Winter Escapes

When not skiing, guests can take cooking classes at the lodge or book picnics in the snow. The chalet, accessible only by helicopter, is available for small groups. wharekealodge.com

A $16 million renovation created a new restaurant, Haydens Post, where chef Scott Blackerby makes dishes like bison rib eye and coffee-rubbed elk. snowking.com

Located at the top of a former Olympic ski jump, this luxe new resort was designed by architects and interior designers India Mahdavi and Joseph Dirand. lapogeecourchevel.com

King Mohammed VI's ambitious project is at the end of a black-marble road within the city walls of Marrakech's 11th-century medina. The property is a maze of 53 individual two-story riads (traditional Moroccan houses) with silk-paneled walls, extensive hand-laid tilework and rooftop sun beds. The walled complex of Royal Mansour is connected by a network of underground tunnels used by staff, so that guests can have privacy as they stroll among the property's ornate fountains and orange and olive trees. Michelin-starred chef Yannick Alléno oversees the three restaurants. royalmansour.com

This castle-like hotel is perched on the hillside above downtown Zurich, with a new, Norman Foster-designed wing that has a 43,000-square-foot spa with fireplaces and floor-to-ceiling windows. The Michelin-starred restaurant from German chef Heiko Nieder serves seven-course tasting dinners as well as a five-course vegetarian tasting menu that includes a potato gnocchi with macadamia nuts and Brillat-Savarin, a triple-cream cow's-milk cheese from Normandy. thedoldergrand.com

A former coconut plantation surrounded by rainforest, this resort 26 miles northeast of San Juan blends with the landscape (no building rises above the tree line). Consulting chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten sampled local cuisine to get inspiration for Fern, which uses produce from the on-site organic garden. stregisbahiabeach.com

The first luxury train to cross Indian state borders, the Maharajas' Express is as opulent as its name suggests, with blue and green tiled ceilings, velvet upholstery and mother-of-pearl panels; cabins have LCD TVs and even bathtubs. The Express covers more than 1,500 miles and a mix of iconic landmarks (like the Taj Mahal in Agra) and lesser-known spots (like the erotic temples of Khajuraho). maharajas-express-india.com

Indian fashion photographer Denzil Sequeira has turned his family's 19th-century Goan beach compound into a fabulously off-the-beaten-path hotel whimsically named Elsewhere. Located on a tiny spit of land between a saltwater creek and the Arabian Sea, the three luxury tents and four colonial beach houses (one a former bakery, another the old livestock quarters) are spread out amid a forest of coconut trees and accessed by a rickety wooden bridge. The privacy makes it a favorite of Bollywood stars and American celebs (Sequeira prefers not to share names). At sunset, local fishermen pull their boats ashore and sell guests the day's catch; Elsewhere staff will then turn it into dishes like Goan fish curry. tajhotels.com

This haute dude ranch south of Missoula has 6,600 acres for cross-country skiing or sleigh rides that let guests spot moose while drinking hot buttered rum. Visitors can stay in the lodge, which has a saloon and a movie theater, or in cabins with feather duvets, hardwood floors and river views. In the winter, horseback riders can get a glimpse of deer, elk and big horn sheep; in the summer, fly-fishing guests can have boxed lunches delivered riverside. theranchatrockcreek.com

Across from the town green stands this neocolonial hotel, with a 10-foot-wide stone hearth in the lobby. The new spa was built from recycled materials and has a lighter menu than the inn's New American restaurant, the Red Rooster. In the winter, this resort maintains a Nordic Center with 37 miles of trails for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing: Half of the paths are within the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historic Park, which was the boyhood home of one of America's first conservationists. woodstockinn.com

The Kelly Wearstler-designed villas at this oceanfront resort have driftwood-and-shell chandeliers as well as full kitchens where guests can book a private chef to make local dishes like conch chowder. The resort is perched on an outcropping between two bays; at the crown of the point is the Sunset Lounge, where guests can get ceviche bento boxes to take to the beach. The signature restaurant, Cobà, has views of the long white-sand beach and dishes with Asian and Mediterranean influences that touch on molecular gastronomy. viceroyhotelsandresorts.com

There's a 14-guest limit at this secluded game-reserve lodge, where each of the five freestanding suites has its own deck with rattan daybeds and an infinity pool with views of the Dwarsberg Mountains. Nearly everything is customized, from game drives for spotting the Big Five (lion, elephant, buffalo, rhino and leopard) to the choices at dinner. Guests can also learn how to cook traditional South African dishes like potjiekos, a slow-simmered meat stew. It's an open secret that this lodge often acts as the Camp David of Africa, where heads of state like Kenya's prime minister Raila Odinga go to relax and negotiate with other dignitaries. molorisafari.com

The classic casual-chic property—with teak furniture and outdoor showers—was once the home of author Ian Fleming of James Bond fame. Island Records founder Chris Blackwell just added new cottages and two restaurants, one of which serves homey Jamaican food like grilled parrotfish and fried plantains, as well as Blackwell rum, sold only in Jamaica and based on a family recipe. Scattered around Goldeneye's gardens are trees planted by its celebrity guests over the last 50 years, including a cinnamon tree from Willie Nelson, a guava tree from Johnny Depp and a star-apple tree from Kate Moss. goldeneye.com

A hideaway on a gorgeous stretch of Brazilian beach adored by celebrities like Gisele Bündchen, this property is composed of nine houses built and furnished with the help of traditional artisans from the nearby fishing village; the surrounding garden provides fruits and spices for the Bahian-fusion restaurant. About half of Uxua's beachfront property is set aside as a sea turtle sanctuary; the other half includes a bar built using abandoned fishing boats, a beach volleyball court and an open-air gym. uxua.com

The Pink Palace of the Pacific was a favorite of Franklin D. Roosevelt and Shirley Temple, who attracted crowds strumming the ukulele on Waikiki Beach in the 1930s. The iconic property recently underwent a $60 million renovation, retaining its retro-Moroccan facade and feel but updating its color scheme (think coral, not bubble-gum pink). The restaurant, Azure, serves ultra-fresh seafood in a white-marble dining room lit by iron lanterns. royal-hawaiian.com