New Orleans is known best for its festivals, particularly Mardi Gras, but there are more...many more. I have good friends who go live there for a month every spring to catch the French Quarter Fest and the Jazz & Heritage Festival. In between, they catch the Easter parades, and eat and drink their way across the city. It's a great place to party, whether it is an intimate crowd of 20 or 475,000 of your fellow music-loving friends.

Let's face it, travel is fun, but getting there is a pain in the neck. If you have to fly through London Heathrow, this could be painful, or you can make it a 5 Star experience. Here is my Heathrow Survival Guide!

Take a short trip to Bratislava, a quirky old city just over the border into Slovakia. Surrounded by wine country, this place has worked hard to become a destination. The local culture is fun and full of life. The architecture is beautiful and the city views are worth the trip.

Vienna is the capital and the largest city in Austria. Vienna is the host of many international organizations, including the UN and OPEC, and you can tell by the wandering population of people who act like locals. Vienna's city center is really beautiful and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001.

Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, and the second most populous German federal state with a population of around 1.5 million. There's always something going on in Munich and plenty of local, famous, and 5 Star experiences to be had in this quintessential German city. Yes, beer and pretzels and brats are a part of it, but there is no shortage of shopping, architecture and history.

Prague, “the City of a Hundred Spires,” is bisected by the Vltava River and tied together by 10 bridges. It is an architectural an historic paradise with an incredible collection of colorful baroque buildings, Gothic churches, public squares, hidden courtyards and so much history. Prague is filled with experiences you’ll remember a lifetime and is a city made for walkers.

5 Star opulence in Milan! Excelsior Hotel Gallia - Luxury Collection by Marriott Hotel is a perfect retreat. Originally opened in 1932, this 5 Star luxury hotel has been completely renovated by renowned Milanese designer Marco Piva. An architectural jewel of belle epoque grandeur, this is an extraordinary new destination in the city of serious style.

When in Miami, the SLS BRICKELL has it all! Centrally located in Miami, Florida, SLS is a 5-minute drive away from the Brickell City Centre and James L. Knight Center, close to the Downtown Miami Shopping District and Bayfront Park. It is in walking distance of Lincoln Road’s shops and restaurants, and the beaches and al fresco dining tables along Ocean Drive.

The SLS Beverly Hills is an ongoing 5 Star celebration, and everyone is invited! Luxury + boutique + creativity = SLS Beverly Hills. From the rooms, to the food, to the amenities, you'll want to stay at SLS BH forever. Even the LA locals come here for the libations.