One of the most prestigious hotels in Switzerland, Fairmont Le Montreux Palace is a Belle-Époque gem built at the turn of the 20^th century. Standing tall in a microclimate on the shores of Lake Geneva, the ‘Pearl of the Swiss Riviera’ contains lavish stuccoed rooms that have hosted the cream of society: from European aristocrats such as Lord Byron (who penned The Prisoner of Chillon nearby) to Russian princes, not to mention authors and musicians, it’s also played a conspicuous role as a chamber to some of the world’s most important diplomatic treaties. Here, we take a stroll under the Palace’s golden awnings, through its vast lobby and past its fresco-covered walls to see why it’s still considered one of Europe’s most iconic addresses.

BBQ isn’t simply another strand of cuisine in the States; it’s one of the most hotly contested foods, provoking pride, hunger, and finger-licking happiness. From North Carolina to New Orleans, BBQ can mean anything from sweet, sticky ribs and cracklin’ to burnt ends, crispy chicken and Korean-style pork belly. Here, we take a look at five of the best places to try authentic American BBQ across the United States, and what makes their meats, sauces, local flavors and melt-in-the-mouth cooking styles stand out from the crowd.

Having recently traveled to Italy with Insight Vacations Luxury Gold, Sandy Coughlin is the third in a series of guest writers to talk about her experiences. Featured by the likes of MSN, The Huffington Post, and FoodieCrush magazine, she’s also the face behind a fantastic blog on food, Reluctant Entertainer. Most at home talking about hosting parties, gardening, traveling, sharing hospitality and bringing people together, one of the secrets to her success is conjuring the sort of recipe that everybody wants to copy. Here, however, Sandy puts her cookbooks down and talks about her experiences on the Ultimate Italy trip.