The highly anticipated Jay, an Autograph Collection Hotel - part of Marriott Bonvoy’s portfolio, launched last November in San Francisco’s lively Embarcadero neighborhood. This luxurious charmer with a prime location near the Ferry Building, features 360 stylish rooms and suites, some with terraces offering stunning bay vistas. And these “viewing spots” are sublime.

Sipping a mojito in my cushy cabana at Velas Vallarta while gazing at the cerulean sea, sure felt like paradise to me. Puerto Vallarta captivates with its sun kissed beaches against the backdrop of the Sierra Madre Mountains. This trendy resort town on Mexico’s Pacific Coast with a lively palm tree lined oceanfront malecon (promenade), offers a vibrant art scene, voguish boutiques, superb gastronomy and happening nightlife.

Sonoma wine country is more than double the size of neighbor Napa and with its gorgeous scenery, superb farm to table dining and esteemed grapes, it’s easy to fall under its spell.

An intimate desert oasis with an innovative, evidence-based approach to wellbeing and cuisine by acclaimed Nobu, sure sounded good to me. In point of fact, I’ve enjoyed relaxing stays at numerous healing havens only to resume my stressful city life upon my return. Ever hopeful of finding a lasting panacea, I journey on.

Singapore has been on my travel list since before the movie, Crazy Rich Asians was released in theaters.  The city/country has always been a mystery to me and I never had the opportunity to visit until they recently re-opened their doors to tourists. It was an obvious choice transiting through on our way back home from our Nepalese adventure.