For the fourth consecutive year, Global Traveler takes a closer look at the world of leisure travel, recognizing the world’s best leisure destinations, airlines, cruises, hotels, other travel providers and luxury goods to name the Leisure Lifestyle Awards winners for 2016. Nominations in each category came from Global Traveler’s elite Globility Board as well as highly experienced magazine staff. From these nominations, Global Traveler’s esteemed Advisory Board selected the final winners. Launched in 2012, Global Traveler’s Globility Board consists of well-traveled subscribers who act as a direct link between the magazine, our clients and our readers. These savvy world travelers serve as a conduit for information about our readers’ interests and insights in leisure travel that goes far beyond the data we can garner from our surveys and research. Our Advisory Board comprises well-traveled executives from a variety of industries. When it comes to leisure travel and luxury lifestyle habits, what suits your fancy? Maybe it is sightseeing historic attractions or hitting the high seas on a pampering cruise. Perhaps it is shopping ’til you drop at high-end stores, or it might be renting a car and going on a luxurious road trip. Whatever your pleasure, we’ve highlighted the best of the best among all the areas of leisure lifestyle and travel. With great pleasure we announce the 2016 winners. Congratulations to those deemed the very best in the world of leisure travel.

Spain © VLADIMIR SAZONOV |
DREAMSTIME.COM

IN REGARDS TO historic attractions worldwide, the competition is stiff. From ancient ruins to world-famous architecture, there’s plenty to see. For 2016, Spain reigns supreme as Best Historical Attractions. We’ve got visions of the Alhambra, El Escorial, Sagrada Familia and more dancing in our travel-planning brains. For some, leisure means being active. Adventure-seekers chose India as Best Adventure Travel Destination this year. Safaris, rafting, bungee jumping, trekking, scuba diving, cycling, skiing — you name it, chances are you can partake of your favorite activity throughout India. For an active pursuit of a slightly different nature, work out your wallet at The Dubai Mall, named Best Shopping in the World. One of the largest in the world, The Dubai Mall boasts 1,200 stores and opened in 2009. Aside from shopping, the complex includes a hotel; multiple cinema screens; restaurants; cafés; more than 14,000 parking spaces; valet services; an ice rink; an aquarium; an indoor theme park and more.

The Dubai Mall © TEA | DREAMSTIME.COM

For pure, unadulterated relaxation, pull up your lounge chair and slather on the sunscreen in any of these award-winning locales: Turks and Caicos (Best Beaches, second consecutive year); U.S. Virgin Islands (Best Caribbean Island); Santoríni (Best Island in Europe, third consecutive year); and Cook Islands (Best Island Pacific Rim).

