One decade of winners! That’s right, we’re celebrating our 10th Leisure Lifestyle Awards, our annual survey honoring the best in the world of leisure and lifestyle travel, recognizing goods, services, destinations, hotels, airlines and cruises. Read on to find out the champions in this year’s milestone ranking — and congratulations to them!

Let’s begin with our destination winners, some of the best cities, islands and towns around the world offering the ultimate in leisure travel. Kick back in any of these exceptional, award-winning spots, starting with Greece, Best Historical Attractions, International; and Savannah, Georgia, Best Historical Attractions, Domestic. History buffs, those are the destinations for you, and adventure seekers, here’s your round-up: India is Best Adventure Destination, International, for the second consecutive year; while Alaska proves the Best Adventure Destination, Domestic, two years running.

Lanai, Hawai‘i, upset a four-time winner to take the top spot for Best Beaches. The Dominican Republic now stands as a two-time Best Caribbean Island winner, while Santoríni retains its Best Island in Europe title for the ninth consecutive year. Cook Islands continues its winning streak, winning Best Island in the Pacific Rim for the seventh year in a row. Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, takes its second win as Best Island in the United States.

Sports enthusiasts, listen up: Telluride, Colorado, Best North American Ski Destination for the fourth year in a row, is calling your name, while Whistler, British Columbia, takes back its title as Best International Ski Destination. Golfers, Streamsong Resort in Bowling Green, Florida, is Best Golf Destination.

PHOTO: © XANTANA | DREAMSTIME

Consider these other winning destinations as you plan your leisure travel: Charleston, South Carolina, Best Leisure Destination in the United States for the third consecutive year; Morocco, Best Leisure Destination in Africa; İstanbul, Best Leisure Destination in Europe; Panamá City, Panamá, Best Leisure Destination in Latin/South America; Cabo San Lucas, Best Leisure Destination in Mexico; and Italy, Best Leisure Destination for Groups, for the second year in a row. Taipei takes its fifth title as Best Leisure Destination in Asia, also earning it Quint Status, which recognizes those who win the same award for five consecutive years.

Savannah, Georgia, and Dublin, Ireland, round out our destination winners as Best Weekend Destination in North America (three years running) and Best Weekend Destination in the World, respectively.

Let’s set sail with this year’s winning cruise lines, starting with Holland America Line, Best Family Cruise Line for the second consecutive year. Silversea Cruises takes a Best Luxury Cruise Line win, while Emerald Cruise Line is the winner of Best Value Cruise Line two years running. Oceania Cruises also takes its second win as Best Cruise Line Suites for its Owner’s Suites.

Several cruise lines earn seventh consecutive wins this year: Paul Gauguin Cruises, Best Small-Ship Cruise Line; Cunard, Best Large-Ship Cruise Line; and Princess Cruises, Best Cruise Ship Excursions. Princess Cruises is a three-peat on this year’s survey, also honored as Best Cruise Line Entertainment, four years in a row, and Best Cruise Line to Alaska.

Ponant makes its second appearance as Best Adventure Cruise Line, and also wins Best Expedition Cruises. Uniworld Boutique River Cruises earns Quint Status for its fifth win as Best River Cruise Line. Seabourn has us seeing double with two wins: Best Cruise Line Dining and Best Cruise Line Spas for the fourth year in a row.

Captain’s Club from Celebrity Cruises takes its second Best Cruise Line Rewards Program title. Going around the world? Regent Seven Seas Cruises is the Best World Cruise winner. In the Caribbean, it’s all about Windstar Cruises, Best Cruise Line Caribbean Sailings. Take off from the Port of San Diego, Best Cruise Port.

Upsetting a seven-time winner, Sonesta Hotels & Resorts shook up the Best Luxury Leisure Hotel Group in the World category this year. The brand also appears topping the Best Pet-Friendly Hotels ranking. Another winner that unseated a former long-time favorite, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts is Best Hotel Chain Resorts. Making its first appearance ever on one of our surveys, Ace Hotel won Best Eco-Friendly Hotel Chain.

Rounding out our hotel and resort winners, we have Marriott Hotels & Resorts, Best Family Resort Chain in the World; Club Med, Best Hotel Chain in the Caribbean; Banyan Tree, Best Hotel Chain in Thailand; and Hyatt Zilara, Best All-Inclusive Resort.

So much goes into executing the perfect leisure travel trip. Here’s a look at the rest of this year’s survey honorees, starting with airports and airlines. We applaud the following winners: Istanbul Grand Airport as Best Airport for Layovers, and Denver International Airport, Best Airport for Recreation.

