A Fresh Perspective on Travel Every Day
Spectacular Lago de Yojoa is the largest natural lake in Honduras and one of the fastest-growing traveler destinations in Central America’s least visited country. This biodiverse region delivers a refreshingly safe and tranquil respite for weary travelers looking to commune with nature in a remarkable setting.
Budapest? No, Bucharest! Years after taking the back seat to next-door neighbour Budapest, Romania’s edgy and opportune capital is now touted as the ‘new Berlin’. A city of contrasts, where staunch Orthodoxy coexists with vibrant nightlife, Bucharest sets itself apart by a mix of Balkan and Latin spirit, speaking a Romance language in a hotbed of Slavic neighbours.
There’s more than studying happening here.
People have been leaving their creative mark on walls for thousands of years – the oldest known cave paintings date from more than 40,000 years ago. Today, those primitive etchings have blossomed into the worldwide phenomenon of street art.
New York is the ultimate hotel town. For any trip you’re planning — from a quiet, art-focused getaway on the Upper East Side to an action-packed weekend filled with amazing restaurants and vibrant shops on the Lower East Side — there’s a corresponding hotel. While nearly every major hotel chain is represented throughout New York City, there’s also a rich selection of independent and boutique properties that have particularly resonated with readers this year.
Sure, Venice can be flooded with tourists. However, after the buses leave and the city is returned to its residents, the bustle subsides into mysterious isolation. As you stroll to dinner along the cobblestoned alleys, or even better, rise early enough the next day to witness piazzas shrouded in fog—before the tourist hustle begins once again. If that isn’t reason enough to experience an overnight stay in Venice, these hotels certainly are.
Everything old is new again in Rome — at least when it comes to legendary hotels that have received face-lifts. The historic Eden, now under new management with Dorchester Collection, has expanded the size of its rooms and added a 2,000-square-foot penthouse suite, three new restaurants, and a spa. What remains unchanged at this 1889 building is its ideal location atop the Spanish Steps. Also overlooking the famed steps is the Hassler Roma, which has its fervent fans thanks to its elegance, reflected in the intimate bar and expansive rooftop restaurant that seems to overlook the entire city. The property has a fresh look thanks to renovated rooms, but it still retains the romance that drew Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier of Monaco for their honeymoon. As one reader wrote, “This is the best location in Rome for vista viewing and imbibing, for superb food and general old-style class.”Every year for our World’s Best Awards survey, readers weigh in on travel experiences around the globe — sharing their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Hotels are rated based on their facilities, location, service, food, and overall value. Properties were classified as City or Resort based on their locations and amenities. This year, readers also chose two relatively new Roman hotel properties — this is an ancient city, after all — the First Luxury Art Hotel Roma and J.K. Place Roma. (The latter won the No. 1 spot last year.) Both hotels are located in renovated historic buildings within easy walking distance of the Spanish Steps, yet feel like chic oases in this noisy city.At the Art Hotel, the public spaces feature contemporary works by Italian artists, and rooms are outfitted with permanent and temporary “exhibits.” As for this year’s winner, the Hotel de Russie also combines modernity with the impressive architecture of a historic building. One fan remarked, “A luxurious spot with all the excitement of Rome at your door. I loved the garden, where it was easy to relax and sip Prosecco all day.” One thing these five-star lodgings all attest to: in the Eternal City, visitors need not sacrifice a sense of history for the lap of luxury.5. Hotel EdenScore: 90.524. Hassler RomaScore: 90.803. First Luxury Art Hotel RomaCourtesy of The First Luxury Art HotelScore: 92.552. J.K. Place RomaCourtesy of J.K.Place RomaScore: 93.821. Hotel de Russie, a Rocco Forte HotelCourtesy of Rocco Forte HotelsScore: 93.95Although nearby sites like Piazza del Popolo and the Borghese Gardens await discovery, you’d be forgiven for staying put at the de Russie. The courtyard — which some argue is the most beautiful in the city, with its roses and orange trees — lures with its verdant calm and award-winning Italian fare. The 121 contemporary rooms and suites, designed by Olga Polizzi, offer serene silence, while the small spa embodies tranquility. Readers described this as the best spot in Rome using words like “gorgeous,” “private,” “best location,” “luxury,” and “bellissima!” One fan summed it up perfectly with two words: “Pure perfection.”
