Leisure Lifestyle Edition 2018 by Global Traveler

globaltravelerusa.com

May 2018

LEISURE LIFESTYLE AWARDS p. 8 FAMILY-FRIENDLY RESORTS p. 26 FOOD TOURS AROUND THE WORLD p. 30 VACATION DEFICIT DISORDER p. 34 TRAVEL LIKE A CELEBRITY p. 38 HISTORICAL TOURISM p. 42 TOP U.S. MARKETS FOR YOUR SECOND HOME p. 48

LEISURE LIFESTYLE GLOBAL TRAVELERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S GUIDE TO THE LUXURIOUS WORLD OF LEISURE TRAVEL

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LEISURE LIVING WHETHER IT’S A QUICK weekend getaway or a whirlwind international excursion, we all need a break sometimes. Winter hasn’t been kind in the Northeast, where Global Traveler’s headquarters is located. I, for one, spent much of the cold and snowy winter daydreaming about a tropical getaway to escape the harsh weather. I look to the pages of our magazine to find the best destinations to add to my must-see list. What better way to enjoy a break than with a purely leisure trip? Leisure travel is necessary as a way to recharge and reenergize. HIT THE BEACH: Global Traveler’s annual Leisure LifeKatie Skrzek at Blue Waters Resort in Antigua style Edition highlights the best of PHOTO: © KATIE SKRZEK the best in the world of leisure travel. The book takes a close look at the emerging trends, exciting destinations, travel brands and helpful hints to make the most of a leisure trip. In this year’s edition we cover topics from family-friendly resorts and historical tourism to food tours and how to travel like a celebrity. If you’re in need of travel inspiration, look to the winners of our annual Leisure Lifestyle Awards for the brands best representing the travel industry. From airlines and cruise lines to destinations and worldwide events, our awards article highlights the best in the industry for leisure travel. We toast the winners and detail why they deserve a spot at the top. Join us in congratulating this year’s winners! What are your upcoming leisure travel plans? Do you agree with the Leisure Lifestyle Awards winners? Tell us at letters@globaltravelerusa.com. However near or far your travel takes you, we hope you bring the Leisure Lifestyle Edition with you as you go. Bon voyage!

EDITORIAL Editor in Chief KIMBERLY KROL kim.krol@globaltravelerusa.com Vice President/Digital Director KATIE SKRZEK katie.skrzek@globaltravelerusa.com Senior Editor JANICE HECHT jan.hecht@globaltravelerusa.com Associate Editor/Copy Editor PATRICIA VANIKIOTIS patty.vanikiotis@globaltravelerusa.com Associate Editor ANGELIQUE PLATAS angelique.platas@globaltravelerusa.com Assistant Editor ALLIE MENZIONE allie.menzione@globaltravelerusa.com Digital Content Producer DEBRA BOKUR debra.bokur@globaltravelerusa.com News Editor ALLIE MOORE allie.moore@globaltravelerusa.com Editor at Large HOLLY RIDDLE holly.riddle@globaltravelerusa.com

ART Art Director TRACEY CULLEN tracey.cullen@globaltravelerusa.com Staff Photographer CHRISTOPHER P. OTTAUNICK christopher@globaltravelerusa.com Special Events Video Editor VANCE PICCIN

WRITERS KRISTY ALPERT DEBRA BOKUR KELLY MAGYARICS HOLLY RIDDLE ALLISON VOIGTS

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LEISURE LIFESTYLE 2018

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letter ® ®

AWAKEN THE SPIRIT IT IS WITH GREAT pleasure we welcome you to Global Traveler’s sixth annual Leisure Lifestyle Edition. And congratulations to the winners of this year’s Leisure Lifestyle Awards! They are truly the best in the leisure travel industry. As we celebrate this special edition, our appreciation goes to you, our loyal fellow travelers and adventurers. Thank GOING PLACES: Julie Haupin stops for a selfie along The Great Ocean Road in Australia. you for your dedication PHOTO: © JULIE HAUPIN and passion to making your destination, cruise, airline, hotel, spa or tour a remarkable experience and one to be proud of. For me, leisure travel means taking a luxurious break from everyday life and, most importantly, taking the time to enjoy it. When I think of the word “leisure,” I automatically picture myself relaxing on a tropical beach, worry-free, sipping a margarita. Wherever I travel, I make a trip to the local beach one of my top priorities. My favorite beaches and islands range from Phi Phi Island off the coast of Phuket, Gili Island off Bali and St. Kilda in Melbourne all the way back home to Folly Beach just south of Charleston and Savannah’s Tybee Island. My best advice is to venture as far as you can, choose how you want to travel, connect with nature, savor every single moment and, most of all, let curiosity be your guide. After all, careers fill your pocket, but adventures fill your soul. Awaken your inner traveler with this special Leisure Lifestyle Edition, and congratulations again to our winners! And so, the adventure begins.

