There's something to be said about surrounding yourself with great works of art. Take advantage of the fact that more and more hotels understand this, and are eschewing the generic sunset watercolor that's long been a hotel staple, for more refined pieces. Here are the top five hotels who take art seriously. 

What makes a hotel stay truly memorable?  That’s a question we think about a lot, as we try to sort through the waves of hotel news arriving daily. Eileen Ognitz penned a beautiful piece this week about some of her most memorable hotel experiences, from the lavish (enjoying cocktails on the rooftop of a hotel in Rome) to the once-in-a-lifetime (camping in a tent on the way up to Kilimanjaro) and everything in between. It’s worth a read for the reminisces of a lifetime spent traveling around the world, as well as for a few useful tips on particular hotels.

Australia: One of the largest spas in the Southern Hemisphere, the Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat offers an extensive array of treatments and specialty therapies. Consider the signature Dusk Indulgence, an innovative treatment lasting over two and a half hours and incorporating a body polish, foot soak, massage, and facial using all organic products, in keeping with their focus on health and wellness.

You know that mystery chef we mentioned -- the blind recluse opening a 52-hour popup restaurant in Chelsea next month? Well, he doesn't exist. Or rather, he does exist, and his name is legion. That's because he's a culinary amalgam of 13 for-real superchefs, all contributing their talents and grub to 13 individual seatings for Le Grand Fooding NYC 2011. You would be well advised to buy from our special allotment presale tickets, available as of right now. But who exactly makes up the exquisite corpse of the mythical Nikoalan Nselurfueymardcora?

For that desirable combination of unbeatable luxury and city access, you can't top the penthouse. What better way to enjoy panoramic skyline views, concierge service, and lush interiors fit for a mansion? From the retro chic to the ultra modern, from bustling metropolises to the serene tropics, we've compiled a list of some of the sexiest penthouses in the world.

We've seen a lot of hotel gimmicks in our time, from Pantone colors to lodging you pay for by performing. Now this: A hotel has opened in Rome made from 12,000 kilos of trash.

Four years ago, Roman authorities permitted the cast and crew of Jumper, a forgettable Doug Liman picture, to film inside the Roman Colosseum and use its underground passages. Now, the everyday tourist will be allowed to go where Jumper stars Hayden Christensen, Jamie Bell, and Rachel Bilson were allowed to go. Magnifico! Rome is going to open the underground of the Colosseum to the general public.

Check it out -- the BlackBook guides have expanded into four new international metropoli. Now you can plan that next jaunt with the best shops, restaurants, nightlife, and hotels for Berlin, Hong Kong, Rome, and Tokyo. We're well past 50 destinations worldwide, and our guides are only getting bigger and better. Coming soon: Houston, New Orleans, and more.

Travel + Leisure came out with a rather cool feature on their site this summer, but it's not nearly as cool as it could be. The feature is called the "Airport Navigator," and it has detailed lists of hotspots to check out inside airport terminals -- restaurants, spas, shopping, and things to do. Once you click through the listings, you can see ratings and leave comments. The LA Times pointed out that the site could definitely use maps of the terminals, because as it stands now, there are no visual clues about how to get around to these recommended spots. But really, duh -- the Airport Navigator should be an iPhone app.

Five-time Oscar winning director, producer, writer, hotelier, pasta-company owner, publisher, restaurateur, and winemaker Francis Ford Coppola on getting wrapped up in the wine business, how Facebook is changing the industry and his new film, out in April, Tetro.