Santoríni © HARIS VYTHOULKAS | DREAMSTIME.COM

SET SAIL WITH a number of accolade-earning cruise lines, achieving recognition in this year’s winners list for everything from family-friendliness and food to suites and excursions. Celebrity Cruises earns the No. 1 spot in the Best Family Cruise Line category with programs for kids that span all age groups, including Toddler Time, Fun Factory and X Club. The cruise line achieved Autism Friendly Cruise Line status, awarded for efforts to ensure products and services are inclusive. Previously an honoree as Best Small-Ship Cruise Line, Silversea Cruises this year captured the title of Best Luxury Cruise Line. The intimate ships are all-inclusive and all luxury, sailing to more than 800 destinations across all seven continents. Also serving up luxury, The Haven by Norwegian is the winner of this year’s Best Cruise Line Suites. The ship-within-a-ship includes fine amenities and 24-hour butler service. Looking for adventure on the high seas? Two-time Best Adventure Cruise Line winner Lindblad Expeditions is your answer. This year the cruise line celebrates 50 years of sailing to the Antarctic. For river cruising, Viking River Cruises earns the top spot for the fourth consecutive year. Ships large and small entice seafaring travelers, but our bets are with Paul Gauguin Cruises and Cunard Line, Best Small-Ship Cruise Line and Best Large-Ship Cruise Line, respectively. Paul Gauguin Cruises sails to destinations in Fiji, French Polynesia, Melanesia, Indonesia and Tahiti, among others. Cunard Line travels throughout the world, including its popular trans-Atlantic cruises. What you do and see on and off the boat are just as important as the means of transportation, so we honor cruises lines exceeding expectations in the realms of entertainment, dining and excursions. From Broadway shows to 3D movies, Royal Caribbean International, Best Cruise Line Entertainment, certainly offers something for everyone. Azamara Club Cruises’ six distinct dining options helped earn the line Best Cruise Line Dining accolades. And for off-shore fun, Princess Cruises, Best Cruise Line Excursions, whets every appetite. But what about rewards? Frequent cruisers understand the benefits and perks associated with multiple journeys on the same provider, and they find the Mariner Society by Holland America Line does, too. ON LAND, WE celebrate a number of hotels bringing the best of the best to luxury leisure travelers — and their four-legged friends, too. For the second consecutive year, Meliá Hotels International was voted Best Luxury Leisure Hotel Group in the World. The brand offers more than 90 hotels in major cities in Germany, Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Spain, France, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal, the United Kingdom and throughout Asia, Africa and the Americas. Also winning for a second year in a row, Westin Hotels & Resorts takes the No. 1 spot for Best Hotel Chain Resorts. With a focus on well-being, a visit to a Westin resort guarantees to help guests feel their best. Experience what makes Westin a winner by taking part in the brand’s innovative partnerships and programs and its six pillars of well-being: Sleep Well, Eat Well, Move Well, Feel Well, Work Well and Play Well. For furry guests, Loews Hotels & Resorts proves a winner. Voted Best Pet-Friendly Hotel for its Loews Loves Pets program, the brand offers dogs and cats welcome gifts including a name tag, bowl and special treats; a “pet in room” sign; loanable pet accessories; a gourmet room service pet menu and other services. Another two-time winner is this year’s Best Lifestyle Leisure Hotel Group in the World, Vida Hotels and Resorts. Vida, meaning “life” in Spanish, embraces a philosophy of youthful vitality, offering all the modern luxury a traveler desires but without all the fuss.

Vida Hotels and Resorts © VIDA HOTELS AND RESORTS

Wyndham Hotels and Resorts operates upscale, full-service properties in both business and leisure destinations worldwide, with a number of the resorts dubbed kid-friendly for their amenities and programming, and for which the brand has been named the 2016 Best Family Resort Chain in the World. When it comes to families, two other resorts top the charts in this year’s Leisure Lifestyle Awards: Mohonk Mountain House, in New York’s Hudson Valley, and Atlantis, The Palm, in Dubai. Respectively, they won Best Family Resort in North America and Best Family Resort in the Gulf. Another Dubai hotel makes an appearance on this year’s list of winners: Burj Al Arab Jumeirah, honored as Best Hotel Restaurant for its Al Mahara. The floor-to-ceiling aquarium inside the restaurant is just the beginning of the experience — an experience that is about to be reinvented with an aesthetic renovation set for June to September 2016, reopening October 2016 under Chef Nathan Outlaw. THE ALOHA SPIRIT kicks off the second leisure travelers board a Hawaiian Airlines aircraft. The airline, voted Best Leisure Airline for the second consecutive year, offers meals and drinks, in-flight entertainment, snacks and new Extra Comfort seats on its Airbus A330s. Also this year, Hawaiian Airlines will outfit A330 premium cabins with 180-degree, lie-flat seats.

China Airlines © CHINA AIRLINES

The award-winning design of China Airlines’ newest Boeing 777-300ER helped earn its premium-economy cabin Best Premium-Economy Class in this year’s Leisure Lifestyle Awards. The cabin features seating with fixed backshell and front-sliding seat recline, 12.1-inch personal entertainment touchscreens, power outlets and USB ports, personal storage space and a reading light. For those leisure travelers flying longer distances with their beloved pets, United Airlines, Best Pet- Friendly Airline, has you covered with its PetSafe program, including a 24-hour PetSafe desk, pet tracking abilities and dedicated facilities and services. LEISURE TRAVELERS ARE venturing out in other ways these days. For truly immersive luxury experiences, many turn to tour operators. Abercrombie & Kent nabs the top spot as Best Luxury Tour Company. The company even boasts around-the-world private jet tours. Or opt to travel via luxury train, perhaps on Best Luxury Train winner The Royal Canadian Pacific. The fleet of Pacific Railway vintage business train cars offers 5-star accommodations amid the epic scenery of Canada’s mountains. Travelers who prefer to take the wheel themselves and hit the open road favor Hertz, voted Best Car Rental for Leisure Travel. Hertz offers a range of vehicle options, from luxury and sports cars to hybrid vehicles, boasting technology including Hertz NeverLost navigation and SiriusXM Satellite Radio.