De School nightclub in Amsterdam is so blindingly dark that your eyes don’t adjust until after you’ve descended the stairs. Deep in its basement, where techno pounds through a thicket of tall, black-clad revellers, a corridor leads to a giant rotating light-emitting orb, the highlight of a late-night art exhibition. Welcome to the new face of clubbing.
GoTravelDailyreaders know to leave room in their suitcases before heading to one of these incredible shopping cities. With world-famous markets, oversized shopping malls, and designers that set the pace for fashion, the cities on this list are favorites for globetrotters who travel to shop.
If you’ve managed to get your fill of Byron Bay’s legendary beaches, it’s time to switch it up and explore your surroundings with a day trip. Take the scenic route out of Byron (as the locals call it) to discover the region’s quaint villages, cool culinary delights, hippy enclaves and, okay, maybe a few more beaches…
Travel to the terminus of the Andes, and you’ve truly reached the end of the world once you set foot on Tierra del Fuego, a mythical land of fire and ice marooned off the southern tip of South America. Splitting between Chile and Argentina, visiting both sides of Tierra del Fuego has never been easier, allowing you to embark on an epic journey through forgotten fjords, crackling glaciers, windswept pampa, and brooding evergreen forests. Here’s how to make the most of your week-long adventure.
Like many countries in South America, Chile is famously friendly to families, no doubt inspired by the great cultural importance that Chileans place on family and children. The country’s unique geography, spread over 5,000 kilometers, can present challenges for young travelers. For instance, the Atacama Desert, known as the driest place on Earth, lies far in the north, while Patagonia is located in the south.
The Maldives is renowned as one of the most beautiful travel destinations worldwide. Almost everyone who has laid eyes on pictures or videos of this stunning archipelago has instantly fallen in love (or undoubtedly desires to visit).
On Aruba’s serene southeastern coast, about nine miles from the hustle and bustle of downtown Oranjestad and six miles from Queen Beatrix International Airport, sits the small village of Savaneta.
Sharing time with mountain gorillas in the wilds of Africa’s rainforests is utterly magical. Nothing prepares you for their sheer beauty and strength, those soulful brown eyes, their astonishingly human-like expressions, or their extraordinarily gentle demeanor. This unique encounter typically lasts just one precious hour; however, Uganda is offering a new extended experience in an exciting evolution of gorilla tracking.
For the last few years, Kosovo has hovered at the radar’s edge for in-the-know explorers. By many demographic and administrative metrics, this diamond-shaped nation in the heart of the Balkan Peninsula is still a youngster.
For such a small island, Djerba is bursting with cultural richness. Swimming in the sea off Tunisia’s southeastern coast, it contains all the Mediterranean’s usual trimmings but mixes in intoxicating North African roots. Its wonderfully interwoven tapestry is most evident in its people, with the Muslim, Berber, and Jewish communities peacefully coexisting on the island as they have done for centuries. The island is home to Africa’s oldest synagogue, whose floors are lined with mats handwoven by local Muslim craftsmen.
GoTravelDaily Local Lindsey Parry has lived in Abu Dhabi for over five years, immersing herself in its welcoming community and rich historical charm. While it may take time to fully appreciate Abu Dhabi, this local has grown to cherish the city.
GoTravelDaily Local Heather Mason moved to Johannesburg in 2010. Enchanted, she soon fell in love with Melville – the quirky, tree-lined suburb where she now lives – and later the gritty inner city, with its coffee houses, evolving foodie scene and hidden pockets of art, culture and music. She doesn’t think she’ll ever leave.
