The grand hotels in Zurich and Gstaad offer more than gazillionaires and gruyère, though no one is knocking either. Alyssa Shelasky has a girls-gone-wild Alpine adventure.ZURICH and GSTAAD – I have long said that despite my access to incredible food and restaurants everywhere, at the end of the day, Id always prefer to be left in silence with good cheese melted on fresh bread.Welcome to Switzerland.More specifically, Zurich and Gstaad,

Gladstone HotelWest Queen West, TorontoHipster, $$ (from $229)The historic 19th-century Gladstone Hotel, restored after decades of disuse in 2005 during the rebirth of now-trendy Queen Street West, is more than a beautiful boutique brimming with home-grown art. Its a community events space, a forum for creatives of all kinds, and a beautiful red-brick Victorian mansion where travelers can rest their heads, commune with locals, and come out

Maid cafes are no unusual sight on the streets of Akihabara, but there might be more than meets the eye. We sent writer Jack Murnighan to the popular Tokyo neighborhood to give us his first impressions.TOKYO – If you spend any time in the Akihabara neighborhood in Tokyo — the famous Electric City — youll no doubt see advertisements as well as real-life, in-costume hawkers for so-called maid bars: cafes where the waitresses

1. Wake up and put on your favorite outfit – its gorgeous, and youre going to the seaside. Pictures will be taken.2. Go crazy with breakfast. Japan has some of the most exotic flavor profiles the Western palate can experience, and it pays to experiment. I would recommend a piece of fruit you do not recognize and a pancake beverage from one of the myriad vending machines sprinkling the streets of Tokyo. Let me be clear: This is hot

Whats the best thing Fathom creative director Crystal Meers did on a recent trip to Tokyo? She got a manicure.TOKYO – To check off everything on my to-do/gotta-see/try-to-meet/need-to-eat list for Tokyo, I would need six months.But I only had six days, and after the first 24 hours, it was pretty clear how it would all go down: Say hello to as many friends-of-friends as possible, consume copious Starbucks matcha lattes (theyre different in T

Nayantara Kilachand is the founder of Mumbai Boss, the blog that makes sense of the city of 18.5 million people. Who better to design a perfect day?1. The best day has to start with a stellar breakfast. Id head to Kala Ghoda Café in Kala Ghoda for fried eggs with green chillies or a masala omelette, slices of their whole-grain homemade bread, and a pot of fresh mint tea.2. After that, Id walk around the neighborhood, swing by a couple of de

Food writer Shane Mitchell and photographer James Fisher traveled around the world gathering stories and recipes from local cultures with longstanding culinary traditions for their new book Far Afield. In this excerpt from the first chapter, Shane makes her way through Rajasthan.Maam? said Kapil Singh. Hold on, we are going around a bend now.In Rajasthan, many professional drivers decorate their vehicles with Horn Please warnings; statues o

This contest is now closed. Thank you to everyone who entered.Who wants to go to India?In partnership with L-atitude, Refinery29, The Leela Palace Hotels and Resorts, Greaves Tours, and Virgin Atlantic Airways — talk about a great group of travelers! — were giving away an incredible trip to Mumbai, Udaipur, and DelhiOne the lucky winner will score:- Six nights for two at Leela Palace Hotels and Resorts: Two nights each in Udaipu

In partnership with L-atitude, Refinery29, The Leela Palace Hotels and Resorts, Greaves Tours, and Virgin Atlantic Airways, were giving away a $17,000 trip to Mumbai, Udaipur, and Delhi in India.How great will this trip be? Well, how easily can you picture yourself and someone you really, really like spending two days in each of these amazing Leela hotels?THE LEELA PALACE UDAIPURTheres only one way to get to there: on this glamorous boat.Yo

When you finally adventure down to Cuba, you cannot ignore the spirit of Hemingway. And why would you? Fathom editorial director Jeralyn Gerba and editor Berit Baugher follow in his memorabilia-laden, boozy footsteps.CUBA – It seems like no matter where I go, Ernest Hemingway already drank his way through the place. Absinthe in Paris with the Lost Generation, gin gimlets on the African plain, Negronis on the Italian war front. And, of cours

