FX Excursions

FX Excursions offers the chance for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in destinations around the world.

Global Traveler Announces Sixth Annual Leisure Lifestyle Awards

by Kimberly Inlander

May 10, 2018
Press Releases

Global Traveler, the only monthly magazine for business and leisure luxury travelers, announces the winners of its sixth annual Leisure Lifestyle Awards. The winners will be feted tonight at a cocktail reception on the rooftop of Sofitel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills.

Global Traveler conducted a survey of its readers Oct. 1, 2017 – Jan. 31, 2018, with open-ended questions for the best in many categories of leisure, luxury and lifestyle travel. The survey ran in the magazine, as an insert to subscriber copies, as a direct mail questionnaire, online and was emailed.

The winners were announced in Global Traveler’s sixth annual Leisure Lifestyle Edition, available now. The issue also includes a look at family-friendly resorts, food tours around the world, vacation deprivation disorder, how to travel like a celebrity, historical tourism and purchasing a second home.

For the fifth year, Global Traveler named Special Achievement Awards. For its unique programming, including a holiday ice rink and yoga, Denver International Airport was recognized for Outstanding Customized Services. Hurtigruten Cruise Line’s new hybrid cruise ship earned it the Outstanding Environmental Initiatives recognition. The Outstanding Innovations honor went to Singapore Changi Airport for its new Terminal 4, a technological game changer. Omni Hotels & Resorts received the Outstanding Social Awareness accolade for its Say Goodnight to Hunger campaign.

For the first year, Global Traveler announces its Cruise Line of the Year. The inaugural winner is Azamara Club Cruises. Global Traveler compiled nominees for the honor, with the final winner selected by our Globility Board, a vetted group of well-traveled magazine subscribers. Among the many reasons the luxury cruise line was selected are a commitment to providing top-notch service, amazing dining and a fine spa and wellness experience.

A complete list of winners is as follows:

Best Historical Attractions
Turkey

Best Adventure Destination
Thailand

Best Beaches
Costa Rica

Best Leisure Destination in the United States
Nashville, Tenn.

Best Leisure Destination in Europe
Lisbon, Portugal

Best Leisure Destination in Asia
Taipei, Taiwan

Best Leisure Destination in Latin/South America
Buenos Aires, Argentina

Best Leisure Destination in Mexico
Cabo San Lucas

Best Weekend Destination in the United States
Savannah, Ga.

Best Weekend Destination
Bermuda

Best Glamping Destination
Paws Up, Montana

Best Babymoon Destination
Key West, Fla.

Best North American Ski Destination
Jackson Hole, Wyo.

Best International Ski Destination
Whistler, British Columbia, Canada

Best Caribbean Island
Saint Lucia

Best Island in Europe
Santoríni

Best Island Pacific Rim
Cook Islands

Best Family Cruise Line
Regent Seven Seas

Best Small-Ship Cruise Line
Paul Gauguin Cruises

Best Large-Ship Cruise Line
Cunard Line

Best Cruise Line Entertainment
MSC Cruises

Best Cruise Line Dining
Viking Ocean Cruises

Best Luxury Cruise Line
Silversea Cruises

Best Adventure Cruise Line
Windstar Cruises

Best River Cruise Line
Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection

Best Cruise Line Suites
Owner’s Suite, Silversea Cruises

Best Cruise Ship Excursions
Princess Cruises

Best Cruise Line Rewards Program
MSC Voyagers Club, MSC Cruises

Favorite Cruise Ship
Celebrity Reflection, Celebrity Cruises

Best Cruise Line Spas
Regent Seven Seas

Best Luxury Leisure Hotel Group in the World
Meliá Hotels International

Best Hotel Chain Resorts
Westin Hotels & Resorts

Best Pet-Friendly Hotel
Westin Hotels & Resorts

Best Family Resort Chain in the World
Westin Hotels & Resorts

Best All-Inclusive Resort
Sandals Resorts

Best Luxury Tour Operator
Elegant Resorts

Best Airport for Layovers
Doha Hamad International Airport

Best Airport for Recreation
Munich Airport

Best Leisure Airline
Hawaiian Airlines

Best Premium-Economy Class
Scandinavian Airlines

Best Airline for Onboard Entertainment
Asiana Airlines

Best Luxury Vehicle
Maserati

Favorite Watch Brand
TAG Heuer

Best Leisure Car Rental
Hertz

Favorite Liquor Brand
Johnnie Walker Blue

Outstanding Customized Services
Denver International Airport

Outstanding Environmental Initiatives
Hurtigruten Cruise Line

Outstanding Innovations
Singapore Changi Airport

Outstanding Social Awareness
Omni Hotels and Resorts

Cruise Line of the Year
Azamara Club Cruises

For more information about Global Traveler, visit www.globaltravelerusa.com.

About Global Traveler
With nearly 300,000 readers, Global Traveler connects with U.S.-based frequent, affluent, international travelers. According to MediaMark Research (MRI), GT readers have an average net worth of $2 million and 50 percent are CEOs and owners of companies. Our readers average nine domestic flights per year and 93 percent travel internationally on a regular basis, mostly in first and business class. More than 55 percent stay in 4- and 5-star hotels, at an average 60 nights per year. Four special editions — Leisure Lifestyle Edition, Global City Guidebook, Class Act Guide and The Trazee Book — complement 12 monthly issues. Each year, Global Traveler awards the GT Tested Reader Survey awards, Airline and Hotel of the Year, the Leisure Lifestyle Awards and the Wines on the Wing awards.

