Jostling against each other like spirited siblings, Soho and Mayfair are as distinct as you could wish, yet you can stagger between them in moments

They like new stuff but they want it to be good. And they don’t mind a queue. Zoe Williams looks into London eating, millennial style

Overpriced and over-promoted, there’s nothing as disappointing as Tuscany. Why do we put up with it, asks George Reynolds

From home-baked cookies to snake-shaped hot water bottles, Guy Woodward assesses an essential feature of the hotel stay - the turndown

Ian Belcher climbs into the convertible for his very own coast-to-coast journey to the heart of the American dream

Shoreditch or Hackney? Both are magnets for hipsters, but which really cuts it as the culinary centre of modern London? Zeren Wilson pokes in a fork

It can take 30 seconds, or it can be an ordeal of form-filling and unnecessary explaining. Guy Woodward checks out checking in

From cheap and cheerful to ‘a surfeit of plain deliciousness’, Zoe Williams follows the rise and rise of the small plate

With endless deserted beaches and basic accommodation, Comporta is loved by celebs for its low-key charms. Ian Belcher discovers an unspoilt paradise

It might be informal, but a hotel breakfast is possibly the most important meal of the day, as Guy Woodward explains

London sparks with openings, from the rough end of Regent St to the badlands of Lewisham. Zeren Wilson unfurls his serviette

Rome? It’s easy – the Pantheon, the Forum, the Sistine, and a pizza. No, no no, says George Reynolds. You’ve got it the wrong way round The old gag is that Rome is the easiest place on the earth to be a tourist: if you need to know the way, all roads lead there; once you’ve arrived, just do like …

Zoe Williams finds the restaurants which distill the very essence of the ancient counties of Kent and Cornwall It’s always been fashionable for London restaurants to have some kind of regional connection. I think they think it makes them sound grounded and authentic. The curse of setting up a restaurant that looks remotely fun, in a city that feels remotely …

Has London’s culinary landscape ever been richer or more exciting? Zeren Wilson doesn’t think so Hey London, you’re looking mighty fine, aren’t you? Eating and drinking in London has never been this good, this exciting, this full of energy and crackling creativity. Such is the confidence of the scene here, that after years of expecting cities like New York and …

Bypass the bed, ignore the TV and forget the minibar: it’s the shelving in the shower that really matters. Guy Woodward unpacks his washbag The first thing I like to do, at that magical moment when the bellboy (do they still call them that?) finally completes the lighting demonstration and vacates my new hotel room, is to spend some time in …

St Mark’s Square and the Rialto Bridge are one side of Venice, but there’s a hidden, hedonistic side to the ancient city, as Ian Belcher discovers I may be in Venice, but I’m most definitely not in La Serenissima: the most serene republic with its hushed renaissance churches, decaying palazzo and soft-hued Canaletto artworks. Tonight I appear to have stepped …

Whether you’re in the Douro Valley or the Mexican Riviera, there’s one thing any hotel spa needs: space. Guy Woodward dons a fluffy towel and lies on the couch What’s the first thing you look for in a spa? The variety (and cost) of the treatments? The quality (and brand) of the products? The holistic nature of the zen? These …