. Its location is ideal for those who want to “unplug and lay out on the beach for a few days” while still having access to pools, a tennis court and the Thai House Spa.

Guests can unwind with a “sublime” massage or facial, soak in the soothing Vitality pool (it’s heated to body temperature), sip a fruity concoction at the Juice Bar and sit in the hamman, which was the “first of its kind in the Caribbean.”

At Rock Villa, I almost feel like I’m hovering above the world. From my perch on a sun lounger, Friendship Bay stretches out below me – the curve of the powdery sand beach, the impossible blue of the sea and the calming lapping of the waves against the shore.

This villa is high enough to feel secluded, but never removed from the gentle rhythm of the Caribbean island of Bequia. From this spot, I can watch the sunlight stream across the bay, see boats drift in and out, and feel a warm breeze carrying the scent of sweet frangipani. It’s a unique kind of luxury: a slow pace that lets you see the island from the best possible vantage point.

Why stay here?

The island of Bequia (pronounced Bek-way) – the largest of the Grenadines, but only seven square miles – feels wholly Caribbean. In some ways, Bequia remains a secret, and as such, it hasn’t been overly developed, commercialised or smoothed into sameness.

Instead, the rhythm of Bequia is in its authenticity. It’s in the small church where the echoes of song and tambourines float onto the street. It’s in the spacious field near the airport where the laughter of children rings out as they play football. And it’s in the boats to which men add the finishing touches of paint before whaling season as the trade winds blow. It’s island life. On their terms. You stay in Bequia because it feels totally real.

Accessed only by small plane or ferry, Bequia encapsulates a feeling of being “off the beaten track”. And this sensation is taken up a notch at Rock Villa, tucked away on a hill, but only a stone’s throw from an idyllic beach.

The rooms

As the smallest hotel on the island (or the largest villa, depending on your point of view), Rock Villa feels like a hideaway. But if you want to retreat even further, you’d be hard pressed to find a more relaxing bedroom in which to do so.

Spacious and thoughtfully laid out, the room makes the very most of light, air and privacy. Large patio doors can invite in the breeze if you so choose, and offer yet another breathtaking view. A sizable bed feels a tad like its own private island, albeit with cloud-soft pillows and comfy duvet. Light colours with pops of green seem to blend seamlessly into the lush surroundings, and the bathroom is complete with twin basins, a giant bath, and a walk-in rainfall shower.

There is good wardrobe space, and even a mini-fridge if you need something cold, while a relaxing chaise longue is the perfect place to sit and read a book. There is a bedside alarm, but this is the kind of place where you’ll wake up naturally: the sound of chirping geckos might jar when you first arrive but becomes second nature by the time you leave, and when sunlight streams through the curtains, you’re sure to feel a sense of restoration.

Eating and drinking

Breakfast at Rock Villa is an unhurried affair. I take it outside, on a table overlooking the bay, as the clouds roll across the sky. For me, it’s always tea first, and I’m buoyed to find Twinings on offer, alongside a host of herbal infusions. A fresh fruit platter of mango, passionfruit, melon and grapes is always available. But otherwise, you can customise breakfast to your taste: whether it’s simple poached eggs, toast with local preserves, or fluffy pancakes smothered in sweet syrup.

Throughout the day, Rock Villa feels like a home away from home when it comes to eating and drinking. You can stroll up to the fridge in the kitchen and grab an ice-cold rum punch (sure to knock your socks off) or a can of something fizzy. Snacks are also laid out by the attentive staff, including crispy plantain chips and gooey chocolate brownie bites. A private chef is also available for a stay at the property, meaning you can enjoy fine dining options from the comfort of your villa.

A visit to the nearby Sand Bar is essential for anyone staying at Rock Villa, and it’s exactly where you’ll want to be at lunchtime: feet in the sand, sea breeze in your hair, cocktail in hand. My order is the day’s special: the jerk chicken burger and fries, and I pair it with a deliciously creamy pina colada. It’s the type of meal that feels quintessentially Caribbean, especially as you watch the waves break on the shore only a few paces away.

If you’re staying in Rock Villa, you’ll know that Bequia Beach Hotel is a 15-minute walk along the beach, or a short taxi ride. The charming boutique hotel opened in 2009, and is home to two beautiful restaurants.

Blue Tropic, perched at the top of the property and offering views over the beautifully maintained gardens, is the hotel’s Italian-themed restaurant. The menu is short, but you can expect to find Italian staples such as traditionally made pizzas and pasta. Particularly famous is the lobster ravioli, which is frequently recommended before my visit. Blue Tropic is not a place you visit if you’re looking for Caribbean fare, but its intimate feel does suit the smaller nature of the hotel, and feels cosy and romantic.

