Where to Stay: Lavish Resorts

Although the hotels in the Dominican Republic do not number among the Caribbean's finest, there are nonetheless some luxurious places to stay.

Johannesburg Lodging Option: Fairlawns Hotel

Most trips to South Africa involve a night in Johannesburg, the country's principal air hub where I have long recommended the Saxon. However, numerous readers have written to ask whether I could suggest a slightly less expensive alternative.

Boutique Buenos Aires

For anyone who shares my preference for intimate hotels, the 10-suite Algodon Mansion in Buenos Aires' chic and leafy Recoleta neighborhood--the equivalent of Manhattan's Upper East Side--is a fine base from which to explore the sprawling Argentine capital, even if the service could use a little fine-tuning.