© CADILLAC

AN APPRECIATION FOR the finer things in life led to the selection of winners in the luxury goods categories of our Leisure Lifestyle Awards. Redefining the luxury car experience, Cadillac is catching the attention of car buyers, earning recognition as Best Luxury Vehicle. Overall, the iconic Louis Vuitton has been dubbed Favorite Luxury Fashion Brand, a fitting title for a brand that truly has never gone out of style. Equally as recognizable and classic, Tiffany & Co. is the 2016 Favorite Luxury Jewelry Brand. Rounding out the list of winners is TAG Heuer, Favorite Luxury Watch Brand. For the third year in a row, Global Traveler recognizes four brands that raise the bar in the travel industry by bringing unique customized services, practicing environmentally friendly initiatives, continually innovating and looking to the future, and encouraging community involvement within their companies. We are proud to present the 2016 Leisure Lifestyle Special Achievement Awards.

EVA Air’s Hello Kitty jets © EVA AIR

When it comes to customization, look no further than EVA Air, winner of Outstanding Customized Service, and its Hello Kitty jets. From check-in to on board, the entire experience is markedly unique by the ubiquitous presence of the popular Sanrio character — found everywhere from the bathroom soap to the butter pats. Jets, each with a different theme and name, service a number of destinations from Taipei (TPE), including Houston (IAH), where the Hello Kitty Shining Star made its debut in 2015. Airbus, recognized for Outstanding Environmental Initiatives, makes environmentally friendly strides in a variety of ways, including practicing eco-efficiency within product development and operation and launching programs to minimize the environmental footprint of air travel. The company’s commitment to eco-efficiency extends beyond the design process, with a focus on in-service operation through to the eventual retirement of the aircraft. Shaken or stirred? If you’re at sea on Royal Caribbean International’s Quantum of the Seas, that determination is at the discretion of a robotic bartender. The mechanical arms earned the cruise line Outstanding Innovations honors, and each set can make two drinks per minute, delivered in plastic cups via conveyor belt. Passengers place orders on tablets. After debuting in 2014, Royal Caribbean ordered three more for future ships, including Anthem of the Seas. A commitment to community led to the 2012 establishment of the Air Canada Foundation, an extension of Air Canada’s dedication to childhood health and wellness and the catalyst behind the carrier being awarded for its Outstanding Social Responsibility. The company supports pediatric hospitals, assists more than 100 charities, raises funds and helps make the wishes of ill children come true. In the world of travel, anything is possible. For your next leisure travel experience, pick your pleasure — and rest assured any of the winning providers in this year’s Leisure Lifestyle Awards will provide a first-rate, 5-star accompaniment to your experience. We tip our hats to the illustrious companies gracing the winners’ list. Congratulations!

