During the scorching summer months in Forte dei Marmi, children play in the fountain on the Piazza Garibaldi, where sprawling sidewalk cafés serve Prosecco and gelato in glasses that perspire in the heat. Bicycles sit idle along quiet tree-lined streets, and modest low-rise villas stand behind manicured walls of shrubbery. …

In celebration of its centennial anniversary, Switzerland’s Grand Hotel Park Gstaad reopened its doors December 17 after a nine-month renovation. The iconic chalet’s 94 rooms and suites have been modernized while remaining true to its historic location, integrating local pine, oak, and stonework into its decor. The lobby now features …

Nguyen Thanh Trung raises his finger in the air to test the wind. "It’s gusty," says Trung, sport coordinator at the Princess d’Annam Resort & Spa in Vietnam, "but we’ll be OK."
Trung and I are standing on the shore of the secluded Ke Ga Bay, in southern Vietnam, on …

On December 15, Crans-Montana in the western Swiss Alps welcomed back a classic. Originally opened in 1972, the 60-room Crans Ambassador reemerges after an expansive two-year, multimillion-dollar renovation. Rechristened as the area’s first luxury sport resort, the new Crans Ambassador is a sanctuary for the active guest. As the only …

The Four Seasons Resort Nevis, West Indies officially reopened on December 15, after sustaining substantial damage from Hurricane Omar in 2008.  The resort, located on the West Indies island known for being the birthplace of Alexander Hamilton, features 196 rebuilt rooms and suites along with private-residence villas, estate homes, and …

With the launch of this year’s Sojourn, the second in a trio of sister ships, the Yachts of Seabourn continues to expand its concept of intimacy and indulgence at sea, in direct contrast to the megaships of recent years. With only 225 suites—the majority with private balconies—the Sojourn’s capacity is …

American hedge fund billionaire Julian Robertson Jr. searched for years for a property on New Zealand’s South Island to complement the pair of resorts he owns on the country’s North Island. Last year, he and his son Jay, who manages the family’s hotels, completed the mission with the acquisition of …

Sin City’s newest mega resort, the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, which opened December 15, boasts two 50-story towers, which provide breathtaking vantage points of the Strip, and 2,995 rooms, each with a private balcony, plus a massive spa and hammam, three pool areas, a nightclub, a 100,000-square-foot casino, and nine …

Lined with 900 ginkgo trees, Midosuji Avenue in Osaka, Japan, is known as the city’s Champs-Élysées for its classic early-20th-century buildings, large department stores, and bustling sidewalks. The St. Regis Osaka, which opened in October, occupies the bottom two stories and floors 11 through 27 of a brand-new high-rise on …

Located in Puglia, at the heel of Italy’s boot, Borgo Egnazia resembles a traditional Puglian village surrounded by olive groves along the Adriatic Sea. The 49-acre, roughly 0 million retreat—which was built over the course of six years by its owners, the Melipignano family, who still live on the property—began …