Bagatelle is the slightly more rambunctious option. While it frequently offers a sit-down service, the real highlight is the Caribbean buffet night. On Wednesdays, you can flow effortlessly from the owner’s weekly cocktail event at the bar, straight into the restaurant, where the grill is fired up and ready to go with delicious options including tender ribs, flaky salmon and spicy jerk chicken. Live music is performed by a local band, and you’re sure to recognise familiar hits given extra Caribbean flavour.

Bequia is also home to a smattering of local restaurants in the town – or port, as I’m told the locals refer to it. A huge benefit of being on such a small island is that you are never too far away from a host of locations. A must-try is Laura’s, a bistro perfectly placed on the water’s edge, and offering a wide range of delicious options from seafood to pasta. Visit at dusk for the perfect view of the sun slowly sinking behind the horizon.

Things to do

A tour of Bequia is a rewarding way to understand the island. On the back of a unique pick-up truck taxi, you’ll move through local communities, wind your way around quiet beaches, and travel up to viewpoints that fully reveal the island’s shape. Along the way, you can expect to meet locals, hear stories about Bequia’s rich whaling tradition, and get a feel for daily life. Once back, consider popping into the hotel’s boutique. It sells gorgeous swimwear and resortwear from the Bequia Beach Bums brand, capturing the breezy feel of the island.

For a day on the water, consider a speed boat trip to explore the stunning Tobago Cays. The ride is quick, the scenery dramatic, and you may even spot turtles and a host of other beautiful sea creatures.

Back at Rock Villa, a sip and paint with local artist Colin Peters proves an afternoon well spent. With a glass of chilled rosé in hand, and the beautiful bay in front of you, it’s the perfect opportunity to produce a masterpiece. Peters is an outstanding teacher but, never fear, it is less about the finished product and more about slowing down to connect with the tranquil setting.

Another ideal way to unwind is a quiet and grounding yoga session. Guided on the terrace by local practitioner Patricia at Sati Yoga, and overlooking the water, you can move slowly, breathe deeply, and let the surroundings do the work for you.

The verdict

Rock Villa is for holidaymakers who value space, calm, and rehabilitation. From good food to quiet mornings, time outdoors, and just enough activity when you want it, the easy atmosphere of the island pervades every part of your stay.

If you’re looking for a Caribbean destination that is personal, genuine and unhurried, Rock Villa fits the bill.

Rebekah Evans was a guest of Rock Villa, Bequia, part of Bequia Beach Hotel – one of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World

Six travel and mountain rescue executives have been arrested and accused of conducting fake rescues on Nepal’s high mountains to scam millions of dollars from insurance companies.

The arrests come as the South Asian nation tries to strengthen its economy by boosting the number of tourists climbing and trekking in its mountainous provinces.

Rescue racket 

Every year, thousands of climbers travel to Nepal to “scale the highest Himalayan mountains”, and tens of thousands more arrive to “hike the mountain trails” that lead up to “the base camps of these high peaks”, said The Associated Press.
The terrain, and the weather, can be unforgiving and, each year, several climbers die and hundreds are rescued, “suffering from extreme exhaustion, altitude sickness or other medical issues”. With “few roads and limited medical facilities” in the mountains, rescuers often have to “charter expensive helicopter flights” to take patients to hospitals in Kathmandu.

This is where the trouble begins. In a series of insurance scams worth a total of $20 million (£14.6 million), tour operators and rescue services have been faking documents and submitting false claims for medical emergencies that involved expensive helicopter evacuations from remote trekking areas. This large-scale fraud has “badly tarnished Nepal’s image as a tourist destination”, said The Kathmandu Post.

There were similar problems in 2018 but the government said it had clamped down on the “fake rescue racket” by eliminating all “intermediaries” involved in arranging emergency evacuation services for trekkers and mountaineers. Ministers also made tour operators legally responsible for their clients from the start to the end of a trip.

Fabricated invoices

But, eight years on, the fake rescue scams haven’t stopped; in fact they’ve grown, according to Nepal Police. Its Central Investigation Bureau arrested six people from three separate travel and mountain rescue operators, accusing them of submitting fake but successful claims for close to $20 million between 2022 and 2025. All six are Nepali nationals.

The fake documents included manipulated passenger and cargo manifests for helicopter rescue flights, and fabricated or altered medical invoices and hospital reports. And the numbers are high: 171 of the 1,248 rescues claimed by one company were fake, leading to unjustified payouts of more than $10 million (£7.3 million). Another company is accused of fabricating 75 of 471 claimed rescues, and fraudulently claiming $8 million (£5.8 million), while a third is accused of making 71 fake claims with payouts totalling over $1 million (£741,000).