WINNERS’ CIRCLE

BEST HISTORICAL ATTRACTIONS Spain Greece Turkey India Egypt Israel Italy Jordan United Kingdom Peru BEST BEACHES Turks and Caicos Roatán, Honduras Cayman Islands Krabi, Thailand The Big Island, Hawai’i Phuket, Thailand Lopes Mendes, Brazil Mykonos, Greece Seychelles Sanibel Island, Fla. BEST ADVENTURE TRAVEL DESTINATION India Chile South Africa Thailand Alaska Argentina New Zealand California Hawai’i Israel BEST CARIBBEAN ISLAND U.S. Virgin Islands Grand Cayman British Virgin Islands St. Vincent and the Grenadines Curaçao Puerto Rico St. Lucia Nevis St. Barth’s Jamaica BEST ISLAND IN EUROPE Santoríni Ireland Sicily England Capri Mykonos Elba Crete Mallorca Sardinia BEST ISLAND PACIFIC RIM Cook Islands Bali Bora Bora Tahiti Okinawa Phuket The Big Island, Hawai’i Hong Kong Mau’i, Hawai’i Japan BEST SHOPPING IN THE WORLD The Dubai Mall Mall of Asia, Philippines Villagio Mall, Doha Ala Moana Shopping Center, Honolulu, Hawai’i Istanbul Cevahir, Turkey Wafi Mall, Dubai Galleria, Houston, Texas Siam Paragon, Bangkok, Thailand Mall of America, Bloomington, Minn. Mall of the Emirates, Dubai BEST FAMILY CRUISE LINE Celebrity Cruises Royal Caribbean International Disney Cruise Line Norwegian Cruise Line Holland America Line BEST LUXURY CRUISE LINE Silversea Cruises Crystal Cruises Cunard Line Regent Seven Seas Celebrity Cruises Paul Gauguin Cruises SeaDream Yacht Club Seabourn Cruise Line BEST CRUISE LINE SUITES The Haven by Norwegian Queens Grill Suites, Cunard Line Crystal Cruises Penthouse Royal Loft by Royal Caribbean International Celebrity Cruises Penthouse Suites Owner’s Suite, Silversea Cruises Regent Suite, Regent Seven Seas Oceania Cruises Owner’s Suite Princess Grill Suites, Cunard Line BEST ADVENTURE CRUISE LINE Lindblad Expeditions American Safari Windstar Cruises Quark Expeditions Azamara Club Cruises BEST SMALL-SHIP CRUISE LINE Paul Gauguin Cruises Azamara Club Cruises Seabourn Cruise Line Crystal Cruises Viking River Cruises Oceania Cruises SeaDream Yacht Club Windstar Cruises Regent Seven Seas Hurtigruten Cruises BEST LARGE-SHIP CRUISE LINE Cunard Line Norwegian Cruise Line Celebrity Cruises Royal Caribbean International Holland America Line Princess Cruises BEST RIVER CRUISE LINE Viking River Cruises Tauck AmaWaterways Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection Avalon Waterways BEST CRUISE LINE ENTERTAINMENT Royal Caribbean International Celebrity Cruises Cunard Line Princess Cruises Disney Cruise Line Norwegian Cruise Line BEST CRUISE LINE DINING Azamara Club Cruises Royal Caribbean International Celebrity Cruises Oceania Cruises Cunard Line SeaDream Yacht Club Norwegian Cruise Line Seabourn Cruise Line Viking River Cruises Regent Seven Seas BEST CRUISE SHIP EXCURSIONS Princess Cruises Silversea Cruises Royal Caribbean International Celebrity Cruises Norwegian Cruise Line Cunard Line Holland America Line BEST CRUISE LINE REWARDS PROGRAM Mariner Society, Holland America Line Latitudes, Norwegian Cruise Line Crown & Anchor Society, Royal Caribbean International Captain’s Club, Celebrity Cruises Captain’s Circle, Princess Cruises World Club, Cunard Line Castaway Club, Disney Cruise Line BEST LUXURY LEISURE HOTEL GROUP IN THE WORLD Meliá Hotels & Resorts Belmond The Waldorf Astoria Conrad Hotels & Resorts Westin Hotels & Resorts Four Seasons Marriott Hotels & Resorts Hyatt Hotels The Peninsula Hotels The Ritz-Carlton BEST HOTEL CHAIN RESORTS Westin Hotels & Resorts The Ritz-Carlton St. Regis Hotels & Resorts Four Seasons Hyatt Hotels Sheraton Hotels & Resorts InterContinental Hotels & Resorts Montage Hotels & Resorts Marriott Hotels & Resorts BEST PET-FRIENDLY