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contents

Leisure Lifestyle 2018 30

34 Vacation Deprivation Workers and employers suffer the consequences of forfeiting time off.

26 Family-Style Fun Spend quality time together at a resort that keeps all ages in mind.

38 Star Treatment You don’t need to be a celebrity to travel like one.

30 Local Fare Savor your next destination as you sample its cuisine on a food tour.

42 Paths to the Past For legions of travelers, looking backward is the new way to move forward. 48 Home Sweet (Second) Home We examine the best places to purchase a vacation property in the United States.

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LEISURE LIFESTYLE 2018

ON THE COVER globaltravelerusa.com

May 2018

LEISURE LIFESTYLE AWARDS p. 8 FAMILY-FRIENDLY RESORTS p. 24 FOOD TOURS AROUND THE WORLD p. 30 VACATION DEFICIT DISORDER p. 34 TRAVEL LIKE A CELEBRITY p. 38 HISTORICAL TOURISM p. 42 TOP U.S. MARKETS FOR YOUR SECOND HOME p. 48

LEISURE LIFESTYLE GLOBAL TRAVELER’S GUIDE TO THE LUXURIOUS WORLD OF LEISURE TRAVEL

COVER PHOTO: HURTIGRUTEN CRUISE LINE WON THE AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVES. FIND OUT WHO ELSE WON THE LEISURE LIFESTYLE AWARDS ON PAGE 8. PHOTO © HURTIGRUTEN CRUISE LINE

Global Traveler and Globility are registered trademarks of Global Traveler magazine and of its parent company, FXExpress Publications, Inc. Global Traveler is not affiliated with any commercial interests within the travel industry. The opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher, nor can the publisher accept responsibility for errors or omissions. The magazine cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited articles, photographs or other material. AAM member 04-0361-2. AAM audited circulation 111,517. ISSN 1551-7187 ©2018 FXExpress Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part of text, photographs or illustrations without permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited.

PHOTOS: © IAKOV KALININ | DREAMSTIME.COM, © EATING LONDON TOURS, © KASPARS GRINVALDS |

8 Destination: Leisure Global Traveler congratulates the winners of the 2018 Leisure Lifestyle Awards.

DREAMSTIME.COM, © RFOXPHOTO | DREAMSTIME.COM

Beyond Asia. To the Future. F lying with You. ASIANA AIRLINES

Reservations • 1-800-2ASIANA • us.flyasiana.com

BEST SMALL-SHIP CRUISE LINE: Paul Gauguin Cruises

PHOTO: © PAUL GAUGUIN CRUISES

Destination: Leisure Global Traveler congratulates the winners of the 2018 Leisure Lifestyle Awards. BY KIMBERLY KROL AHOY, MATEYS! WELCOME ABOARD the m/s Globility as we embark with the 2018 Leisure Lifestyle Awards. For the sixth consecutive sailing, we’re celebrating the best in the world of leisure and lifestyle travel, awarding goods, services, destinations, hotels, airlines and cruises. Allow us to be your cruise director through this year’s elite roster of winners. We’re not just looking through the porthole at stunning scenery — we’re disembarking the ship and immersing ourselves in the destination. For a few award-winning options, look no further. Turkey scores big with Best Historical Attractions, while twotime winner Thailand is named Best Adventure Travel Destination. For Best Beaches, Costa Rica earns top billing. A cruise among all of these top island winners would be a dream come true, indeed. The ports of call would include Saint Lucia, Best Caribbean Island; Santoríni, Best Island in Europe, for the fifth consecutive time; and Cook Islands, three-time Best Island Pacific Rim.

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LEISURE LIFESTYLE 2018

Now we keep on cruising around the world, celebrating these worldwide destination honorees. In the United States, three Southern cities earn accolades: Nashville, Best Leisure Destination in the United States; Savannah, Best Weekend Destination in the United States; and Key West, Fla., Best Babymoon Destination. Jackson Hole, Wyo., is named Best North American Ski Destination. Also in North America, Whistler, British Columbia, garnered Best International Ski Destination, and Cabo San Lucas is Best Leisure Destination in Mexico. Continuing the circumnavigation, we drop anchor in Lisbon, Best Leisure Destination in Europe; Taipei, Best Leisure Destination in Asia; Buenos Aires, Best Leisure Destination in Latin/South America; and Bermuda, Best Weekend Destination in the World. It’s up the gangway and back onto the ship to celebrate the best of the best in cruise lines. Regent Seven Seas leads the list with two wins: Best Family Cruise Line and Best Cruise Line Spa. Another dual winner is Silversea Cruises, sailing away with the Best Luxury Cruise Line (three times

