Ask the Editors: Questions From Our Members

Every month our intrepid editors travel the world in search of the very best experiences. They have stayed in over 7,000 luxury hotels in more than 120 countries, so there is no better resource to answer all of your travel-related questions.

The best way to see the Palio is from one of the balconies of the palazzi overlooking the square. But they are extremely expensive. The race only lasts for around 75 seconds. By far the most interesting bit is the lead-up to the day, especially, in my experience, the horses being taken into the chapels of the various contradas to be blessed the night before. After the race is over, it can get pretty rowdy in the streets and you have to be careful not to get mixed up in anything, especially with young girls.

Not a problem that I am aware of. The gorillas are always vulnerable. The poachers have guns and they don't. The only thing that really matters is effective control and protection of the national park. They seem to have established this in Rwanda, but not across the border in the Democratic Republic of Congo where several rangers were killed recently. If someone has an AK-47 then the gorillas being habituated or not isn’t relevant.

Singapore is quite close to the equator, so it tends to be hot and humid throughout the year. I’d avoid the monsoon season, usually in November and December. Otherwise, I like mid-January through March, in order to get away from the northern U.S. winter, or July and August, because it’s counterintuitive. The weather then isn't really hotter than during the rest of the year. I hope this helps!

For the rest of Asia, it depends a bit on where. The best season in Beijing is not necessarily the best season in Bangkok, of course.

Mohonk Mountain house is indeed a grand traditional resort in a scenic location! But since it has more than 250 rooms, we don’t consider it a hideaway, which is the kind of property we try to seek out.