Chiang Mai, Thailand

Before returning to his native Thailand to open La Bhu Salah hotel, chef Vatcharin Bhumichitr perfected his recipes as a restaurateur in London for 20 years (he also wrote 10 popular cookbooks). At the combination hotel and cooking school in the jungle-covered hills north of Chiang Mai, visitors can sample Bhumichitr's unique takes on traditional Thai dishes at the restaurant and then sign up for one of his individual or group classes. Local artisans also lead on-site batik, ceramics and jewelry-making courses, while evenings are filled with folk music concerts and performances of traditional Lanna dancing. La Bhu's 13 rooms are spread across five 2-story wooden houses, each with an open-air art studio on the ground floor. bhusalahchiangmai.com, from $21.