BEST HISTORICAL ATTRACTIONS: Turkey PHOTO: © RADIOKAFKA | DREAMSTIME.COM

WINNERS’ CIRCLE BEST HISTORICAL ATTRACTIONS

BEST BEACHES:

1. Turkey 2. Israel 3. India 4. Jordan 5. Spain 6. Peru 7. Egypt 8. Greece 9. Italy 10. United Kingdom

PHOTO: © SIMONDANNHAUER | DREAMSTIME.COM

BEST BEACHES

BEST ADVENTURE DESTINATION: Thailand

PHOTO: © IAKOV KALININ | DREAMSTIME.COM

Costa Rica

1. Costa Rica 2. Fiji 3. Cayman Islands 4. The Big Island, Hawai’i 5. Phuket, Thailand 6. Lopes Mendes, Brazil 7. Mykonos, Greece 8. Turks & Caicos 9. Krabi, Thailand 10. Honolulu, Hawai’i

BEST ADVENTURE DESTINATION

running) and Best Cruise Line Suites accolades. MSC Cruises debuts on our winners’ list with not one but two wins: Best Cruise Line Entertainment and Best Cruise Line Rewards Program for its MSC Voyagers Club. A number of cruise lines celebrate their third consecutive wins in their respective categories. They are Paul Gauguin Cruises, Best Small-Ship Cruise Line; Cunard Line, Best Large-Ship Cruise Line; and Princess Cruises, Best Cruise Ship Excursions. Windstar Cruises came out on top as Best Adventure Cruise Line, a new category on the 2018 ballot, while Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection dominated the Best River Cruise Line category. Rounding out the cruising category, Viking Ocean Cruises earns top billing as Best Cruise Line Dining; and Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Reflection is Favorite Cruise Ship. We move now from the cabin to the guestroom, honoring hotels and resorts around the globe that have the whole leisure lifestyle concept down pat. For the fourth consecutive year, the high honor of Best Luxury Leisure

1. Thailand 2. Alaska 3. India 4. Chile 5. South Africa 6. New Zealand 7. Argentina 8. California 9. Colombia 10. Australia

BEST LEISURE DESTINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

BEST ADVENTURE CRUISE LINE: Windstar Cruises

PHOTO: © WINDSTAR CRUISES

1. Nashville, Tenn. 2. Charleston, S.C. 3. Asheville, N.C. 4. Miami Beach, Fla. 5. Napa Valley, Calif. 6. Chicago, Ill. 7. San Francisco, Calif. 8. Austin, Texas 9. New Orleans, La. 10. Sedona, Ariz.

LEISURE LIFESTYLE 2018

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BEST LIQUOR BRAND: Johnnie Walker Blue

PHOTO: © JOHNNIE WALKER

WINNERS’ CIRCLE BEST LEISURE DESTINATION IN EUROPE

BEST LEISURE DESTINATION IN EUROPE:

1. Lisbon, Portugal 2. Prague, Czech Republic 3. Porto, Portugal 4. Seville, Spain 5. Rome, Italy 6. İstanbul, Turkey 7. Paris, France 8. Florence, Italy 9. Venice, Italy 10. Krakow, Poland

Lisbon

PHOTO: © ALTEZZA | DREAMSTIME.COM

BEST LEISURE DESTINATION IN ASIA 1. Taipei, Taiwan 2. Phuket, Thailand 3. Singapore, Republic of Singapore 4. Tokyo, Japan 5. Seoul, South Korea 6. Hong Kong, People’s Republic of China 7. Bangkok, Thailand 8. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam 9. Osaka, Japan 10. Bali, Indonesia

BEST LEISURE DESTINATION IN LATIN/SOUTH AMERICA 1. Buenos Aires, Argentina 2. Lima, Peru 3. Santiago, Chile 4. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 5. Mendoza, Argentina 6. Panama City, Panama 7. Quito, Ecuador 8. Cusco, Peru 9. Bogotá, Colombia 10. Machu Picchu, Peru

Hotel Group in the World goes to Meliá Hotels International. A triple winner in this year’s survey, Westin Hotels & Resorts has it all — it was voted Best Hotel Chain Resorts for the fourth time in a row; Best Pet-Friendly Hotels; and Best Family Resort Chain in the World for the second consecutive year. The Resort at Paws Up is the first-time winner of Best Glamping Destination, acknowledged for its excellence in one of the travel industry’s trendiest endeavors. Another popular concept in leisure travel, all-inclusive resorts, is topped by Sandals Resorts, Best All-Inclusive Resorts. Aside from cruising the high seas, how can we get to our leisure destinations in award-winning style? Here’s a hint: with these airlines and providers, 2018 award winners. For the fourth consecutive year, Hawaiian Airlines is named Best Leisure Airline, while Scandinavian Airlines makes its first appearance in the Leisure Lifestyle Awards with its win for Best Premium-Economy Class. Asiana Airlines is the first-time BEST GLAMPING DESTINATION: The Resort at Paws Up

