A Victorian castle on 40,000 acres. A private lake with a deliberately tiny guest count. A Rockefeller Great Camp with 11 rooms and black-tie dinner. Five luxury properties near NYC, five completely different experiences and how to choose the right one.

35 rooms, a Michelin-starred restaurant with 18 seats, the largest spa on the Amalfi Coast, and a location that makes you forget Positano exists. Here’s why I’m recommending it to every couple heading to Italy. If you’re dreaming of the Amalfi Coast but want something that feels more refined than frantic, Furore Grand Hotel deserves your attention.

Where you stay in Paris matters more than almost anything else on the itinerary. Grand Hôtel du Palais Royal sits inside one of the most architecturally perfect pockets of the city, steps from the Louvre and Jardin du Palais Royal. Here's why I keep coming back.