Today’s lesson? How to excel in all things travel. And our guest lecturers? The 2016 winners of the GT Tested Reader Survey awards. All kidding aside, each year in December we announce our annual award winners and try to keep the announcements fresh and not mundane by giving the article a kitschy theme. This year we’re taking it back to school — both in the article and in our editor and publisher letter photos. Enjoy a few laughs while admiring the school-age photos of Francis X. Gallagher and me. Big hair and even bigger glasses are about all I can say about the 1990s Kimberly Krol.
It’s been a whirlwind year of travel, traversing the globe from Italy and Brazil to Belgium, Dubai and Morocco with a number of other stops in between — luckily on board and in the guestrooms of many of the stellar winners detailed on the following pages. From our 2016 Airline and Hotel of the Year winners and the numerous honorees our readers selected in the GT Tested Reader Survey awards to the newly minted Hall of Fame and Quint Status titleholders, all of us here at Global Traveler congratulate you! And we celebrate you in this issue; we hope you enjoy learning more about the best of the best of 2016, all scoring straight A’s for service, style and so much more.
That’s only the beginning of what’s on offer in this extra-large issue as we journey around the globe to Moscow, Guadalajara, Durban, New York City, Tel Aviv, Johannesburg, Melbourne, Lausanne, Lima, the Galápagos and the Maldives.
Check back next month as we unveil a fresh new look for the pages of Global Traveler, as well as a new article and other fun changes to some of your favorite columns. See you in the New Year!
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Global Winners
December 2016
Dec 1, 2016All Reads on This Topic
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Introducing
FX Excursions
FX Excursions offers the chance for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in destinations around the world.
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Aug 18, 2026Air India Selects JFK’s New Terminal 6 For Future Operations
JFK Millennium Partners, the company building and operating Port Authority of New York & New Jersey’s John F. Kennedy International Airport’s new Terminal 6, and Air India recently announced the airline chose T6 for its operations beginning in 2028, aligning Air India with other Star Alliance member carriers in the new terminal. Sixteen leading international carriers have now selected T6 for their operations, including Air Canada, All Nippon Airways, Austrian Airlines, Avianca, Brussels Airlines, Lufthansa, Swiss International Air Lines and TAP Air Portugal.
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Elevate Your Journey with TAP Air Portugal’s New Economy Prime
Exciting news ahead for TAP Air Portugal, as Portugal’s flag carrier prepares for the launch of its brand-new Economy Prime cabin, offering customers more space, additional privacy and a superior travel experience. Flights boasting the new cabin take off June 1; booking for Economy Prime is now available across all TAP channels and travel agents.
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Aug 18, 2026Pamper Your Passion for Barefoot Luxury in the Seychelles
Imagine a place where the weather is always warm and the sun forever shines upon groves of towering palm trees and unspoiled white-sand beaches, where a vast expanse of turquoise water surrounds you as far as you can see. When I first landed in the Seychelles last spring, I knew I’d discovered a hidden Eden. Known as the Land of Perpetual Summer, the archipelago consists of 115 islands scattered in the western Indian Ocean, north of Madagascar and 1,000 miles east of mainland Africa.
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Aug 18, 2026North Carolina’s The Art of Living Retreat Center to Host Creative Living Workshop
The Art of Living Retreat Center in Boone, North Carolina, is inviting travelers to relax, unwind and form a deeper connection to themselves with a restorative retreat experience.
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Luxury Travel in Chilean Patagonia: Where Refinement Meets the Wild Edge
At the gateway to Chilean Patagonia, Los Lagos opens a landscape in constant motion. Volcanic peaks rise sharply above glacial lakes, mist moves through dense forests, and light shifts across every horizon. Here, luxury travel in Chilean Patagonia unfolds moment by moment, balancing raw energy with seamless comfort.
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Aug 18, 2026Portugal Hotels Partner with MOKE International Electric Vehicles
Looking for an environmental angle for your next excursion to lovely Portugal? Now you can charge up your MOKE for stays at Bomporto properties in Lisbon and Porto. And in case you’re wondering what on earth a MOKE might be, we’re happy to elaborate: Created by British luxury motor brand MOKE International, these iconic vehicles were designed in the 1960s by the same Sir Alec Issigonis, regarded as the father of the Austin Mini.
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Aug 14, 2026MGallery Collection Debuts in the Maldives
It’s official: V Villas Maldives at Mirihi –MGallery Collection is open, welcoming guests to a private island experience rich in Maldivian heritage. The all-villa property is set upon Mirihi island within the South Ari Atoll, where the setting includes sparkling azure lagoons and sugary white-sand beaches. Accessed by a 30-minute seaplane crossing from Malé, guests arrive to discover a world of luxury comprised of 42 expansive villas, including four new opulent overwater villas, each with an ample private pool and direct lagoon access. Villas were crafted by the renowned experts at multidisciplinary design firm Studio Gronda, who fashioned each to fit harmoniously into the surrounding tropical landscape.
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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.
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Aug 14, 2026Take Along These Essentials, Wherever You Go
Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 Marketed to avid sportspeople as well as those who find traditional earbuds uncomfortable, Shokz OpenRun 2 gained a reputation as the best bone conduction headphones on the market. This is due in large part to their hybrid design, transmitting high notes by vibrations while using conventional speaker units to play the low notes with which technology struggles. Customers swear by their durability as well as their sound quality, perfect for runners and cyclists who need to be aware of their surroundings. $179.95.
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