Vibe: InnBuffalo is a charming B&B-boutique hotel hybrid as intimate and individual as the Elmwood Village neighbourhood itself. With only nine rooms, you get to know everyone else fairly quickly. Guests are small-hotel fans who like the comradery B&Bs generally create. The inn is also great for those who like their hotel rooms to look like they belong in a museum; people for whom “antique” is maybe a verb. The innkeeper himself stands out a mile, the epitome of hospitality—genuine, full of stories, quick with a handshake.

THINGS TO DO: IN BUFFALO

Rooms: “I sell sleep,” Joe reveals on the front porch one morning over coffee. As such, beds are extremely comfortable, surrounded by antique furniture. New and bright subway-tiled ensuite bathrooms have heated marble flooring. Rooms also come equipped with Keurig coffeemakers and free Wi-Fi.

F&B: Breakfast is king at InnBuffalo, with scones and bread-baked fresh daily, made-to-order egg dishes and fruity pancakes. It’s like Mom just asks you what you want. Have the signature spinach scramble.

Extras: The inn is a “preservation in progress,” with many original elements in tact. Common areas are filled with period furnishings, including leaded glass-panelled bookcases, coffered ceilings, silk damask wallcoverings, varnished secretaries and a basement billiards table. This is a boon for restoration students from nearby Buffalo State, who get to practice on the parts of the mansion that still need attention.

Off-Site: Elmwood Village is in central Buffalo just south of Delaware Park, about one mile from downtown. It has a reputation for being one of the city’s more cosmopolitan neighbourhoods, filled with popular independent shops, cafés, bars and restaurants. The Albright-Knox Art Gallery is a 20-minute walk north. The Peace Bridge is a 15-minute drive away. Niagara Falls is a 30-minute drive away.

Rate: $$

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Vibe: Most Ocean Key guests have visited before and wouldn’t stay anywhere else. While not exactly high-rollers, they have a certain air of success about them, particularly the groups of vacationing middle-age couples and young families. Keep an ear out for Alabama and Georgia accents—perfect for a game of spot the American.

Rooms: A natural Caribbean look—a turquoise, green, blue and yellow colour palette, hand-painted furnishings and local art—sets a relaxing and breezy tone. Speaking of breeze, all rooms feature a private balcony with views of the sea or Duval Street. Along with a pull-out sofa and jetted tub, you can expect a minibar, free Wi-Fi and in-room dining. Two-bedroom suites size up to 1,200 square feet, the largest on the island.

F&B: You can eat at the pool and on the Pier—savouring ceviche, conch hushpuppies and fish burgers—but save your belly for Hot Tin Roof, named after author Tennessee Williams, who spent a lot of time in Key West. Find painted ceilings, teak and mahogany trim, white leather chairs, warm ocean breezes and quiet company. Tuck into Caribbean and Floridian comfort food like scallop risotto, caramelized grouper and broiled lobster.

Extras: The guests-only pool is really kind of a pool-slash-lounge, all striped blue drapes and white cabana beds, frozen fruit treats and proper terry chaise covers. Sunset Pier along the sea side of the property offers not only the best place to catch the sunset, but also a local live band every night. And don’t worry, there’s lots of shade there if you’ve taken to day-drinking. Spa Terre is small, but its island-themed treatments, particularly the facials, will set you up with prime pampering.

Off-Site: Happily, Mallory Square and all the busking, trolley-bussing, and tourist-attracting charm is right outside and around the corner. Enjoy the whole of Old Town’s shopping, dining, museums and attractions all within an easy one-square-mile pedi-cab ride. The Key West airport is a 20-minute drive away.

Rate: $$$

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Vibe: There’s an international crowd at the Eden Roc, fairly well-heeled, and relatively young. Because of the two hotels in one layout, you see all kinds—the scenesters checking into the Nobu and the business creatives and laid-back leisure crowd signing up for the Eden Roc’s cool brand of sophisticated swing: Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor, Nat King Cole—the hotel is steeped in entertainment history.

