Set amid miles of rolling hills in Portugal’s Alentejo region, we found a wine estate whose restaurant achieves the perfect balance of localvore ideals with sophisticated and creative cuisine firmly rooted in regional traditions.

At Europe’s most southwestern tip, this beach resort was designed to fit the landscape, its low buildings set amid indigenous trees and grasses above a half-mile crescent of golden sand.

The warm hospitality of the staff, the luxurious rooms and flexibility of services to accommodate travelers on weird schedules were impressive – and certainly not what I expect from an airport hotel.

There’s no denying the appeal of a classic beach town in mid-summer – long stretches of sand, saltwater taffy, clam shacks – and when the town has a well-known summer theater, a long established art colony and a James Beard Awarded restaurant, a summer weekend doesn’t get much better.

We followed Marie Antoinette to this traditional Black Forest inn, deep in a wooded valley of Southwest Germany

Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt spent their summer holidays on the small island of Campobello, in Canada, but connected to Maine by a bridge. We followed them and found history, nature and tea time.

If we walked through the Sheraton Grand Edinburgh's gleaming lobby with anything but a purposeful stride, a smartly dressed staff member stepped up to ask if we need directions, a taxi, an umbrella. The staff even advised us on restaurants in a rival city.

We came to Manoir Hovey, in the beautiful green Eastern Townships of Quebec, for a relaxing break and fine dining. We didn’t expect box seats to a spectacular show, too.

We love staying in low-key B&Bs where the focus is on comfort and good old-fashioned hospitality, which is just what we found at Admiral Peary Inn in Fryburg, Maine.

With the Royal Yacht Britannia now retired, when Queen Elizabeth II wishes to sail around the north coast of her realm or throw a birthday party for the whole royal family, she chooses the five-star Hebridean Princess. After a week on board, we could easily understand why.