NEW YORK — Much of the third-wave hotel scene can be described as pre- or post-Ace. When the Pacific Northwest brand opened its flagship Ace Hotel New York on 29th Street and Broadway — in what was understood to be a generally un-cool area of Manhattan — it made a bet that it could transform the fly-by blocks into a bonafide neighborhood, with its hotel lobby as the major destination.And the Ace won.The hotel was a smash f

Grand Hotel MinervaFlorence, ItalyTimeless, $$ ($240)The Church always has the best real estate. Even in the darkest of times, in the hardest-to-reach places, in the most strict and solemn of monasteries: The views are amazing. This is what you come to realize when you travel throughout Italy, and certainly when you book into the Grand Hotel Minerva in the famous Piazza Santa Maria Novella. Fresh off a multimillion-dollar renovation complet

Revolution Hotel South End, Boston Trendy, $ (from $100)With the opening of Revolution Hotel, young-at-heart travelers no longer have to pay an arm and a leg to wake up among the English-style squares and Victorian brownstones of Boston’s charming South End neighborhood. The hip, millennial-friendly boutique is one of the most affordable in the city and feels like a steal given its modern-day trimmings, which include a very welcoming, art-f

Line DCWashington, D.C.Trendy, $$$In a town where straight-laced, big-box business hotels are practically a dime a dozen, Line DC stands out as a literal temple of high design, gastronomy, and cultural inclusivity in the capital’s eclectic and ceaseless Adams Morgan neighborhood. The unique boutique is housed in a refurbished, century-old Neoclassical church that, in the most charming way possible, stays true to its original form. Instead o

Hotel EmblemSan Francisco, California Cool, $$ (From $199)In 1948, Jack Kerouacs novel On the Road gave name (and rise to) The Beat Generation, that loose cabal of passionate nonconforming radicals, sexually-awakened hippies, free-roaming hitchhikers, and folks rebelling against the post-war American culture. Sound familiar? Fast forward 71 years, and todays 21st-century beatniks are as vocal, ready for political change, and hungry for

I came to London for a few weeks, but I still couldnt escape the melodrama of American politics. Although the race for Prime Minister is hot and bothered — or, more accurately in this ongoing Brexit climate, bothersome — all everyone here is wondering is who leaked the memos written by outgoing Ambassador to the US Kim Darroch. Poor chap! He made the horrible mistake of getting caught for giving his honest opinion. Tempests in t

Hotel LincolnChicago, IllinoisEclectic, $ (From $109)Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! Or, put another way, welcome to the neighborhood. The vibe is local throughout Hotel Lincoln, which shows off Chicagos wild side with colorful and eclectic rooms designed with vintage decor and mismatched animal prints — a nod to the 1,100 species at the nearby Lincoln Park Zoo, one of the oldest zoos in America. Yes, of course the h

Is Edmonton on your travel radar? Heres why the cool Canadian capital should be.EDMONTON, Canada – Most travelers have only one reference point for the Canadian province of Alberta: the awe-inspiring mountains and dazzling, turquoise lakes of Banff and Jasper national parks. Here are a few more: Note the incredible culinary scene, miles of idyllic nature trails, and overall laid-back, alternative vibe of Edmonton, the provincial p

Meet the Mexican city where high design meets the Pacific.ACAPULCO, Mexico - Mexico City wrapped its reign as 2018s World Design Capital. But just a three-and-a-half-hour drive (or 45-minute flight) west, on the Pacific coast, is a city bursting with beautiful sights for design and architecture junkies. Acapulco is known as a midcentury destination for the rich and the famous (Jackie Kennedy and Elizabeth Taylor both honeymooned there), and

Ace Hotel Downtown Los AngelesDowntown Los Angeles, Trendy, $$ (From $259)If youre coming to Los Angeles, you may as well be the star of the show.And what better way to do it than by checking into a hotel with a legendary past as an illustrious theater?Lets roll the opening credits: The United Artists Theater and movie palace makes its debut in 1927 in what will develop into LAs Broadway Theater District. The producers are United Artists st