Meanwhile, Nepal is busy boosting its tourist climbing sector. It has made 97 of its Himalayan mountains free to climb for the next two years, in a bid to encourage climbers to its more remote areas, generating jobs and income for locals. It’s not clear if there are plans to improve infrastructure in these areas or if the local communities will be able to cope with an influx of climbers.

For those of a certain age it’s likely that your introduction to the work of Franco Zeffirelli was his adaptation of “Romeo and Juliet”, in my case watched on a rainy day in school when the dreamy scenes of Italy transported us away from our cold north London classroom.

Villa Treville Positano is Zeffirelli’s vision of Italy brought to life. Once the director’s own home, it is now an ultra-luxurious hotel. Spread across four cliffside villas surrounded by beautiful gardens and hidden terraces, it overlooks the sparkling Tyrrhenian Sea and the picturesque town of Positano.

Why stay here?

The 16 individually designed suites nod to Zeffirelli’s theatrical vision. Spread over two hectares of gardens and terraces with winding connecting paths, even when the hotel is full you still feel like you have the place to yourself.

I stayed in the Callas suite, inspired by Zeffirelli’s close friend and muse, Maria Callas. With high curved ceilings and tiled floors its iluxurious bathroom features stained-glass windows adding flashes of colour. From the linens to the toiletries, everything is of the highest quality – including quite possibly the best hotel slippers I’ve ever slipped my feet into. Branded in the hotel colours, they were soft and plush, not the usual mass-produced offerings. However, the room’s real highlight is the private terrace with seating that leads round to a private pool overlooking Positano.

As lovely as the suites are, the real magic is in the public rooms. Many of them remain exactly how they were, complete with photographs, artwork, ceramics and the original decorations. The skill in turning this into a luxury hotel is evident everywhere and what could feel like an untouchable museum manages to make guests feel like we’ve been welcomed to stay in the home of the maestro, where previous guests included Coco Chanel, Leonard Bernstein, Rudolf Nureyev, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton.

Eating and drinking

At the heart of the property lies Maestro’s restaurant set on a large vine-covered terrace with part of Zeffirelli’s original tiled kitchen still in use. Overseen by head chef Vincenzo Castaldo, the menu focuses on local and seasonal food, much of it taken from Treville’s organic gardens, blending Italian classics with global influences. With tomatoes straight from the vine and the freshest mozzarella, all the ingredients needed was a splash of olive oil. But oh my, what olive oil. Each meal came with a different one to try, all single estate, organic and extra virgin. The variety of flavours was astounding, especially when mopped up with the freshly baked breads. Among the endless delicious offerings was memorable salt-baked fish and noteworthy salads.

Needless to say, the pasta was exemplary, from simple tomato sauces to truffled masterpieces. In an attempt to help guests master this deceptively simple art form, Vincenzo patiently offers cooking and pasta-making classes.

Kneading the dough while looking out at the sparkling blue sea and sipping an espresso martini is wonderfully therapeutic. We made cheese-stuffed anolini with a simple sage and butter sauce, and fettucine with fresh tomatoes and basil, but the main lesson was how a few simple ingredients harvested at peak ripeness create much more than the sum of their parts.

Things to do

The spa clings to the side of the cliff and is housed in a beautiful greenhouse taken from Zeffirelli’s set of the opera “La Traviata”. Shielded by lush planting you can see the sea while skilled hands massage you with products from Barbara Strum, a cult brand harnessing science and nature to soothe all skin types, which consulted on the spa’s development. After a sublime massage you can relax in the Turkish bath and the plunge pool set on a private terrace outside the greenhouse.

If sea swimming is more your thing, take the winding path down to The Rocks, the hotel’s decked area with sunbeds and umbrellas. The lovely staff will make the trek down to you with snacks and drinks on request, or you could be whisked away in one of the hotel’s boats to have lunch in one of the many excellent beachside restaurants in Positano or further afield.

The verdict

The Amalfi Coast, a 50km stretch of coastline along the southern edge of Italy’s Sorrentine Peninsula, is already a stunning location but Treville Positano takes that beauty to another level. Through its hidden entrance on a steep slope you enter a sanctuary that harks back to the glamour of the past, where you can almost hear the gossip and laughter of its illustrious owner and his guests.

Finding that balance between theatrical high camp and quiet luxury is quite the trick but nothing feels overdone or out of place. Of course none of this luxury would work without the charming staff who make you feel like an honoured guest for whom nothing is too much trouble. Staying at Treville Positano is the closest I’ve come to experiencing la dolce vita.

Natasha was a guest of Treville Positano; villatreville.com