As we do every year, in December we celebrated our annual GT Tested Reader Survey Awards at the prestigious Peninsula Beverly Hills in Los Angeles. In its 13th year, this event is a perfect ending to a full year celebrating everything in travel with the award winners. Although I didn’t have the opportunity to stay at the Peninsula, I’m beyond happy with my stay at the InterContinental Los Angeles. I’m told the property was newly renovated, and it shows. The lobby was very welcoming, clean and sophisticated with a giant Christmas tree in the middle. The weather wasn’t what you would expect to see in a Southern California city with 50+ degrees, but it did beat seeing the snow, rain and cold weather I left behind in NYC.

Our first evening in LA, the team met at Wolfgang’s Steakhouse for dinner. Of course you can never go wrong with the porterhouse steak here, which is exactly what I ordered — of course, to be shared with a colleague or two. Stomachs full, we returned to the hotel for a good night’s sleep. The next day was our main event, which took place at the Peninsula without a hitch. Because my flight was 6:00 a.m. the next day back to New York, I didn’t have the energy to stay out late after the party. If anything, I was looking forward to my nap on my United flight. As a pleasant surprise, the flight left on time and arrived early at Newark. Now with Christmas right around the corner, I am taking in all the holiday decorations and look forward to spending my break in the city. Merry Christmas to you all!

— Banu Yilmaz, advertising director