PHOTO: © THE RESORT AT PAWS UP

BEST LEISURE DESTINATION IN MEXICO 1. Cabo San Lucas 2. Mérida 3. Cancún 4. Mexico City 5. Guadalajara 6. Isla Holbox 7. Playa del Carmen 8. Puerto Vallarta 9. Cozumel 10. San Miguel de Allende

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LEISURE LIFESTYLE 2018

winner in a new category, Best Airline for Onboard Entertainment. When it comes to downtime, these are the airports you should reroute yourself through: Doha Hamad International Airport, Best Airport for Layovers, and Munich Airport, Best Airport for Recreation. Both categories are new on this year’s ballot. If driving is more your speed, opt to rent with Hertz, Best Leisure Car Rental. To really up the ante on your next vacay, rent a Maserati, Best Luxury Vehicle. And should you need guidance to get it all together, Elegant Resorts, Best Luxury Tour Operator, can assist. Before we disembark from m/s Globility, we must acknowledge two more winners. Congratulations to TAG Heuer, a three-time winner for Favorite Luxury Watch Brand, and to Johnnie Walker Blue, Best Liquor Brand. Join us on the lido deck as we raise a glass to this year’s Leisure Lifestyle Awards winners.

THE PROCESS

Global Traveler conducted a survey of its readers Oct. 1, 2017–Jan. 31, 2018, 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 period in question. Only those questionnaires where more than 50 percent of the questions were completed were counted. Those with fewer than 50 percent of the questions answered were discarded. Submissions from employees of the magazine or individuals associated with the travel industry were not accepted.

CRUISE LINE OF THE YEAR: Azamara Club Cruises

PHOTOS: © AZAMARA CLUB CRUISES

WINNERS’ CIRCLE BEST WEEKEND DESTINATION IN THE UNITED STATES 1. Savannah, Ga. 2. Las Vegas, Nev. 3. Charleston, S.C. 4. San Francisco, Calif. 5. Austin, Texas 6. Nashville, Tenn. 7. New Orleans, La. 8. Asheville, N.C. 9. Miami, Fla. 10. New York, N.Y.

Cruise Line of the Year

BEST WEEKEND DESTINATION

For the first time, Global Traveler is proud to announce its Cruise Line of the Year. Congratulations to inaugural winner, Azamara Club Cruises! Nominees for this honor were compiled by Global Traveler, with the final winner selected by our Globility Board, a vetted group of well-traveled magazine subscribers. The luxury cruise line was selected for a myriad of reasons, including its commitment to providing top-notch service, amazing dining at sea and one of the finest spa and wellness experiences. Azamara Club Cruises offers overnight stays and dockings at smaller ports, allowing cruisers to indulge and explore a destination in a new way and unlike the way they would on most cruise lines. Destination Immersion is a new collection of excursions and activities taking guests deeper into the heart of a location. The completely redesigned ships create a sense of community, accented by the fine staff, while destinations include Alaska, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, Cuba, the Mediterranean, Europe, Panama, Central America, North America and South America. Let’s raise a glass to our first-ever Cruise Line of the Year, Azamara Club Cruises!

BEST GLAMPING DESTINATION

1. Bermuda 2. Dublin, Ireland 3. Lisbon, Portugal 4. Québec City, Canada 5. Belize City, Belize 6. London, England 7. Cartagena, Colombia 8. Vienna, Austria 9. Paris, France 10. Rome, Italy

CRUISE LINE OF THE YEAR 2018 1. Azamara Club Cruises 2. Celebrity Cruises 3. Silversea Cruises 4. Crystal Cruises

1. Paws Up, Montana 2. Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary, Uganda 3. Soule Creek Lodge, British Columbia 4. Eco-Lodge Brejeira, Algarve, Portugal 5. Canna Camping Holidays, Inner Hebrides, Scotland 6. Singita Sabora Tented Camp, Grumeti Reserves, Tanzania 7. Honey Bee Suite, Platbos Forest, South Africa 8. Patagonia Camp, Torres del Paine, Chile 9. Reapot Lane Luxury Camp, Co. Leitrim, Ireland 10. Cabañas en Los Árboles, Biscay, Spain

LEISURE LIFESTYLE 2018

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This personable, quirky Bodhisattva is hand crafted and dressed in a pure gold robe.

