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The resort city of Eilat, Israel boasts an incredible collection of sea life in the waters off its shores, and one of the best places to check it out is at the Coral World Underwater Observatory Marine Park. The park's 360,000-liter Red Sea Reef Aquarium, for example, holds a vast coral colony with 400 different species of fish, including herbivores, predators, and colorful reef dwellers of all kinds. The Sea Turtle and Stingray Pool, meanwhile, is one of the best places in the Middle East to see eye-to-eye with hawksbill and green turtles, who swim freely as caretakers see that all their turtle needs are attended to. (Try to time your visit to coincide with the daily feedings at 12:30 p.m.) The park's largest pool is dedicated to the kings of the sea, where toothy sandbar sharks circle menacingly and chow down on less fortunate fish. As entertaining as the aquariums are, the Red Sea itself is the main attraction here. In a special viewing chamber 100 feet offshore, visitors can safely descend beneath the waves to see the mysteries of the deep pass right before their eyes. You never know who might show up. Coral World is just minutes from Le Méridien Eilat.

[image via Eilat Coral World]

Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948) was one of the 20th century's most influential figures, using a philosophy of ahimsa, or non-violence, to elevate India's poor and lead the country to independence from British rule. He's so revered by Indians today that monuments dedicated to him and his accomplishments can be found all over the country, but one of the best is located in the western city of Pune. There, the Aga Khan Palace provides a home to a memorial and museum dedicated to the small, peaceful man who inspired a nation. Gandhi, his wife Kasturba, and his secretary Mahadevbhai Desai were confined to the palace during the Quit India movement, and it now has one of the nation's most extensive collections of his writings, personal possessions, and photographs, as well as the urn containing his ashes. The palace itself is an impressive structure. Built in 1892 by Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah Agakhan III, it features dozens of ornate rooms and is surrounded by beautifully landscaped gardens. It's just the place to visit when you're looking for a few things that are right in the world. Guests at Le Méridien Pune might enjoy a visit to a palace dedicated to India's freedom movement and its most strident defender.

[image via virtualpune.com]

Rugby is one of the toughest and most entertaining sports around, and the world capital of this "elegantly violent" game can be found in London. The Twickenham Rugby Stadium is England's largest rugby stadium and the second largest arena after Wembley, and when it's filled to its 82,000-fan capacity the place absolutely roars with excitement. Home of the Rugby Football Union, "Twickers" hosts matches between some of the top teams in Europe, including England's home test matches, the Guinness Premiership Final, and the Heineken Cup. Matches are held throughout the year, so check the schedule to find one that coincides with your visit, and cheer your team on. Alternately, drop by the stadium's World Rugby Museum, with interactive displays that relate the rugby's colorful - and sometimes bloody - history, as well as a tribute to the sport's global reach today. Starwood has properties throughout the London area, including the nearby Sheraton Skyline Hotel & Conference Center.

The soaring and whimsical architecture of Barcelona is most closely identified with Antoni Gaudi, but a host of talented architects contributed to its memorable skyline as well. Lluís Domènech i Montaner (1850-1923), for example, designed several buildings in the modernisme català style that went on to become defining structures of the city. His Palau de la Música Catalana celebrates its centennial in 2008, so there's no better time than now to take in a performance. Its concert hall is considered one of the finest in the world, hosting performances of opera and classical music - as well as jazz, flamenco, and folk - for discerning fans from Spain and around the world. Highlights of this season include performances of Vivaldi, Sibelius, and my personal favorite, Debussy. A tip: try to take in a daytime performance, or else arrange a tour while the sun is still out. The auditorium, with its ornate stained-glass ceiling, is the only concert hall of its kind in Europe that is illuminated during daylight hours entirely by natural light. Guests at Le Méridien Barcelona might enjoy a visit to this living piece of musical and architectural history.

Hollywood manages to keep itself in the spotlight as far as motion pictures are concerned, but plenty of other countries have filmmaking traditions worth celebrating as well. Germany's movie industry, for example, dates back more than a century, and an eclectic museum in Frankfurt showcases some of the films, artists, and equipment that have kept audiences captivated for generations. The Deutsches Filmmuseum has a treasure trove of cinema memorabilia, including Thomas Edison's 1889 Kinetoscope (one of the earliest motion picture viewing devices), a late 19th century camera and films from the Lumière brothers, and a extensive exhibit on movie special effects. People today might be impressed with modern movie making pyrotechnics, but just a few generations ago they were positively spellbound by the sight of King Kong climbing the Empire State Building. Not surprisingly, the museum is also a popular venue for screenings of short films, documentaries, and classics from the 1800's to today. Starwood has five hotels in Frankfurt, including the nearby Westin Grand Frankfurt.