Rooms: There are two towers here, one from 1956 and the other built in 2006, both offering high-style Miami luxury. The older suites are small but chic, with sky-blue patterned carpeting and tall, white headboards; dark, minimal furniture. The new tower sports the same simplicity with each room having an ocean view. Find neutral tones and lighter wood here, with big TVs, a desk, a garment steamer (so handy and it worked!), a Bluetooth speaker, rainfall shower heads, a lighted mirror, a gourmet coffee machine and boxer-style bathrobes.

ROAD TRIP: THE FLORIDA KEYS

F&B: In 2016, the Eden Roc passed the management of its food and beverage facilities to Nobu Hospitality. The circular lobby lounge is an Art Deco dream, busy day and night, with still a bit of a scene after dark, even after all these years. Off the lobby, Nobu Restaurant still defines dramatic Japanese style and cuisine, mouthwatering if more than a little pricey. Poolside, Splash by Malibu Farms serves healthy organic fare throughout the day, including an à la carte breakfast.

Extras: Wind up or down at either the massive gym or the destination day spa, replete with steam room, sauna and hot tub. Borrow one of the hotel bikes for free and go for a spin along the boardwalk, rent a cabana poolside, or stretch out for full service at the beach.

Off-Site: Perfect spot, really: A 10-minute drive to Lincoln Road and the “city centre,” Lummus Park and the historic Art Deco District, and a 20-minute drive to downtown Miami, the Wynwood art district. The luxury shops of Bal Harbour are 20 minutes north. Miami International is 30 minutes away.

Rate: $$$

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And just 40 minutes south from Cancun, the city of Playa del Carmen (population 150,000) sits near the middle of the Riviera, opposite the island of Cozumel. Calm, cool and collected, the vibe is assuredly unhurried. And whether you’re touring around, enjoying the water, hunting for souvenirs or just sitting in a chair, you’ll find great people, sublime scenery and amazing food.

Drag the main drag. Avenida Quinta (Fifth Avenue) is the main pedestrian strip, where you can get your shop on any time of the day or night. Hundreds of restaurants, bars and stores line this little main drag, catering to the daily influx of tourists popping off cruise ships for a poke around town. They dock near the south end of Fifth Avenue, making it more touristy; stick to the north end for some peace and quiet, plus a better quality of both shopping and dining.

Do a day trip. While sitting in a chair staring at the surf has it’s benefits, block off a day to rent a car for a drive to Tulum, and a visit to both the 13th-century ruins and the surrounding beaches. The only Mayan city built on a coastline, the Tulum pre-hispanic ruins are ringed by a limestone wall seven metres thick, with the prominent castle sitting at the top of the limestone bluffs. This is a very popular tourist site, so try to get there as close to opening time as possible (8 a.m.) to avoid the throngs and take advantage of the best sunlight of the day for your photos.

ALSO VISIT: COZUMEL

Check out the reef. Scuba diving put Playa del Carmen on the map. It was just a sleepy little fishing town until a ferry service began from there to the island of Cozumel, one of the best places to dive in the world. The Great Mesoamerican Reef, which stretches 725 kilometres from Cancun south to the Bay Islands of Honduras, is the world’s second largest reef. It marks the spot for surveying 150 varieties of reef fish and 100 species of coral.

Swim in a cave. Freshwater sinkholes, called cenotes, make for a fun afternoon of crystal-clear diving or snorkelling in and around caves where the visibility can reach up to 125 metres year-round.

Learn something. The Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, at 1.3 million acres, is the largest protected area in the Mexican Caribbean, and includes the 23 archeological sites of the Maya civilization. Promoting ecosystem conservation and the sustainability of natural resources, the Centro Ecológico champions low-impact tourist activities, while educating visitors about the region at the same time. Pasttimes include flyfishing, kayaking, “ponga” boat tours and more, and you can even stay at the centre in deluxe, eco-friendly cabins.

VISITMEXICO.COM

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Red Mountain Resort, Rossland, B.C.

Overview: Charming heritage town, really nice people, no lines, terrific skiing.

Selling point: The consistent and brilliant snow, top-rated because of the resort’s location along the famous Powder Highway.

Meeting space: A new conference centre (120 people, theatre-style) is great for cozy and compact multi-day group retreats. A variety of on- and off-mountain lodges and chalets to choose from.