PHOTO: © UNITED AIRLINES

TAP Air Portugal takes its fourth win for Best Stopover Program, while Air Canada flies away with three awards: Best Airline for Onboard Entertainment and Best Premium Economy Class, both for the fourth consecutive year, and Best Airline Onboard Menu in its business class cabin, for the third year in a row. United Airlines earns its title as Best Eco-Friendly Airline. Last, but certainly not least, Hawaiian Airlines is Best Leisure Airline.

The band of winners continues with Abercrombie & Kent, Best Tour Operator; Maserati, Best Luxury Vehicle; Ulysse Nardin, Favorite Luxury Watch Brand; Hertz, receiving Quint Status as five-time Best Leisure Car Rental; Na Hoku, Best Destination Jewelry Brand for the third year in a row; and Bacardi, Best Liquor Brand.

Congratulations to the 2022 Leisure Lifestyle Awards winners!

THE PROCESS
Global Traveler conducted a survey of its readers Dec. 14, 2021–April 30, 2022, with open-ended questions for the best in many categories of leisure, luxury and lifestyle travel. This survey ran in the magazine, as an insert to subscriber copies, as a direct mail questionnaire, online at globaltravelerusa.com/leisureballot and emailed during the survey period. Only those questionnaires with more than 50 percent of the questions completed were counted. Those with fewer than 50 percent of the questions answered were discarded. Employees of the magazine and individuals associated with the travel industry could not participate in the survey.

PHOTOS: © VIKING

CRUISE LINE OF THE YEAR

Global Traveler is pleased to name its Cruise Line of the Year. Congratulations to Viking!

River, ocean or expedition — this year’s Cruise Line of the Year offers it all. Started as a river cruising company, Viking today has hundreds of awards to its name and operates a fleet of state-of- the-art ships. This year marks Viking’s 25th anniversary, and by the end of 2022 it will welcome its second expedition ship; two new ocean ships; new Viking Longships; and purpose-built vessels for the Nile, Mekong and Mississippi rivers.

Viking river cruises sail Europe’s Rhine, Main, Danube, Seine, Rhône, Duoro, Moselle, Elbe, Dordogne, Garonne and Gironde rivers, as well as Egypt’s Nile and Asia’s Mekong, on eight- to 23-day itineraries. This spring Viking launched on the Mississippi River. Viking took to the oceans in 2015 with Viking Star; the current fleet of six ocean ships await two more vessels this year and another in 2023, all designed to be environmentally considerate. Ocean voyages focus on Scandinavia, Northern Europe, the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, Alaska, North America, South America and Africa. January 2022 marked the launch of Viking’s expedition voyages with the 378-guest Polar-class Viking Octantis, sailing Antarctica and the Great Lakes.

We eagerly look to the future of this year’s Cruise Line of the Year. Congratulations, Viking!

Best Weekend Destination in the World
1. Dublin, Ireland
2. Québec City, Québec, Canada
3. Belize City, Belize
4. Bermuda
5. Lisbon, Portugal
6. Rome, Italy
7. São Miguel, Azores, Portugal
8. Cartagena, Colombia
9. Vienna, Austria
10. Paris, France

Best North American Ski Destination
1. Telluride, Colorado
2. Vail, Colorado
3. Breckenridge, Colorado
4. Aspen Snowmass, Colorado
5. Alta, Utah
6. Jackson Hole, Wyoming
7. Park City, Utah
8. Whistler, British Columbia, Canada
9. Winter Park, Colorado
10. Beaver Creek, Colorado

Best International Ski Destination
1. Whistler, British Columbia, Canada
2. Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy
3. Lech, Austria
4. Niseko, Japan
5. Gstaad, Switzerland
6. Meribel, France
7. St. Moritz, Switzerland
8. Verbier, Switzerland
9. Courchevel, France
10. Zermatt, Switzerland

Best Golf Destination
1. Streamsong Resort
2. Pebble Beach
3. Kiawah Island Golf Resort
4. Sea Island Resort
5. Pinehurst Resort
6. The Broadmoor
7. Sea Pines Resort
8. Bandon Dunes
9. Big Cedar Lodge
10. The Greenbrier

Best Caribbean Island
1. Dominican Republic
2. U.S. Virgin Islands
3. Grand Cayman
4. Bahamas
5. Curaçao
6. Saint Lucia
7. British Virgin Islands
8. Nevis
9. Jamaica
10. Aruba

Best Island in Europe
1. Santoríni
2. Sicily
3. Mykonos
4. Ireland
5. Capri
6. England
7. Sardinia
8. Crete
9. Elba
10. Jersey, United Kingdom