AS THE SUN SET in California May 18, industry elite gathered at The Sofitel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills to celebrate the world’s best in leisure travel.
Now in its fifth year, the Global Traveler Leisure Lifestyle Awards pay tribute to standout destinations, airlines, cruise lines and hotels in the leisure and lifestyle travel categories. For the second year in a row, we commemorated our award winners with a memorable affair at the Sofitel’s beautiful rooftop venue overlooking Beverly Hills. After receiving traditional Hawai’ian welcome leis, our guests enjoyed a pleasant evening of themed food, music and cocktails as well as a surprise: authentic Hawai’ian dance and ukulele performances by Liz Watts and Company.
Our Leisure Lifestyle winners weren’t the only ones to bring home an award that night. Global Traveler publisher and CEO Francis X. Gallagher was also presented with a Best Boss award by our editorial coordinator, Jenna Payesko.
The ideally located Sofitel Los Angeles sits at the corner of La Cienega and Beverly Boulevard, near Rodeo Drive and Sunset Boulevard. The French-inspired luxury hotel goes above and beyond for its guests and offers memorable, elegant events. Our 2017 Leisure Lifestyle Awards fête was no exception. Thank you to everyone who joined us and to the Sofitel for another fabulous event.
Global Traveler’s Leisure Lifestyle Awards highlight the best of the best in leisure travel and lifestyle. Nominations come from our elite Globility Board as well as our experienced, well-traveled magazine staff. Our esteemed Advisory Board selects the final winners.
WINNERS’ CIRCLE
BEST HISTORICAL ATTRACTIONS
Spain
BEST BEACHES
Cayman Islands
BEST ADVENTURE TRAVEL DESTINATION
Thailand
BEST CARIBBEAN ISLAND
U.S. Virgin Islands
BEST ISLAND IN EUROPE
Santoríni
BEST ISLAND PACIFIC RIM
Cook Islands
BEST FAMILY CRUISE LINE
Royal Caribbean International
BEST LUXURY CRUISE LINE
Silversea Cruises
BEST CRUISE LINE SUITES
Crystal Cruises Penthouse
BEST ADVENTURE CRUISE LINE
UnCruise Adventures
BEST SMALL-SHIP CRUISE LINE
Paul Gauguin Cruises
BEST LARGE-SHIP CRUISE LINE
Cunard Line
BEST RIVER CRUISE LINE
AmaWaterways
BEST CRUISE LINE ENTERTAINMENT
Royal Caribbean International
BEST CRUISE LINE DINING
Azamara Club Cruises
BEST CRUISE SHIP EXCURSIONS
Princess Cruises
BEST CRUISE LINE REWARDS PROGRAM
Royal Caribbean International
Crown & Anchor Society
FAVORITE CRUISE SHIP
ms Koningsdam
Holland America Line
BEST LUXURY LEISURE HOTEL GROUP IN THE WORLD
Meliá Hotels International
BEST HOTEL CHAIN RESORTS
Westin Hotels & Resorts
BEST PET-FRIENDLY HOTEL
Kimpton Hotels & Resorts
BEST FAMILY RESORT CHAIN IN THE WORLD
Westin Hotels & Resorts
BEST LEISURE AIRLINE
Hawaiian Airlines
BEST PREMIUM-ECONOMY CLASS
Lufthansa
BEST PET-FRIENDLY AIRLINE
United Airlines
BEST LUXURY VEHICLE
Mercedes-Benz
FAVORITE LUXURY FASHION BRAND
Ralph Lauren
FAVORITE LUXURY WATCH BRAND
TAG Heuer
FAVORITE LUXURY JEWELRY BRAND
David Yurman
FAVORITE ATHLEISURE BRAND
Fabletics
SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
BEST CUSTOMIZED SERVICE
The Peninsula Beverly Hills
BEST ENVIRONMENTAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Alaska Airlines
BEST OUTSTANDING INNOVATIONS
United Airlines
BEST SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
National Geographic Expeditions
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- Juergen Stuetz, vice president of sales, marketing and distribution, Meliá Hotels International
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- Christian Mani, marketing manager, Cook Islands Tourism
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- Diane Moore, president, Paul Gauguin Cruises
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- Jackie Barney, vice president of marketing, National Geographic Expeditions
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- Jacqueline Drumheller, sustainability manager, Alaska Airlines
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- Steve Smotrys, director of sales, and Jamie Paiko, director of marketing, Cunard Line
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- Chantelle Foran, manager of shore excursions, Princess Cruises
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- Tim Jacox, president and COO, UnCruise Adventures
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- Mary Beth Wressell, vice president, marketing communications, Holland America Line
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- Grigoria Kamaterou, director, Greek National Tourism Organization
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- Scott Daniels, director, hotel operations, Azamara Club Cruises
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- Francis X. Gallagher, publisher and CEO, Global Traveler; Edie Rodriguez, Crystal Cruises
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- Kittipong Prapatong, director, Tourism Authority of Thailand
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- Mark Dunkerley, CEO, Hawaiian Airlines
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- Brian Povinelli, senior vice president, global brand leader, Westin Hotels & Resorts
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- Offer Nissenbaum, managing director, The Peninsula Beverly Hills
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- Roberto Castro, director of marketing, Silversea Cruises
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- Kate Gebo, vice president, office of the CEO, and Mark Krolick, vice president of marketing, United Airlines
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- Vivian Cervantes, key account manager, United Cargo
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- Martina Hupach, general manager of sales, Lufthansa
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- Neelia Ross, deputy commissioner, U.S. Virgin Islands
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- Kristin Karst, co-owner and executive vice president, and Rudi Schreiner, co-owner and president, AmaWaterways
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- Jesus Ignacio Perez Cidoncha, media manager, Tourist Office of Spain New York
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