When random chance, courtesy, and chemistry line up, beautiful things happen. Lindsey Hook, business student and foodie behind Hookd On a Bite, flew to Florence to study abroad and experience Italian hospitality first hand. Surprised and still greatful, she recounts the story of a dinner invitation from online friend-turned-personal-acquaintance. A reader story.TUSCANY, Italy – I met Nico on Facebook. We chatted online and became friendly,

Marrakech and Cerre have a lot in common. Though one sprawling is a city, and the other is a sought-after luxury leather brand only available at its eponymous Melrose Avenue boutique, they share an air of mystery, an appreciation for authenticity, and an open invitation to sit for a cup of tea. Its no surprise that Flavie Webster, who co-designs the line with her husband Clayton, fell hard for the Ochre City while exploring it thi

When traveling, its always a good idea to brush up on the local customs, protocol, and codes of behavior — lest you look like a sloppy fool. One of our classiest contributors, Marguerite Richards of Atout France (French Government Tourist Office), tells us how to keep ones dignity when visiting Morocco.PACKINGA Moroccan friend recently accompanied me on a holiday in Marrakech. As a woman going to a Muslim country, I was

The folks at Hong Kong-based Tink Labs describe themselves as a bunch of marketing people who are also travel obsessives. Their first product, Handy, is a smartphone rental service with built-in city guides. CEO Terence Kwok, a HK native, plays our built-in guide to the city. (Pretty handy, dont you think?)HONG KONG – Ive lived in Hong Kong most of my life, spending only a short stint in the United States for study. Although I travel a lot

Hong Kong creatives Michael Leung
 and Martin Cheung created Shanghai Street Studios as a way to engage with and provide a platform for local designers, artists, and everyday folks looking to connect with the community. Their cozy studio in Kowloons Yau Ma Tai has become a gathering spot that they like to call the honey pot, where worker bees can try their hand at honey candle-making, pinhole camera workshops, and upcycled craft projects. M

Some cities make you work hard to find their creative enclaves. But once you stumble upon that telling gem — a fine coffee or meticulously curated shop — its like youve cracked some secret artisanal code. Suddenly everyone you meet is a worldly, well-dressed, lit-referencing obsessive (in the very best way). The men of Moustache, Hong Kongs wittiest mens shop, are of the Renaissance variety: They make bespoke suits, co

Melodie McDaniels India photos feel like postcards crammed with a thousand words. The L.A.-based photographer lends a tinted view to the beaches of Kerala, and the people who give the place its energy and color. We asked her to tell us what she sees behind the lens. KERALA, India – When I arrived in Kerala I was engulfed by the energy. But the persistent beeping of horns from motorbikes and rickshaws soon faded into the background like

Myanmar is changing and changing fast, but one thing is for sure: Theres no sight quite like hundreds of hot air balloons rising over a valley of ancient temples at sunrise. Adrian Granzella Larssen just returned from a trip to the ancient city of Bagan and her number one tip is simple: Ditch the guidebook.YANGON, Myanmar — When my friend Andrea moved to Yangon four years ago, she didnt have a smartphone. And why would she, when there

American academic Lindsay Comer spent a year in St. Petersburg pursuing a masters degree in Russian / Eurasian studies, with a focus on politics and economics. Opting out of student housing, she moved into a small apartment with a babushka who didnt even trust her to filter water. During her time abroad, Lindsay developed an understanding of how and why things work the Russian way and gradually fell in love with the culture. So much so that

Seoul is thriving, buzzing, incredibly fun, and pretty complicated to navigate. Heres a one-day guide to everything from avant-garde art exhibits to cheap and cheerful souvenirs.SEOUL – At first glance, Seoul isnt an obvious vacation destination. The city is massive and difficult to navigate, and, unlike destinations like New York, Paris, and Tokyo, it lacks an obvious hit list of must-sees. But for those who are willing to put in the legwo