­One of the newest- and hippest - places to stay in Scottsdale is the recently renovated Saguaro Hotel. Although the modish design and candy-colored palette looks like it was transplanted from Palm Springs, the architects actually took their design cues from the vibrant hues found in the desert. The in-house Distrito restaurant dishes up modern Mexican fare and is helmed by chef Jose Garces, a previous Iron Chef America winner. We're tempted by the mezcal and tequila flights on the bar menu, as well as the pork spare ribs with a chipotle- cider mustard bbq sauce. For relaxing, there are two pools as well as a spa. Rates start at $189. The Saguaro, 4000 N Drinkwater Boulevard, Scottsdale, AZ 85251. Phone:  (480)308-1100.

If your New Year's resolution involves cutting down on carbs, well, time to rethink that one. When I lived in London, one of my favorite places to stop and get a pastry, coffee or a heaping slice of bruschetta for lunch was Del'Aziz. Yes, it is a chain (with six locations in London) but it is hardly generic. The pastries are drool worthy and seriously enormous - it takes at least two, maybe three people to polish off one slice, depending on how polite you are. Try the meringues, fig tart or pear and banana cake. But Del'Aziz does more than just satisfy a sweet tooth. It serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, with everything from Berber pancakes to gourmet sandwiches (try the brie, fig and date with cumin chutney) and Middle Eastern-inspired dinners (Persian chicken marinated with saffron).

­A multi-million dollar recreation has turned the tattered-around-the-edges Saint Louis Hotel into the gleaming new Hotel Mazarin, a 102 room haven in the French Quarter just off Bourbon Street. Named after Cardinal Jules Mazarin—a  17th century Italian-born pontiff, an advisor to the French Crown and a collector of fine wines —the Mazarin features a lovely wine bar, gold leaf accents, lots of polished wood, free Wi Fi, free daily breakfast, in-room spa services and a welcoming inner courtyard.  

­­I’m barely over the shock of seeing not one but two white Rolls Royces parked in front of Live Aqua Resort & Spa  in Cancun when an employee, dressed in oddly medical-looking uniform consisting of white capris and a white tunic, guides me into a plush chair in the resort’s enormous lobby and begins giving me a hand massage. A hand massage.

Can this be Cancun? Yes, but a fresh Live Aqua take on Cancun where, despite its size (371 rooms and suites all with ocean view and private balcony), nurturing, personalized touches more commonly associated with a boutique hotel abound.  

­­­­It’s always a tense moment when a hotel that seems to be on top of its game announces it will be getting a new general manager, a new name and a new direction. That’s what happened shortly after my stay at Machaca Hill Rainforest Canopy Lodge in Southern Belize.

Honestly, I didn’t see the need for any changes at Machaca Hill. The boutique resort’s 12 suites were chock full of luxury with large, chic rooms with stone-inlaid showers and floor to ceiling windows with views into 15,000 acres of private jungle, outrageous food and a petite spa with an epic, nearly entirely glassed-in massage room (be prepared for toucans and spider monkeys to spy on your spa day).

­Making a gingerbread house during the holidays is one of those activities that is better in theory than in practice, unless you happen to be a Type-A Martha Stewart wannabe, or a budding engineer­. If you do have your heart set on trying to make one but perhaps aren't the craftiest of home cooks, try the Gingerhaus Ultimate Gingerbread House Kit, available from Sur La Table for $29.95 Unlike other kits, this one comes with a house frame so you don't have to use icing as glue, thereby eliminating most of the hassle.All you have to do is bake, build and decorate- and then enjoy.

­­­Add swanky, sexy new cabañas to the list of reasons to visit Playa Costa del Sol, one of the nicest beaches in El Salvador. Opened in August, Tortuga Village Resort offers an atmosphere that’s a remarkable combination of beach-club-style service and boutique beach hotel design.

­Long before the late, great Domino magazine taught us all to whitewash our interiors and stain our wood floors for a uniformly hip look, there was Rachel Ashwell of Shabby Chic fame. She taught us that white slip covers are not only beautiful and calming, but also child and pet friendly (and they truly are... thank goodness for bleach and a hot water wash). 

Ms. Ashwell is still going strong with a successful line of textiles and furniture (there's also a moderately priced line of linens sold at Target). But her latest role is that of innkeeper- she is the new owner of The Prairie B&B in Round Top, located in Texas Hill Country.

­­“If you don’t like espresso find another hotel,” says Roberto Sargogo, co-owner and chef of Casa ILB and Ristorante Il Bongustaio. But we are not in Italy. We are in San Salvador the capital of El Salvador where Roberto, an Italian transplant, and his partner Cristina Penalva, have created an unexpected but oh-so-welcome haven of Italian design, style and flavors at a price you won’t believe.

­The holiday season is officially underway - which means plenty of people are already planning their great escape. If you're thinking about Hawaii, consider SoulSpace Sanctuary, which opened earlier this week on Maui. The property, which was originally built in 1909, consists of five restored historic buildings and features 28 guest rooms, suites and bungalows. The design is a blend of laid-back elegance and neo-colonial architecture, and the rooms are free of televisions to encourage guests to unwind (wifi is available though).