D.O.M., Sao Paolo, Brazil

With a steadfast determination to remain true to his Brazilian routes, Sao Paolo native and head chef at D.O.M., Alex Atala, showcases Brazilian ingredients in each dish with creativity and exuberance.

Atala is often a frontrunner in experimenting with new ingredients from the Amazon forest, crops from local farmers and edible flowers and plants grown in Brazil.

D.O.M. consistently ranks as one of the top restaurants in the world because of Atala’s ingenuity in the kitchen and sustainable practices. Menu items include ingredients like heart of palm, cambuca fruit and tucupi juice. Food is executed to perfection, mixing European culinary techniques with an unmistakably Brazilian touch.

American Club Resort, Kohler, Wisconsin

For most people, the name “Kohler” means kitchen and bathroom faucets. For those who know Wisconsin, “Kohler” also calls to mind one very genteel hotel. Built in 1918, The American Club Resort once provided housing and meals to impoverished immigrant employees of the Kohler factory.

Reborn as a resort, it is one of only 57 destinations worldwide to earn a five-star rating from Forbes magazine and is the only AAA Five Diamond Resort in the Midwest.

Of course there’s fancy Kohler plumbing in the bathrooms. But the American Club offers a whole lot more. There’s championship golf, gourmet dining, and a five-star resort spa. There are regular family activities like Friday night story time and Saturday movies, plus special resort activities like ice skating and snowshoeing.

The Sofitel Spa, New Zealand

The Sofitel Hotel and Spa in Queenstown, New Zealand offers up relaxation at its finest. LaSpa at the Sofitel features services to awaken the mind, body and soul. This luxury hotel gives weary travelers a chance to unwind and reboot before taking on the world, and LaSpa is just the place to do so.
Among the services offered are European massages and beauty treatments, a jacuzzi, Hammam steam room and a special Far Infrared Room.

Rose Island Lighthouse

Tired of staying in cookie-cutter hotels when you travel? Looking for something a little bit more unique than a standard beach vacation rental? Visitors to Rhode Island now have the option to stay at the Rose Island Lighthouse when visiting the scenic Narragansett Bay.

This working lighthouse was built in 1869 and sits just outside the town of Newport. Guests can choose to stay overnight in the keeper’s quarters on the first floor, or become an actual keeper of the lighthouse for a week and stay on the second floor quarters.

Although you’d most likely be visiting Newport or Narragansett Bay on vacation, if you stay at the lighthouse as a keeper, you’ll be expected to work! Duties include raising and lowering the flag each day, listening to marine weather reports, greeting visitors to the lighthouse museum and even learning how to operate the wind-powered electric system.

After a brief orientation by by the full-time lighthouse staff, you’ll pretty much be given the reigns to act as official lighthouse keeper for the week of your stay.

Sleep Under the Stars at NYC’s AKA Central Park

You don’t have to leave Manhattan to sleep under the stars, thanks to AKA Central Park. The five-star luxury hotel/residence is offering a night spent on the 1,000-square-foot terrace for guests of its 17th-floor penthouse suite.

The outside digs are setup with a wood-burning fireplace, telescope, large LCD TV, flowers, candles and of course a king-sized bed covered in 400-thread-count Frette sheets. To add to the ambiance, AKA also throws in cocktails, champagne, s’mores from Jacques Torres, and a Nook e-reader filled with campfire stories.

The Hyatt Spa, Bali

When you think of Bali, you no doubt imagine lush landscapes and thatched roofs. The Spa at Bali Hyatt is no exception to this rule.

Designed in the traditional Balinese courtyard style with villas and outdoor pavilions, the Hyatt Spa is a picturesque location for luxury spa services and treatments. The spa sanctuary utilizes calming aromatherapy along with traditional Balinese and European spa techniques and treatments.

Among the most alluring spa treatments offered at the Hyatt Spa is the Lulur Royal Javanese Spa Treatment, a spa ritual begun in the 18th century to pamper women in the royal Javanese family.

Spa of the Rockies, Glenwood Hot Springs

Hot springs abound in Colorado, and the Spa of the Rockies at Glenwood Hot Springs has captured their essence like no other resort in the area.

Reviving the name that was once used by 19th century aristocrats, the Spa of the Rockies is now a full service spa offering some excellent spa treatments in addition to dips in the natural, therapeutic hot springs.