Skiing: 4,200 acres of fun. The resort recently added 1,000 acres of intermediate-level runs on Grey Mountain, an entirely new peak.

Getting there: A scenic 2.5-hour drive north of Spokane Airport. As well, Air Canada Jazz flies into Castlegar Municipal Airport from both Calgary and Vancouver.

Closing remarks: As their website says, “The only fluff we offer is our snow.”

Website: RedResort.com

Le Massif de Charlevoix, Quebec

Overview: The perfect mix of meeting, mountain and après-ski, not to mention the heavenly (and homemade) Quebec cuisine.

Selling point: The gorgeous Le Germain, which is just a few minutes’ drive from the ski hill, built on the site of what was once a nunnery and farm.

Meeting space: A flexible business area in the main hotel building can handle from 50 to 110 people, depending on the configuration.

Skiing: The lodge is at the top of the hill, with breathtaking views of the St. Lawrence River below. There’s a 7.5 km sled track as well, the third longest in the world. (And not just for the kids.)

Getting there: Take the private train from Quebec City, which stops right at the lobby of the hotel.

Closing remarks: Pure Canadiana at its finest.

Website: LeMassif.com

Lake Louise, Alberta

Overview: Mountains, glaciers, lakes, forests, big steaks and the beautiful Fairmont Lake Louise in Banff National Park.

Selling point: Voted one of Canada’s best ski resorts, and one of the world’s top ski regions that doesn’t require a car.

Meeting space: The Fairmont Lake Louise has 36,000 square feet of conference room—along with the Banff National Park for themed group exploring.

Skiing: One of the largest resorts in North America, with 4,200 acres of terrain across four mountain faces.

Getting there: Frequent two-hour transfers from Calgary International Airport are available and an efficient shuttle system takes over after that.

Closing remarks: This is old-school skiing at its finest.

Website: SkiLouise.com, Skibig3.com

Aspen Snowmass, Colorado

Overview: World-class service and reputation, glamorous, huge off-slope activity list, great powder.

Selling point: The variety of four mountains—Snowmass, Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk—plus the giant-size scope of everything that goes with it, from dining to racing.

Meeting space: Choose from a variety of rooms, restaurants, decks and log cabins, such as Snowmass’s new Elk Camp, accessible via a nine-minute gondola ride and holding up to 300 people.

Skiing: 11,111 feet, 42 lifts, 5,300 acres, one lift ticket.

Getting there: Aspen/Pitkin County Airport is six miles away, with direct flights to Denver, Chicago, Minneapolis and more.

Closing remarks: With snowcat rides, treasure hunts, picnics and moonlit dinners, your team will love it here.

Website: AspenSnowmass.com

Sugarloaf, Carrabassett Valley, Maine

Overview: Reliable snowfall, loads of space, a real variety of skill levels and terrain, plus a ton of things to keep you otherwise occupied.

Selling point: Never really gets crowded, with 154 trails that draw only about 350,000 skiers a year.

Meeting space: A very popular Maine conference centre. Nine salons can handle from 50 to 1,000 people.

Skiing: This is the largest ski resort in New England with the east’s only above-the-tree line skiing. Even mix of easy, intermediate and black diamond runs.

Getting there: A four-hour drive from both Montreal and Quebec City, and a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Portland International Jetport.

Closing remarks: With just one base area, expect a real “village” feel.

Website: Sugarloaf.com

Arosa, Switzerland

Overview: A charming Alpine town in the mountains of Graubünden, cheese fondue like none other and more than 60 kilometres of runs.

Selling point: The Tschuggen Grand Hotel, where a private funicular whisks guests directly to the ski area, bypassing the masses starting at the bottom.

Meeting space: While the hotel has rooms for up 24 people boardroom-style, the nearby Arosa Sports and Congress Center has conference capacity for up to 400.

Skiing: A full-on skiing experience with sublime runs in a variety of levels. This is the Alps, after all.

Getting there: Take a scenic two-hour train ride from Zurich via Chur. Limousine and helicopter transfers available (naturally).

Closing remarks: An Alpine fairytale at 1,800 metres above sea level. And where else can you snowshoe to supper in the moonlight?

Website: Arosa Tourism

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