PACIFIC NORTHWEST PASSAGE: SIMPLE PLEASURES AND EXTRAORDINARY BEAUTY FROM SEATTLE TO VANCOUVER

Whether it’s the snow-covered peak of Mount Baker to the east, islands in Elliot Bay and Puget Sound dotting the western horizon, or reveling in the regal beauty of Mount Rainier, there’s a sense of something special waiting for you just beyond Seattle’s city limits. Head north though, and a five-hour trip ends in Whistler, British Columbia. But why rush it? The drive from Seattle to Whistler passes through rainforests, rocky cliffs and west coast villages and also allows for a stop in Vancouver, a world-class destination in its own right. Taking your time along the way allows you to savor the best of this rugged coast.

The Scenic Route

Start your trip from Seattle’s Fairmont Olympic Hotel, called the "grandest hotel west of the Rockies" when it opened in 1924. An hour north is Chuckanut Drive, a 20-mile scenic byway that hugs the cliffs overlooking Samish Bay. While the scenery is amazing, foodies are lured here by the Oyster Bar in Bow, renowned for its local and seasonal menus as well as a 25-page wine list, named to Wine Spectator’s Outstanding Wine List of the World for 23 years straight. If you’re feeling hands-on, stroll over to Taylor Shellfish Oyster Farm. The farm provides tools and a grill and you buy a bushel, shuck and grill your oysters outside at a picnic table. Twenty minutes more on the road brings you to the Fairhaven Historic District of Bellingham, a charming college town with a laid-back feel, where Fairhaven Fish and Chips, housed in an antique red double-decker bus, serves fried seafood with a side of quirkiness. Read more here.’

SWISS RIVIERA REVERIE: MONTreux BECKONS

The deepest blue waters of Lac Léman (known to English speakers as Lake Geneva) and the highest Alpine peaks come together at Montreux, Switzerland's most charming small city. Fairmont Le Montreux Palace is part of the charm, a landmark on the lake since 1906. The hotel is the perfect pied-a-terre for exploring the town and a region full of unexpected delights, which begin at the waterfront promenade and extend up to the mountaintops.

All That Jazz

Jazz put Montreux on the world map. Every July since 1967, the city has hosted the Montreux Jazz Festival, now the world’s second largest festival of its kind, encompassing rock, electronic and other musical styles under the global jazz label. And it’s no surprise that many performers fall in love with Montreux. After playing the festival, the rock band Queen was so enamored with Montreux they recorded seven albums here in a recording space they bought, Mountain Studios. Today, studio visitors, now called Queen Studio Experience, sign the wall to leave messages for the late Freddie Mercury and his bandmates. Montreux has become a fan of Mercury as well. You can’t miss the 10-foot-tall bronze Freddie Mercury on the promenade overlooking the water. Super fans might want to book the Freddie Mercury suite at Fairmont Le Montreux Palace for the ultimate homage. Read more here.

A JOURNEY THROUGH JAKARTA

Jakarta has always been a cultural crossroads, first as a small port in an ancient Hindu kingdom and then as “the Jewel of Asia,” at the center of the spice trade. Today, the city is home to more than 10 million people and it is the capital of Indonesia’s 17,000 islands. If it happens in Indonesia, it starts in Jakarta. It can take years to know this multi-layered city, but if you only have a few days, start your journey from the central location of The Fairmont Jakarta and  explore the places where the spirit of this vibrant metropolis is on display.

Old City Soul, Kota Tua

The Dutch East India Company established its South Asian headquarters here in the early seventeenth century and named this Ciliwung River area Batavia. Ships regularly left port loaded with nutmeg, cloves and pepper, headed to Europe India and China. Batavia became the capital of the Dutch East Indies. Today, this area is known as Kota Tua (Old City), Old Batavia or Old Jakarta and it retains its Dutch colonial architecture and charm. Kota Tua is approximately 14 kilometers by car from Fairmont Jakarta, and the area, with its terra-cotta tile roofs, white stucco buildings and cobblestone streets, calls to mind the heyday of the spice trade. Visitors who stroll along the streets mingle with merchants selling handmade crafts, while street musicians fill the air with tunes played on traditional and improvised instruments such as glass bottles. Between shopping and listening, don’t miss a chance to visit Fatahillah Museum (Jakarta History Museum), built in 1710 as Batavia’s City Hall. The museum’s collection includes Hindu-Buddhist stone sculptures, decorative furniture and Dutch Colonial ceramics. Just across the square from the museum, Café Batavia, housed in a 200-year-old building, preserves the feel of pre-World War II Jakarta with vintage furniture, fixtures and framed photos filling the walls and columns. Try one of the Dutch specialties such as bitterballen, a breaded, meat-filled snack that’s dipped in a mustard sauce. Read more here.

DESTINATION DUBAI: BEYOND BURJ KHALIFA

Once a small seaside center of fishing and pearl diving, Dubai burst onto the international scene in 1966, when oil was discovered in the area. In 1971, the small sultanate joined with others to form the United Arab Emirates. Since then, Dubai has become an international jet-set destination, thanks to its luxury shops and glittering towers led by Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest manmade structure.

Amidst the soaring skyscrapers, it can be hard to imagine what Dubai was like just half a century ago. There’s more to the city than glamorous events and fashionable settings. Take a day or two to discover the hidden history waiting for you in this city that looks to the future and honours  its past.

Bastakia Quarter Break

From your base at Fairmont Dubai, ask the concierge to arrange transportation to Bastakia Quarter, Dubai’s Old City, located on the banks of Dubai Creek. In the 19th century, it was home to Dubai’s prosperous Persian silk and pearl traders, and more than any other part of the city, it is where you can rediscover Dubai’s past. Strolling the narrow stone-paved streets, you’ll pass limestone and coral buildings with fanciful carved details and wooden doors, glimpsing hidden courtyards just beyond. One such courtyard is Arabian Tea House, where you can sip tea, coffee or juice under the shady trees or enjoy a light meal with a chickpea salad or veggie wrap. Take a break here before or after you explore the quarter's art galleries and small shops. Read more here.