Photo by Liu Chen-hsiang

Taiwan’s fascinating culture is everywhere, from back alley public art projects to street puppet shows, grand downtown performance halls, and up through the jewel that is the National Palace Museum. No visit to Taiwan would be complete without a tour of the National Palace Museum. Nestled against a mountain at the top of the Taipei basin, it’s literally a mountain of cultural and artistic treasures as the vast collection of over 700,000 items of historical and artistic significance is largely kept in vaults under the hills behind the museum.

Performing arts is another bright spot on the local cultural landscape, led by the modern dance of the internationally celebrated Cloud Gate Dance Theatre. The colorful fusion of traditional cultural themes with modern elements gives Taiwan’s performing arts inspiring color and freshness. Taiwan celebrates many traditional religious and cultural festivals, like Dragon Boat Day, the Mid-Autumn Festival, and the goddess Mazu’s birthday, so be sure to check a calendar of local events for a truly authentic local experience.

Don’t underestimate the power and influence of these two crescent moon blocks, a ubiquitous sight at Taiwan’s temples used in divination to answer a “yes” or “no” question.

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Photos courtesy of Cloud Gate Dance Theatre, Li Tien-lu Hand Puppet Historical Museum, and Taiwan Tourism Bureau

taiwan.net.tw

Wander the alleyways of Taipei and you could come across a hand puppet performance. Authentic, elaborately attired characters make charming keepsakes or gifts.

No matter what your taste or appetite, on the ground with

aboriginal elders or in the rarefied museum air, whether brilliant Hakka handicrafts or intricate temple architecture, culture lives and

thrives here with vigor and variety.

T R AV E L D I A RY

CULTURE

From the grittiest streets to the loftiest institutions, culture is something lived, revered, and celebrated in Taiwan.

A visit to the National Palace Museum is not complete without viewing its most popular and celebrated item, the Jadeite Cabbage. The lifelike vegetable is merely one piece in the museumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vast banquet for the eyes and soul.

Special Achievement Awards

OUTSTANDING SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY: Omni Hotels & Resorts

Each year, in addition to our Leisure Lifestyle Awards, PHOTO: © OMNI HOTELS & RESORTS Global Traveler acknowledges those travel companies going above and beyond. Our Special Achievement Awards recognize leaders in innovation, environmental initiatives and community outreach. Congratulations to this year’s honorees. For its Say Goodnight to Hunger campaign, Omni Hotels & Resorts won Outstanding Social Responsibility. The brand makes a donation to Feeding America that provides dinner for a family of four for every booking made. Additionally, all 60 Omni properties actively participate in supporting food banks and pantries, and Omni associates volunteered thousands of hours to help support the mission. When it comes to customization, Denver International Airport is tops. The airport’s unique programming, including a holiday ice rink, Yoga on the Fly, the Canine Airport Therapy Squad and more, helped DEN earn the Outstanding Customized Services honor. Two new 20,000-ton, 600-passenger ships will be delivered this year and next, the first hybrid cruise ships in the world. Hurtigruten’s newest ships will use a battery system. For this amazing development that could change the world of cruising forever, Hurtigruten Cruise Line receives the Outstanding Environmental Initiatives nod. Singapore Changi Airport’s new Terminal 4 is a technological game changer. From 65 automated check-in kiosks to 50 automated bag drops and gates equipped with facial and thumbprint biometric screening, the airport looks to the future and to ensuring a consistent passenger OUTSTANDING CUSTOMIZED SERVICES: Denver International Airport experience. Changi Airport wins for PHOTO: © DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT Outstanding Innovations.

OUTSTANDING SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY Omni Hotels & Resorts

OUTSTANDING CUSTOMIZED SERVICES Denver International Airport

OUTSTANDING ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVES Hurtigruten Cruise Line

OUTSTANDING INNOVATIONS Singapore Changi Airport

PHOTO: © SINGAPORE CHANGI AIRPORT

OUTSTANDING ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVES: Hurtigruten Cruise Line

PHOTO: © HURTIGRUTEN CRUISE LINE

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LEISURE LIFESTYLE 2018

BEST ISLAND IN EUROPE: Santoríni

PHOTO: © IVY TSEH | DREAMSTIME.COM

BEST CARIBBEAN ISLAND: Saint Lucia

PHOTO: © RAULROSA | DREAMSTIME.COM

BEST ISLAND PACIFIC RIM: Cook Islands

PHOTO: © MIKE7777777 | DREAMSTIME.COM

WINNERS’ CIRCLE BEST BABYMOON DESTINATION 1. Key West, Fla. 2. Saint Lucia 3. Belize 4. Barcelona, Spain 5. Palm Springs, Calif. 6. Cancún, Mexico 7. Savannah, Ga. 8. Sedona, Ariz. 9. Hilton Head Island, S.C. 10. Martha’s Vineyard, Mass.

