No trip to Japan is complete without a stay in Kyoto, Nippon’s niftiest nexus of sacred sites. But drawing millions of visitors each year has also made Kyoto an emblem of overtourism. During cherry blossom high season, the competition for a top hotel reservation can be fierce. That’s why you should ditch the beaten-path brands … Read more
Fancy a $2.5 million game of paintball? That’s what two dozen guys paid for a trip to Utah to turbocharge their annual buddy trip. The group arrived to meet eight Navy SEALs in the desert, who schooled them in special ops techniques for a day before the main event. That contest required those guys to … Read more
How many Greek islands are there? Actually, no one can agree. Depending on what you qualify as an island (as opposed to a rock) there’s up to 6,000, with 227 of them inhabited. Scattered within the Aegean, Mediterranean and Ionian seas, essentially there’s a Greek isle for everyone, from off the grid (Gavdos) to large … Read more
Brooklyn is getting a taste of the luxury summer brand activations typically reserved for the Hamptons or South of France. Sephora Summer Club is launching its first-ever poolside activation, which runs from Friday, May 22, to Labor Day, Sept. 7, blending beauty, hospitality and wellness into an immersive seasonal experience. The first-ever Sephora Summer Club … Read more
Until Japan’s capital was moved to Tokyo in 1869, the country’s emperors ruled from Kyoto’s Imperial Palace for 11 centuries. During that millennium, the city flowered with dozens of shrines, temples and castles built in a rhapsodic variety of East Asian vernaculars: some meditative and simple, some with towering Chinese-style pagodas, others wrapped in gold. … Read more
Don’t let the shin guard and cleats mafia scare you into believing soccer is everything. FIFA may’ve gifted our president a Peace Prize before it takes over our entire shared continent for this year’s World Cup (11 cities in the US alone!). But if we’re being honest, America will always prefer sports that are pro-hand. … Read more
“It was ‘the hood’ last year, but like the flip of a switch, every Palm Beach Island New Yorker is over here now to Instagram their breakfast,” commented someone in the subreddit r/WestPalmBeach. They’re riffing about the new Nora District — short for North Railroad Avenue — the city’s largest redevelopment project in 25 years. … Read more
In Palm Beach, like any competitively rich retreat, there’s a hierarchy of deluxe hotels. But there is also a rank and order of rooms and suites within those hotels. Mere “rooms” mean the least, while sprawling villas with private pools, and commanding presidential suites tell a very different story. That’s not so different from anywhere … Read more
In Boca Raton, gated communities practically outnumber grocery stores. But the Cipriani family — famous for their New York City restaurants and Harry’s Bar in Venice — is betting the market is ready for something different: a branded residential tower. This month, the sales gallery opened in downtown Boca for the new Mr. C Residences … Read more
Park Avenue’s grandest hotel has the splendid spa it deserves — along with a brand-new beauty boutique in its iconic lobby. The Waldorf Astoria New York reopened last summer after a dazzling eight-year, multibillion-dollar renovation; several months later, the Guerlain Wellness Spa debuted on the fifth floor — and it’s just as impressive. One of … Read more
Even for Australians, the island of Tasmania is obscure. For Americans, it’s frightfully far-fetched. Its capital, Hobart, is known as the gateway to Antarctica, and that should give you some idea of its place in the world, a good deal farther south than Cape Town. “People want to go to areas that feel remote and … Read more
Dropping $2,000 a night on a swanky New York City hotel? You’d think breakfast would at least be included when paying a wildly high nightly rate, but think again. In Gotham, even the morning meal comes with a side of sticker shock. It’s a head scratcher that posh hotels charge an arm and a leg … Read more
A dreamy view of the Eiffel Tower from La Fondation’s rooftop bar at dusk, over cocktails by the firepit Romain Ricard If you are planning a trip to Paris and want to take a deep dive into a local neighborhood far from the tourist crowds, consider the tony 17th arrondissement, in the northwest part of the city. … Read more
From car trunk speakers thumping merengue, to marketeers hawking fresh mofongo, Dominicans have many talents — spoiler alert: quietude ain’t one of them. That is, however, until you ask about their secret beaches — then a silence washes across their vocal cords like so much seaweed upon their shores. Of course, quisqueyanos quickly find their words … Read more
The last time the world heard about Exuma, it was because of Fyre Festival, 2017’s infamous non-event that turned this Bahamian island chain into a meme-a-palooza. But what Fyre Festival got right was the real estate: This pristine archipelago, just a 45-minute flight from Miami, offers white sand beaches and shockingly clear waters on par with … Read more
Back in 2007, Airbnb rebranded vacation rentals to the point where it’s now a generic term. The self-catering landscape is a slightly mixed bag, though. Travelers have shared their worst experiences online, from the annoying (huge binders of house rules), to the fraudulent (a sea view that was actually a painted mural on a brick … Read more
Hitching season used to hit a crescendo in the late spring. Now, a May or June exchange of vows is slipping out of fashion, as romance on the slopes slides in. The Knot’s 2025 global wedding report found that October is now the most popular month for a marriage in the US, echoing Zola’s findings … Read more
The Catalan city famed for its modernist architecture boasts a new monument to design: SLS Barcelona. Virtually every part of the waterfront hotel is Instagram-worthy. Guests enter the lobby via a pink neon tunnel that looks like an immersive art installation. The lobby itself is decorated in SLS’s signature “playful” style, with inventive decor like … Read more
Don’t forget to pack your space suit. A Silicon Valley startup is giving new meaning to the destination vacation by accepting reservations for a planned hotel on the moon — with prices ranging from $250,000 to $1 million per guest. GRU Space aims to build a lasting human outpost on the lunar surface by 2032, … Read more
The postcard images of Bora Bora’s crystalline turquoise waters and thatched-roofed over-water bungalows come to life at The Westin Bora Bora Resort & Spa. Following its significant renovation and rebrand, the property has emerged as a stylishly understated and thoroughly contemporary antidote to the island’s more traditional resorts. Set on a pristine motu or islet with … Read more