Persik

Beautiful Lake Como is surrounded by the Alps, and the villas along the shoreline are amazing feats of architecture. You can take a boat trip around the lake to learn about the history of the estates, which belong to the likes of the Heinz family, Versace, and, of course, George and Amal Clooney. If you don’t have your own megamansion, Villa d’Este is the place to stay: It’s a classic hotel with 25 acres of gardens that are absolutely immaculate, and it’s so treasured in Italy that it was declared a World Heritage Site. A favorite feature is the hotel's pool, which sits on a platform in the lake and is a major place for Italians (and Hollywood heavyweights) to see and be seen.

What if you could actually visit the Garden of Eden? And what if it was surrounded by vineyards, historic Cape Dutch farm buildings, and a formal French-style potager garden, where you could pick your own strawberries and fragrant herbs? At Babylonstoren, in the Drakenstein Valley, 33 miles northeast of Cape Town, the mythical garden comes to life. Founded in 1690, the 590-acre compound is modeled on the farms that supplied the ships making their way around the Cape of Good Hope en route to India. The cottages and suites are minimalist but stylish. You won’t find a grand lobby or an obsequious concierge here, but the staff, most of whom are wearing T-shirts, aprons, or khakis, combine a genuine eagerness to help with a high level of knowledge about the farm and its long history. Stay long enough and eventually—after a visit to the on-site bakery, the winery, the cheesemaker, the butcher, and the farm-tank-style swimming pool—you may forget that you’re staying at a hotel.

The pretty Georgian manor house, all honeyed Bath stone, sits at the end of an avenue of sky-high beech and lime trees, surrounded by gardens like a Jane Austen film set. On the grounds there’s a personable cottage for weekending families, a world-class equestrian center, and a serious cooking school. But you don’t have to whip up your own supper. Chef Hywel Jones plates up exquisite food in his eponymous restaurant. That in itself is a reason to stay. So are the roaring fires, the paneled libraries, the canopied four-poster beds, and the moody oil paintings. A purposeful drive in recent years to make the place feel less formal has resulted in a cheery bounce in the staff's step, a raising of chatter levels to almost a hum in the evenings, and a relaxed atmosphere where you can wear your robe down to the ESPA spa and back again without feeling like a terrible slob. Eagle-eyed guests will spot the curious Greek elements dotted around—the urns in the bathroom, the Acropolis paintings in the dining room, the Hellenic motif on the plates. This country retreat feels resonant and rooted, delightfully British to the core.

Slopeside bragging rights weren’t enough for Wes Edens, the billionaire hedge-fund titan and visionary behind Caldera House. His eight-suite dream hotel at Jackson Hole had to be tramside, with north-facing rooms actually looking out upon Big Red, the 100-passenger aerial shuttle going up and down the peaks. Edens and his three ski-addicted business partners spent six years and nearly $100 million building their ultimate adventure base, culminating in a collection of penthouse-like suites that feel like private chalets masquerading as a hotel. L.A.-based studio Commune and local architects Carney Logan Burke collaborated on the American Craftsman-meets-alpine-hideaway interiors, and perks include an on-site gear shop and the largest ski lockers in the country. Wanting to embrace the community, Edens opened an outpost of universally loved Italian restaurant Old Yellowstone Garage on the second floor and curated a team of regional legends, including Olympic skiers, to help create guest experiences.

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