BEST NORTH AMERICAN SKI DESTINATION

BEST CARIBBEAN ISLAND

BEST ISLAND IN THE PACIFIC RIM

1. Jackson Hole, Wyo. 2. Vail, Colo. 3. Aspen Snowmass, Colo. 4. Telluride, Colo. 5. Alta, Utah 6. Park City, Utah 7. Beaver Creek, Colo. 8. Breckenridge, Colo. 9. Winter Park, Colo. 10. Whistler, British Columbia, Canada

1. Saint Lucia 2. Aruba 3. Grand Cayman 4. St. Vincent 5. Bahamas 6. Curaçao 7. Nevis 8. Jamaica 9. British Virgin Islands 10. U.S. Virgin Islands

1. Cook Islands 2. Phuket, Thailand 3. Japan 4. Fiji 5. Okinawa 6. Bora Bora 7. The Big Island, Hawai’i 8. Hong Kong 9. Maui, Hawai’i 10. Tahiti

BEST INTERNATIONAL SKI DESTINATION

BEST ISLAND IN EUROPE

BEST FAMILY CRUISE LINE

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

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

1. Regent Seven Seas 2. Celebrity Cruises 3. Disney Cruise Line 4. Holland America Line 5. Norwegian Cruise Line 6. Royal Caribbean 7. Silversea Cruises 8. Princess Cruises 9. MSC Cruises 10. Cunard Line

LEISURE LIFESTYLE 2018

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Luxury Voyages in the South Pacific with Paul Gauguin Cruises PAUL GAUGUIN CRUISES OFFERS luxurious, small-ship cruising to the exotic islands of Tahiti, French Polynesia and the South Pacific. The award-winning m/s Paul Gauguin is the longest continually sailing cruise ship in the destination. Designed specifically to sail the pristine lagoons

of these islands, The Gauguin provides an upclose, authentic experience of the South Seas. The Gauguin will showcase its most soughtafter itineraries in 2018: the seven-night Tahiti & the Society Islands; 10-night Society Islands & Tuamotus; 11-night Cook Islands & Society Islands; and 14-night Marquesas, Tuamotus & Society Islands. In 2018, Paul Gauguin Cruises will be the first cruise line to visit the port city of Vairao in Tahiti Iti, the smaller of two landmasses that comprise the island of Tahiti and offers a wild coastline, marae (temples), Polynesian culture and surfing fame. Tahiti Iti is scheduled on sevennight Society Islands & Tahiti Iti voyages and a special sailing of the 10-night Society Islands & Tuamotus itinerary. In 2019, you can enjoy these core itineraries, and also go beyond to explore Tonga and Fiji. Aboard each sailing, the welcoming, hospitable spirit of French Polynesia is infused with a number of South Seas exclusives. The Gauguin’s troupe of Les Gauguines and Les Gauguins are local Tahitians who serve as cruise staff, entertainers and storytellers and are a highlight for many guests, along with local

musicians and dancers who perform on board. The Gauguin features spacious, ocean-view suites and staterooms with nearly 70 percent offering private balconies; gourmet dining in all venues including menu specialties designed by celebrity chef Jean-Pierre Vigato; complimentary beverages including select wines and spirits, soft drinks, bottled water and hot beverages served throughout the ship; an in-cabin refrigerator replenished daily with soft drinks, beer and bottled water; shipboard entertainment; and all onboard gratuities included. In select ports, the ship’s watersports marina is available to launch a kayak, windsurf or paddle board and a PADI certification scuba diving program is also offered.

On all sailings, guests also receive complimentary access to Paul Gauguin Cruises’ two exclusive retreats. Off the coast of Taha’a lies the islet of Motu Mahana, where guests can enjoy a day of watersports, Polynesian activities, a sumptuous barbecue feast and cocktails from

full and floating bars. In Bora Bora, guests can relax on a private, white-sand beach and enjoy refreshments, a game of volleyball and snorkeling and paddleboarding in crystal-clear waters. Experts in the fields of art, the culinary arts, music, magic, Polynesian life and culture, wine and the wonders of the deep offer insights, lectures, performances, demonstrations and workshops on select voyages of The Gauguin. Paul Gauguin Cruises’ partnership with the Wildlife Conservation Society offers two interactive, educational programs to enrich guests’ experience. During the summer months and holiday season, Stewards of Nature is offered and invites children ages 7 to 17, as well as their families, to discover and value nature through hands-on interactive learning. The Wildlife Discovery Series is an onboard lecture program focusing on the environment and wildlife of our planet presented by some of the world’s most fascinating conservationists, scientists and oceanographers.