San Francisco has long been a center of progressive thought, but the California Academy of Sciences takes the tech-savvy city to a new level entirely. The academy's brand new building is touted as the greenest museum building in the world, which is true on several levels. When approaching the Renzo Piano-designed structure, the first thing one notices is the "living roof," an undulating, 2.5-acre soil-covered roof planted with native grasses and plants such as wild strawberries. But as picturesque as it may be - it's designed to blend in with nearby hills - the roof has an environmentally advanced purpose: the plants and soil will capture 3.6 million gallons of rainwater each year, preventing storm runoff and providing a home for indigenous fauna. Inside the museum, visitors are treated to an impressive collection of exhibits that bring the natural world to Golden Gate Park. The Philippine coral reef, for example, features the world's deepest interior coral reef ecosystem, with 3,000 exotic fish. Three distinct rainforest galleries, meanwhile, unfold inside a 90-foot diameter dome, where free-flying birds, butterflies, and animals native to Borneo, Madagascar, and Costa Rica eat, sleep, and play in their natural habitats. One of the most popular exhibits from the former academy returns in the new building as well. A subtropical, southern U.S. swamp has turtles, fish, and a white alligator, one of the few to be found in captivity anywhere. He's always happy to smile for the camera. Starwood has a dozen properties in and around San Francisco, including the nearby Le Méridien San Francisco.

To glimpse the best views of Santiago, you've got to get out of the city center and make your way up an 880-meter hill called Cerro San Cristóbal. The intrepid visitors who make it to the summit are greeted by a 22-meter tall white statue of the Virgin de la Inmaculada and rewarded for their efforts with a panorama of the city and surrounding countryside that's nothing short of breathtaking. In addition to the dramatic vista, Cerro San Cristóbal is also the home of the city's largest park, Parque Metropolitano, which boasts walking trails, picnic areas, swimming pools, and restaurants, as well as a zoo and Japanese-style garden. As with most attractions, getting there is half the fun, and you've got several options to choose from to make it to the top. Those who are reasonably fit can hike to the summit in about an hour by following a walking trail. But a 1925 funicular railway is a lot of fun as well, providing a brisk, comfortable ride to the summit with plenty of opportunities to shoot photos and marvel at the scenery. Cerro San Cristóbal is just minutes from the San Cristobal Tower, Santiago, a member of Starwood's Luxury Collection.

For more than 40 years, the Royal Yacht Britannia was at the service of the Queen of England, taking nearly a thousand official voyages around the world and entertaining heads of state and celebrities of all kinds. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip helped design the yacht in 1952 and took trips all over the world in the decades after, making Elizabeth one of the most traveled monarchs in history. With her every comfort in mind, she was known to say the yacht was the only place on earth she could truly relax. Decommissioned in 1997, today Britannia is open to visitors who wish to experience the grand old seafaring traditions of the British monarchy. A self-guided tour takes visitors through five of the yacht's magnificent decks, including the fabulous State Apartments, lounge areas, and even the engine room. It won't take long for you to admit that it's an awfully nice way to get around, if you happen to be the queen. Docked in the port of Leith in Edinburgh, the yacht is convenient to the Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa, Edinburgh.

The French artist Auguste Rodin (1840-1917) is widely considered the father of modern sculpture, and his many statues and other works can be found in fine museums around the globe. One of the best places to experience Rodin's masterpieces is Stanford University's Cantor Arts Center, which has the second largest collection of Rodin bronzes in the world (after the Musee Rodin in Paris). The museum has over 50 sculptures on display in its climate-controlled galleries, mostly works of cast bronze, but the most powerful pieces can be found outside. The Rodin Sculpture Garden provides a stunning natural backdrop for works like Gates of Hell, the Kiss, Burghers of Calais, and the famous Thinker (pictured). Kind of makes you think, doesn't it? The best part? Admission to the garden is free, and it's open at all hours. Of course it's lovely on a sunny day, but even on a misty, overcast evening, Rodin's spectacular human forms seem like they could spring to life at any moment. The museum and sculpture garden are one mile away from the Westin Palo Alto.

On any given afternoon, a pair of tango dancers will most likely be entertaining a captivated group of spectators at Buenos Aires' Plaza Dorrego. But on Sundays, this lively square in the center of San Telmo, really dons a true festival atmosphere.

Unlike your typical weekend antiques market, the Plaza Dorrego Sunday Market surprises with authentic bits of Argentine culture that greet you everywhere you look. While perusing stalls of comical 1940s toys, and pearly antique broaches, don't be surprised if the sound of a Spanish guitar lures you away, for sure enough, just around the corner there's a duo of mesmerizing musicians completely wrapped up in the strains of their favorite tune. Then, just when you think you've found the perfect silver platter for Aunt Mildred's seventy-fifth birthday, the scent of freshly baked medialunas tempts you away. But there's certainly nothing wrong with sitting on a sunny curb and enjoying a native pastry while a pair of dashing dancers shows you more drama and passion rolled into one ten minute routine, than you've seen in the last five years. Later on, when you're snuggled up in your big comfy bed at the Park Tower, Buenos Aires, vow to tuck a little bit of that passion in amongst those market souvenirs home...