Allison Reiber DiLiegro and Ling Luke, co-founders of the travel newsletter Opla, met up in Detroit to see the city’s renaissance for themselves. As it turns out, there’s much more to the city than what’s new.DETROIT, Michigan – We had our Detroit story sketched out before we arrived. You’ve heard it, too: Detroit was once a great city, bringing motors and Motown to the masses until the factories closed. Downtown was abandoned and grand bui

The Woodstock 50 festival may be cancelled, but the spirit of the Summer of 1969 lives on in the most famous hippie mountain town in America. WOODSTOCK, New York — This year marks the 50th anniversary of the legendary Woodstock, a three-day festival of music and peace that changed rock and roll history forever and defined a generation of hippies, lovers, and rebels. Of course, the festival didnt actually take place in the town of Wood

If you haven’t explored Miami’s Little Havana neighborhood, then you’re missing out. We tapped Rami Zeidan, founder of the new hotel chainlet Life House, to give us a rundown on whats what.MIAMI – Ive been spending time in Miami since 2011 when I worked for Starwood Hotels and Resorts, Sydell Group, and TPG Capital covering the local hotel market. In the last eight years, Ive seen the city evolve into a bustling metropolis that extends well

If a trip to Thailand feels daunting, plan a few days in the bustling capital of Bangkok, followed by a few more on its quiet island beaches. Pin these pics to your mood board.BANGKOK, Thailand — Between the glittering beaches, ornate Buddhist temples, tuk-tuks whizzing by, and street vendors selling pad thai, the Land of Smiles is a feast for the senses. I recently embarked on a weeklong trip to Thailand with a close friend, and whil

If Laos and its gilded temples and colorful tuk-tuks aren’t already on your radar, this itinerary will surely skyrocket the small country to the top of your bucket list. LUANG PRABANG, Laos – Laos was somewhere on my list. It wasn’t at the top, perhaps, but it was there, mixed among the countries with alluring names and limited press. I’ve been coming to Southeast Asia since 2012, when I landed in Bangkok with Lonely Planet’s Southeast Asia

Get a taste of Kuala Lumpur — hot culinary destination, botanical gem, cultural melting pot, and chill (affordable) Malaysian capital.KUALA LUMPUR - Inside the Southeast Asian tourism triangle of Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, and Singapore sits the secret foodie mecca of Kuala Lumpur. Often referred to as the affordable sister city to Singapore, Kuala Lumpur has quietly and quickly become one of the hottest up-and-coming culinary destina

2021 update: Here are the Robeys Covid-19 health and safety policies.The RobeyChicago, ILTrendy, $Ultra-cool Mexico-based Grupo Habita is at it again — demonstrating its knack for repurposing old structures in clever and contemporary ways — this time at the center of Chicagos neighboring hotspots, Wicker Park and Bucktown. The Robey, housed inside the 1929 Northwest Tower office building, is a cleaned-up, industrial-cool 89-room

Royalton Park AvenueNew York City, NYModern, $$ (From $250)Craving a healthy dose of business and pleasure on your next work trip? Look no further than the Royalton Park Avenue in Manhattans NoMad neighborhood, where new restaurants, fitness studios, co-working spaces, and matcha latte-bars are constantly popping up. A sister hotel to Ian Schragers iconic 44th-street property, the posh see-and-be-seen vibe is alive and well with a brig

After drinking her body weight in bier in Munich, contributing editor Becky Cheang took a quick trip up to Berlin for a change of pace. Here are her first impressions. BERLIN, Germany – Berlin is intoxicating. The city has been at the top of my travel list for ages now, but I never expected to fall for it as hard and as fast as I did. The whole city feels like one giant social experiment with the freedom to explore anything you might b

You have probably heard of Copenhagen, but what about Aarhus? Denmark’s second-largest, lesser-known university city is a mix of old world values and modern culture. Dont miss out.AARHUS, Denmark - It’s a chilly September morning and I’m strapped to my seat on a sturdy RIB boat, being propelled through the icy waters of Ebeltoft Cove with my hands tightly gripping the seatback in front of me. The air is thick with the smell of salt and my j