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
-
- Juergen Stuetz, vice president of sales, marketing and distribution, Meliá Hotels International
-
- Christian Mani, marketing manager, Cook Islands Tourism
-
- Diane Moore, president, Paul Gauguin Cruises
-
- Jackie Barney, vice president of marketing, National Geographic Expeditions
-
- Jacqueline Drumheller, sustainability manager, Alaska Airlines
-
- Steve Smotrys, director of sales, and Jamie Paiko, director of marketing, Cunard Line
-
- Chantelle Foran, manager of shore excursions, Princess Cruises
-
- Tim Jacox, president and COO, UnCruise Adventures
-
- Mary Beth Wressell, vice president, marketing communications, Holland America Line
-
- Grigoria Kamaterou, director, Greek National Tourism Organization
-
- Scott Daniels, director, hotel operations, Azamara Club Cruises
-
- Francis X. Gallagher, publisher and CEO, Global Traveler; Edie Rodriguez, Crystal Cruises
-
- Kittipong Prapatong, director, Tourism Authority of Thailand
-
- Mark Dunkerley, CEO, Hawaiian Airlines
-
- Brian Povinelli, senior vice president, global brand leader, Westin Hotels & Resorts
-
- Offer Nissenbaum, managing director, The Peninsula Beverly Hills
-
- Roberto Castro, director of marketing, Silversea Cruises
-
- Kate Gebo, vice president, office of the CEO, and Mark Krolick, vice president of marketing, United Airlines
-
- Vivian Cervantes, key account manager, United Cargo
-
- Martina Hupach, general manager of sales, Lufthansa
-
- Neelia Ross, deputy commissioner, U.S. Virgin Islands
-
- Kristin Karst, co-owner and executive vice president, and Rudi Schreiner, co-owner and president, AmaWaterways
-
- Jesus Ignacio Perez Cidoncha, media manager, Tourist Office of Spain New York
Read This Next
Introducing
FX Excursions
FX Excursions offers the chance for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in destinations around the world.
#globility
Insta FeedDaily
Sep 22, 2021La Concha Hotel Puerto Rico Review
Arriving early afternoon in Puerto Rico, we jumped in an Uber and took a short, 15-minute drive from the airport to La Concha. As it was Tuesday, the streets were not too busy and the hotel lobby was calm. During the weekend, the scene likely would have been more bustling. We were greeted by a staff member who requested proof of vaccination and government-issued ID, and were given a wristband to indicate we were fully vaccinated. All guests are required to be vaccinated and wear masks at all times while moving around the hotel. Hand sanitizer stations were placed around the lobby, in elevators and in each common area.
Sponsored Content
Greece: Destination Luxury
Since its prestige for attracting the world elite grew in the 1960s, Greece remains the go-to destination for glittering holidays. Each step of the journey is enrobed in luxury, from culinary traditions with the highest standard of execution and name-brand, high-end shopping to first-rate wellness locales and elite accommodations, like 5-star hotels, private villas and yachts.
September 2021
Sep 21, 2021Retreat into Luxurious Stillness at The Rittenhouse Spa & Club
The Rittenhouse has long stood out as one of Philadelphia’s finest hotels, centrally located in one of the city’s poshest neighborhoods. Needless to say, I knew I was in for an afternoon of luxurious pampering when I hopped in my car and headed down I-95 from my suburban home to the heart of the City of Brotherly Love. As I drove through the seemingly endless roadwork on the highway, I realized just how long it had been since I’d driven this once-familiar route into the city as a result of the pandemic. Of course I was eager for the relaxation and bliss that was in my future, but it was also a welcome feeling to head back into Philadelphia for a moment of normalcy.
Daily
Sep 21, 20217 Reasons to Put Nice, France, on Your Travel List
It’s time to start dreaming of your next trip. Here’s some destination inspiration for you. Take a visual journey through Nice, France, with us.
Sponsored Content
The Future of Hamad International Airport
Without a doubt, the pandemic changed the role of airports in the travel industry. Hamad International Airport’s role evolved in many ways since the pandemic hit. Now, more than ever, airports are responsible for creating a secure passenger experience. As the gateway to Qatar and the world, the safety and wellbeing of staff and passengers has always been at the core of Hamad International Airport’s strategy.
Daily
Sep 21, 2021Fall and Winter Offerings in New Orleans
New Orleans draws visitors with exciting events this fall and winter.
Russell Wilson Scores a New Alaskan Airlines Livery
Daily
Sep 20, 2021The Peninsula Chicago Review
September 2021
Sep 17, 2021Mansion on Forsyth Park Review
September 2021
Sep 17, 2021Hotel del Coronado Reveals New Lobby, Front Porch
Daily
Sep 17, 2021Hotel Colee Review
September 2021
Sep 16, 2021Daily
Sep 16, 2021Rosewood San Francisco to Open in 2026
Set to open in 2026, Rosewood San Francisco will be the last skyscraper developed in the downtown region for the foreseeable future. The projected 800-foot-tall property will host a hotel, residences, office and rental spaces. The brand’s third property in California will join Rosewood Sand Hill in Menlo Park, and Rosewood Miramar Beach in Montecito.
Sponsored Content
Register Today for the Most Important Gathering of Business Travel Professionals
The Global Business Travel Association’s (GBTA) Convention 2021 will be unlike any other convention before it, as we come together in person for the first time since the business travel industry drastically changed and look forward to rebuilding and reshaping the future. GBTA Convention 2021 will bring all of us together to learn from experts and each other, in-person at Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida, Nov. 17–19. The safety of our attendees is our top priority. View health and safety protocols.
September 2021
Sep 15, 2021Slow Down and Unwind in Easy-Going Phuket
It’s not even 9a.m. in the sleepy fishing village of Rawai on Thailand’s famous Phuket Island, but already the turquoise waters of the Andaman Sea swarm with local fishermen casting their lines and releasing their nets from the bows of rustic long-tail boats. The scents of lemongrass, incense and sweet pandan leaves season the air as the villagers slowly rise from their beachside bungalows to start their day. In just a few more hours, the fishermen will return with their catches, filling the stalls of the iconic Rawai Seafood Market with buckets of shellfish and displays of fresh filets. Visitors line up each afternoon for the catch of the day, selecting their fish with care before hauling their purchases across the well-worn road to the restaurants opposite the market to have the fish cooked for 100 Thai baht per kilo.
ShareThis