HOTEL Loews Hotels & Resorts Kimpton Hotels & Resorts The Peninsula Hotels Westin Hotels & Resorts Sheraton Hotels & Resorts W Hotels The Ritz-Carlton Mandarin Oriental Marriott Hotels & Resorts BEST LIFESTYLE LEISURE HOTEL GROUP IN THE WORLD Vida Hotels and Resorts Andaz W Hotels Indigo Hotels Meliá Hotels & Resorts BEST FAMILY RESORT CHAIN IN THE WORLD Wyndham Hotels and Resorts Loews Hotels & Resorts Disney Resorts Kimpton Hotels & Resorts Westin Hotels & Resorts Hyatt Hotels Sheraton Hotels & Resorts JW Marriott Omni Hotels & Resorts BEST FAMILY RESORT IN NORTH AMERICA Mohonk Mountain House Westin La Paloma Disney Grand Californian Hotel Rocking Horse Ranch Cloister at Sea Island St. Regis Monarch Beach Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island Inn at Palmetto Bluff, Montage Sanctuary at Kiawah BEST FAMILY RESORT IN THE GULF Atlantis, The Palm, Dubai Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort, Oman Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Dubai Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai Six Senses Zighy Bay, Oman Jumeirah Zabeel Saray, Dubai One&Only Royal Mirage Dubai BEST HOTEL RESTAURANT Al Mahara at Burj Al Arab Jumeirah Yan Toh Heen at InterContinental Hong Kong Acquerello at St. Regis Venice NoMi at Park Hyatt Chicago Tin Lung Heen at The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong Altitude at Shangri-La Sydney Wing Lei at Wynn Las Vegas Blue by Eric Ripert at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman BEST LEISURE AIRLINE Hawaiian Airlines Air Tahiti Nui Fiji Airways United Airlines Virgin America Alaska Airlines Delta Air Lines BEST PREMIUM-ECONOMY CLASS China Airlines Lufthansa All Nippon Airways EVA Air United Airlines American Airlines Delta Air Lines Virgin Atlantic Airways British Airways BEST PET-FRIENDLY AIRLINE United Airlines American Airlines Delta Air Lines BEST LUXURY TOUR COMPANY Abercrombie & Kent Cox & Kings The Ultimate Travel Company Carrier Hayes & Jarvis Wexas Travel Southern Destinations ITC Luxury Travel Kuoni Trailfinders BEST LUXURY TRAIN The Royal Canadian Pacific Venice Simplon-Orient-Express The Blue Train The Rocky Mountaineer Al Andalus Express Trans-Siberian Express The British Pullman Royal Scotsman Indian Pacific The Ghan BEST CAR RENTAL FOR LEISURE Hertz Avis National Car Rental BEST LUXURY VEHICLE Cadillac Tesla Maserati BMW Mercedes-Benz Land Rover Acura Porsche Audi Bentley FAVORITE LUXURY FASHION BRAND Louis Vuitton Chanel Armani Cartier Prada Ralph Lauren Burberry Dior Gucci Tom Ford FAVORITE LUXURY WATCH BRAND TAG Heuer Louis Vuitton Tiffany & Co. Omega Movado Panerai Ulysse Nardin A. Lange & Söhne Patek Philippe Cartier FAVORITE LUXURY JEWELRY BRAND Tiffany & Co. Cartier Chopard Chanel Roberto Coin Van Cleef & Arpels Bvlgari Harry Winston Dior Graff

Special Achievement Awards

OUTSTANDING CUSTOMIZED SERVICE EVA Air’s Hello Kitty Jets Paradisus Resorts Family Concierge Program American Airlines Cuddle Class Westin Well-Being Movement Korean Air’s Celestial Bar on Airbus A380 OUTSTANDING ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVES Airbus Munich Airport United Airlines InterContinental Hotels Group Qantas Marriott Hotels & Resorts Hilton Hotels & Resorts OUTSTANDING INNOVATIONS Robotic Bartender, Royal Caribbean International Botlr, Aloft Hotel Cupertino InfoGates, Munich Airport NexGen 777 Cabin Design, China Airlines Keyless Entry, Hilton Hotels & Resorts SPG Keyless System, Starwood Hotels & Resorts OUTSTANDING SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY Air Canada JetBlue Marriott Hotels & Resorts Singapore Airlines Hilton Hotels & Resorts