The Gauguin is the highest-rated in the South Pacific. As a result of providing exceptional cruise experiences to its guests, in addition to other top honors, Paul Gauguin Cruises was voted Global Traveler’s 2018 Leisure Lifestyle Award for Best Small-Ship Cruise Line for the third consecutive year. For more information or to make a reservation contact your Travel Professional, call 800 440 6114 or visit pgcruises.com/Lifestyle.

TAHITI | FRENCH POLYNESIA | FIJI | SOUTH PACIFIC

Built to navigate the lagoons of the South Pacific, the m/s Paul Gauguin offers the only moving, luxury, all-inclusive, “overwater” experience in French Polynesia. Included Airfare from Los Angeles

For more information contact your Travel Professional, call 877‒440‒6114, or visit pgcruises.com/lifestyle

BEST CRUISE LINE DINING:

BEST RIVER CRUISE:

PHOTO: © VIKING OCEAN CRUISES

PHOTO: © UNIWORLD

Viking Ocean Cruises

Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection

BEST CRUISE LINE SUITES

Owner’s Suite, Silversea Cruises PHOTO: © SILVERSEA CRUISES

WINNERS’ CIRCLE BEST LUXURY CRUISE LINE 1. Silversea Cruises 2. Celebrity Cruises 3. Cunard Line 4. Regent Seven Seas 5. Paul Gauguin Cruises 6. Crystal Cruises 7. SeaDream Yacht Club 8. Seabourn Cruise Line 9. Norwegian Cruise Line 10. MSC Cruises

BEST CRUISE LINE SUITES 1. Owner’s Suite, Silversea Cruises 2. MSC Yacht Club, MSC Cruises 3. Haven Suites, Norwegian Cruise Line 4. Princess Grill Suites, Cunard Line 5. Penthouse, Celebrity Cruises 6. Queens Grill Suites, Cunard Line 7. Regent Suites, Regent Seven Seas 8. Owner’s Suite, Oceania Cruises 9. Royal Loft, Royal Caribbean 10. Penthouse, Crystal Cruises

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BEST ADVENTURE CRUISE LINE

BEST RIVER CRUISE LINE

BEST CRUISE LINE SPAS

1. Windstar Cruises 2. American Safari 3. Ponant 4. National Geographic Expeditions 5. UnCruise Adventures 6. Lindblad Expeditions 7. Azamara Club Cruises 8. Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours 9. Silversea Cruises 10. Seabourn Cruise Line

1. Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection 2. Tauck 3. AmaWaterways 4. Avalon Waterways 5. Viking River Cruises 6. Aqua Expeditions 7. Crystal River Cruises 8. American Cruise Lines 9. CroisiEurope 10. Pandaw River Cruises

1. Regent Seven Seas 2. Princess Cruises 3. Viking Ocean Cruises 4. Crystal Cruises 5. Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection 6. Seabourn Cruise Line 7. Celebrity Cruises 8. Costa Cruises 9. Cunard Line 10. MSC Cruises

BEST SMALL-SHIP CRUISE LINE

BEST CRUISE LINE ENTERTAINMENT

BEST CRUISE SHIP EXCURSIONS

1. Paul Gauguin Cruises 2. Viking River Cruises 3. Seabourn Cruise Line 4. Azamara Club Cruises 5. Silversea Cruises 6. SeaDream Yacht Club 7. Windstar Cruises 8. Crystal Cruises 9. Regent Seven Seas 10. Oceania Cruises

1. MSC Cruises 2. Royal Caribbean 3. Viking Ocean Cruises 4. Princess Cruises 5. Celebrity Cruises 6. Norwegian Cruise Line 7. Disney Cruise Line 8. Cunard Line 9. Regent Seven Seas 10. Holland America Line

1. Princess Cruises 2. Viking Ocean Cruises 3. Silversea Cruises 4. Cunard Line 5. Celebrity Cruises 6. Norwegian Cruise Line 7. Royal Caribbean 8. Holland America Line 9. MSC Cruises 10. Regent Seven Seas

BEST LARGE-SHIP CRUISE LINE

BEST CRUISE LINE DINING

BEST CRUISE LINE REWARDS PROGRAM

1. Cunard Line 2. Princess Cruises 3. Viking Ocean Cruises 4. Celebrity Cruises 5. Norwegian Cruise Line 6. Royal Caribbean 7. Holland America Line 8. Regent Seven Seas 9. Crystal Cruises 10. MSC Cruises

