Concealed inside the walls of a historic 1911 building that was originally a pool hall, you’ll find a nine-room boutique hotel and restaurant with a secret. For most visiting the mountain-town of Revelstoke, the delicious smoky smells of the acclaimed Quartermaster restaurant that waft through its big industrial doors are enough to lure you in. But it’s the secret little boiler room that really captures us.
Tucked away beneath the restaurant, this speakeasy bar (boiler room) offers an intimate setting for those wishing to enjoy a curated selection of whisky, spirits and cocktails, all while marvelling at a 100-year-old coal-fired boiler. It’s moody and mysterious – just the way we like our hidden bars to be. If you need us, you’ll know where we’ll be!
What’s better than spending a whole day at a brewery? Staying there overnight. You can now do just that at the DogHouse, a 32-room hotel on the site of Scottish company BrewDog’s Columbus, Ohio, beer factory. The rooms, not entirely surprisingly, have a masculine vibe – some like the Brewmaster Suite (pictured) overlook the sour beer works – with plenty of suds on offer throughout the stay. It starts at check-in with the lobby bartender ensuring guests enjoy a welcoming ale, while two fridges – one in the room and the other in the shower – are loaded up with the company’s best-known craft beers and seasonal specials.
Oh, there’s an in-room tap, too, that can be hooked up to a growler of whatever bevvy your tastebuds desire. Of course, while you’re here, it would be churlish not to do a tour of the facilities and the huge interactive craft beer museum. We’ll raise a glass to that.
A visit to the Hudson Yards is like visiting a city within a city. This Vatican of Manhattan is the newest cathedral of commerce to grace the underdeveloped west side, where posh pilgrims can find one of the most lavish shopping malls, event spaces, and public work of art the city has to offer.
High end shopping like Fendi and Cartier and fine restaurants like Milos and Belcampo first are just the beginning. The first Equinox Fitness Hotel, as well as a state of the art concert hall complete with a retractable roof. Don’t forget to check out The Vessel, where intrepid guest can climb the over 150 intertwined open air staircases for views of the city found no where else.
Yellow sand, salty water and summer beach vibes don’t exactly spring to mind when we think of New York City, but The Ramones were on to something when they decided to “hitch a ride to Rockaway Beach.” Nestled into the Rockaway Peninsula in Queens,this arty-vibe beach is growing in popularity, which makes a nibble and drinks at the Rockaway Beach Surf Club even more appealing. What started as a place for surfers to store their boards is now a beach club with a difference. Rockaway Beach Surf Club embraces the destination’s chilled-out urban beach vibe.
Welcomed by the phrase “Live. Surf. Die”, the club is devoted to the local neighbourhood and hosts a number of cultural and art events within its on-site gallery. Visitors to the club can chow down on some tacos with a side of chips (obviously!), while sipping a fresh watermelon juice or a delicious cocktail or two. It might not be quite the luxury poolside hangout you’d except of the term “beach club” but we’d be happy hitching the next ride to this NYC beachside hangout.
There’s a point on any trip from Australia to New York when you wonder if it will ever end. Usually that happens as you are fanging through LAX trying to make your connection; it comes back two hours into that same connecting flight when you realise you’re trapped for another 200 minutes. Believe us when we tell you there is a better way. Jump on a Hawaiian Airlines flight from Sydney or Brisbane to Honolulu then schedule a few days of sun and surf to overcome jet lag.
Head to O’ahu’s North Shore, catch a few waves at Waimea Bay, snorkel with turtles, check out the cute galleries and shops of Haleiwa and eat pounds of shrimp at the famous food trucks. Just as you’re settling in to this new existence it’s back to Daniel K Inouye International Airport for the onwards flight to New York. It’s still two almost-10-hour flights, but a stopover in paradise makes it all worthwhile. Avoiding customs at LAX is an added bonus.
The premise behind Pelican Brewing Company is a simple one: beers by the beach. It’s a winning formula, and one that the team has down pat – after all, they’ve been serving ice-cold froffs here for more than 20 years now. The location, perched on the shoreline of the Oregon coast, is phenomenal, and visitors can stroll the dunes, take a dip or go crabbing before knocking back a few craft offerings.
There’s a selection of crowd favourites – including pale ales, stouts and pilsners – available to drink year-round, but it’s the seasonal varieties that impress the most. Our top pick? The Jamaicito, a mojito-inspired lager with hibiscus, mint and lime, best enjoyed on the outdoor terrace with a plate of calamari.
The spirit of the 60s is alive and well at Timber Cove. Although the hotel’s dramatic A-frame structure has since been moved and expanded to make the most of the outlook, the owners were careful to remain true to Richard Clements Jr’s original design, built in 1963.
There are 46 rooms, each with a rustic modern vibe and features like fireplaces, Crosley record players, and local wines and coffee. It’s right on the Sonoma coastline – a 2.5-hour drive from San Francisco – so you’ve got 400 wineries to explore, as well as hiking trails, cute towns, surf beaches and heaps more. You don’t even need to leave the hotel. Hit the outdoor living room, with fire pit, pool table and ping pong, or join the guided Saturday walks.
Get a feel for what makes the East Village famous at these playful digs that hook into neighbourhood history. Music is a big feature, with each floor telling the story of an era: a wall of smashed-glass art refers to punk, old tapes decorating Alphabet Bar nod to 80s rock bands.
Rooms are compact but studded with neat touches like a green lavastone sink and clever fold-out bench space. Stock up on vinyl from nearby Stranded Records then borrow a record player from the concierge and rock out as you wind down. Hit Cathédrale and watch the ballet as chefs and service staff dance around each other in the open kitchen.
Glide across the water as you power a replica ocean-going canoe, modelled on the type used traditionally by the people of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation in North Vancouver on Canada’s southwest coast. After a traditional welcome, you’ll be given a quick rundown on the canoes before paddling the protected waters of Burrard Inlet and the fjord of Indian Arm.
Along the way, your First Nations guides will point out ancient village sites, regale the group with legends and sing a song or two. Keep your eyes peeled for local wildlife, which can include seals and bald eagles. You’ll join a maximum of 19 other guests for the Takaya Tours expeditions, ranging from two to four hours. You can also choose one that includes a guided rainforest walk.
Step back in time as you wander the cliff palaces of Colorado’s Ancestral Pueblo tribes. Mesa Verde National Park is the only national park in the USA dedicated to preserving the works of mankind. The designated UNESCO Heritage Site is home to more than 5,000 archaeological spots, including 600 cliff dwellings that date back to between 600 and 1300 CE. The dwellings provide an insight into the lives and heritage of the Ancestral Puebloan people who lived in this region for more than 700 years, and are some of the most notable and best preserved in the USA.
Guided ranger tours offer a deeper understanding of how these people lived, as well as access to get up close to the renowned cliff palaces – Balcony House, Cliff Palace and Long House – as you traverse ladders and open rock faces. You can also head out on a self-guided tour to explore some of the cultural sites at your own leisure – 12 easily accessible dwellings and overlooks can be found by driving along the Mesa Top Loop Road, with Far View House being among five villages that can be explored along a 1.2-kilometre unpaved trail.
Hiking trails in the park range from two to 12.5 kilometres, with highlights being the Point Lookout Trail traversing the top of the mesa with views of Montezuma and Mancos valleys, or the Petroglyph Point Trail, where a rugged, rocky route leads to stunning canyon vistas and ancient carvings on a huge petroglyph panel.
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