About Global Traveler Digital
Global Traveler’s website, www.globaltravelerusa.com, which unveiled a new design in late 2016, offers unique daily content catering to the lifestyle and travel interests of our audience of premium travelers. Other digital offerings include eFlyer USA (20,000 double-opt-in subscribers); eFlyer Asia (4,000 Asia-based, double-opt-in subscribers); custom e-newsletters; sponsored content; Publisher’s Picks, GT on the Go and Premium eDeal e-newsletters; and a weekly On the Road with Global Traveler slideshow. More than 1 million visitors monthly rely on www.globaltravelerusa.com as their travel resource.

About FXExpress Publications, Inc.
FXExpress Publications, Inc., based in Yardley, Pa., is a privately held company publishing Global Traveler, eFlyer USA, eFlyer Asia, Trazee Travel, WhereverFamily and several annuals; and also operating www.globaltravelerusa.com, www.globaltravelerusa.com/blog, trazeetravel.com, whereverfamily.com and FX Excursions.

Introducing

FX Excursions

FX Excursions offers the chance for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in destinations around the world.

Explore Excursions

#globility

Insta Feed
October 2026
Oct 23, 2026

The Flight Less Taken: Unsung Carriers Whisk You Away to Far-Flung Destinations

The miracle of flight feels slightly less miraculous these days. Endless delays, cramped seating and shortchanged amenities feel par for the course, and one can easily forget the wondrous fact that you’re hurtling above planet Earth, soaring above the clouds and across the skies to your destination of choice. In the olden days, you were limited to the fallibility of your outrigger canoe or horse-drawn carriage. It’s not hyperbolic to invoke the invention of the wheel when reminding oneself to stay calm and carry on in coach.

The Art of Balance in Seoul: Beyond the Boardroom

The value of a destination is no longer defined solely by infrastructure, efficiency or scale. Increasingly, it is measured by a city’s ability to balance productivity with well-being — creating opportunities for focus, restoration and more meaningful connections.

Daily
Oct 23, 2026

Aurora Expeditions Launches 2026/2027 Antarctic Season with 27 Voyages, Science at Sea

Aurora Expeditions prepares to embark on its 2026/2027 Antarctic season, featuring 27 voyages across its three purpose-built small ships. Each trip takes travelers and scientists to some of the most remote and extraordinary regions of the Southern Ocean.

Daily
Oct 23, 2026

Azamara Announces New Premier Golf Partnership

Azamara Cruises recently launched an exclusive partnership with Premier Golf, the Official Golf Travel Partner of the PGA of America, to offer a collection of eight dedicated golf cruises in 2027 and 2028 on all four Azamara ships. Itineraries visit Ireland, Scotland, the British Isles, Northern Europe, the Pacific Coast, Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand, and include access to iconic courses such as Royal Portrush, Torrey Pines South and Cape Kidnappers.

An Adults-Only Resort for All the Milestone Moments

On Saturday, Feb.14, Devossion by Live Aqua celebrated its grand opening, marking a significant milestone for Grupo Posadas and the Live Aqua brand. This adults-only resort focuses on celebration, authentic Mexican experiences and elevated hospitality — perfectly situated in the heart of the Riviera Maya.

Daily
Oct 23, 2026

Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin Launches New Culinary Experiences

Elegant, iconic and an undisputed leader in the realm of hotel luxury, Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin is ideally located across from Brandenburg Gate, where Pariser Platz meets Unterden Linden Boulevard. Adding to its timeless allure are new culinary and wine offerings, providing guests with an opportunity to go behind the curtain at the hotel’s Michelin-starred restaurant, Lorenz Adlon Esszimmer.

TAP
Daily
Oct 21, 2026

Fayetteville, West Virginia, Welcomes Hill Hall Hotel

Occupying a unique, restored space that once housed a 1923 stone high school and adjacent Mid-Century middle school, boutique Hill Hall Hotel is officially open in Fayetteville, West Virginia. This 40-room boutique property’s location happens to make it an ideal base for travelers exploring the beautiful New River Gorge National Park and surrounding area.

Get to Know TAP FORBIZ

Unlock flexible, refined business travel with TAP Air Portugal's program, TAP FORBIZ. Developed for small, medium and large Companies, with options for corporate events, TAP FORBIZ offers exclusive advantages adapted to each type of business. TAP FORBIZ offers solutions suited to each business: travel cost reduction, more flexibility, more benefits and more value. With TAP FORBIZ, businesses can centralize purchases, control the company budget and ensure greater cost predictability with exclusive discounts and benefits tailored to each company's profile. Each trip becomes a strategic decision to travel more and spend less.

eFlyer Reviews
Oct 21, 2026

Review: Bodysgallen Hall

The National Trust owns more than 500 historic buildings across the United Kingdom, each offering a vivid sense of its particular era. In common with many visitors, I often find myself wondering what it would be like to actually live in such a place. Imagine sitting, for instance, in one of those ancient oak-paneled drawing rooms at night, with the fire roaring and the wind rattling the ancient mullioned windows. I didn’t have to imagine it. Here I was, immersed in history in 17th-century Bodysgallen Hall in North Wales.