1. Viking Ocean Cruises 2. Azamara Club Cruises 3. Cunard Line 4. Regent Seven Seas 5. Royal Caribbean 6. Celebrity Cruises 7. Seabourn Cruise Line 8. Norwegian Cruise Line 9. MSC Cruises 10. Oceania Cruises

1. MSC Voyagers Club, MSC Cruises 2. Club World, Cunard Line 3. Castaway Club, Disney Cruise Line 4. Latitudes, Norwegian Cruise Line 5. Captain’s Club, Celebrity Cruises 6. Captain’s Circle, Princess Cruises 7. Mariner Society, Holland America Line 8. Oceania Club, Oceania Cruises 9. Crown & Anchor Society, Royal Caribbean 10. Seven Seas Society, Regent Seven Seas

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FAVORITE CRUISE SHIP :

Celebrity Reflection, Celebrity Cruises PHOTO: © CELEBRITY CRUISES

WINNERS’ CIRCLE FAVORITE CRUISE SHIP 1. Celebrity Reflection, Celebrity Cruises 2. Queen Mary 2, Cunard Line 3. Celebrity Equinox, Celebrity Cruises 4. Seven Seas Explorer, Regent Seven Seas 5. Celebrity Silhouette, Celebrity Cruises 6. Royal Princess, Princess Cruises 7. Anthem of the Seas, Royal Caribbean 8. Norwegian Breakaway, Norwegian Cruise Line 9. Seabourn Encore, Seabourn Cruise Line 10. mv Viking Sea, Viking Ocean Cruises

BEST LUXURY LEISURE HOTEL GROUP IN THE WORLD : Meliá Hotels International

PHOTO: © MELIÁ HOTELS INTERNATIONAL

BEST LUXURY LEISURE HOTEL GROUP IN THE WORLD 1. Meliá Hotels International 2. Westin Hotels & Resorts 3. The Ritz-Carlton 4. Four Seasons 5. Conrad Hotels & Resorts 6. The Waldorf Astoria 7. Belmond 8. The Peninsula Hotels 9. Marriott Hotels & Resorts 10. Hyatt

BEST HOTEL CHAIN RESORTS

BEST HOTEL CHAIN RESORTS, BEST PET-FRIENDLY HOTEL AND BEST FAMILY RESORT CHAIN IN THE WORLD: Westin Hotels & Resorts

PHOTOS: © WESTIN HOTELS & RESORTS

1. Westin Hotels & Resorts 2. Four Seasons 3. St. Regis 4. Meliá Hotels International 5. The Ritz-Carlton 6. Hyatt 7. InterContinental Hotels & Resorts 8. Sheraton Hotels & Resorts 9. Marriott Hotels & Resorts 10. Montage Hotels & Resorts

BEST PET-FRIENDLY HOTEL 1. Westin Hotels & Resorts 2. Loews Hotels & Resorts 3. Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants 4. Sheraton Hotels & Resorts 5. The Peninsula Hotels 6. Le Méridien 7. The Ritz-Carlton 8. Mandarin Oriental 9. Marriott Hotels & Resorts 10. InterContinental Hotels & Resorts

LEISURE LIFESTYLE 2018

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Galรกpagos by Steve McCurry

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LEISURE LIFESTYLE 2018

Best Luxury Cruise Line WINNER – 2016, 2017, 2018

Best Cruise Line Suites WINNER – 2018

LET US TAKE YOU CLOSER TO THE AUTHENTIC BEAUTY OF THE WORLD SAIL WITH US TO OVER 900 DESTINATIONS For more information, contact your travel agent, call 1.888.978.4039 or visit silversea.com

#ThisIsSilversea

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BEST AIRPORT FOR RECREATION:

BEST ALL-INCLUSIVE RESORT:

PHOTO: © MSALENA | DREAMSTIME.COM

PHOTO: © SANDALS RESORTS

Munich Airport

Sandals Resorts

BEST LUXURY TOUR OPERATOR: Elegant Resorts

PHOTO: © ELEGANT RESORTS

BEST AIRPORT FOR LAYOVERS: Doha Hamad International Airport PHOTO: © USKARP | DREAMSTIME.COM

8. Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants 9. JW Marriott 10. InterContinental Hotels & Resorts

BEST ALL-INCLUSIVE RESORT

WINNERS’ CIRCLE BEST FAMILY RESORT CHAIN IN THE WORLD 1. Westin Hotels & Resorts 2. Loews Hotels & Resorts 3. Disney Hotels 4. Sheraton Hotels & Resorts 5. Omni Hotels & Resorts 6. Wyndham Hotels & Resorts 7. Hyatt

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1. Sandals Resorts 2. Excellence Group Luxury Hotels & Resorts 3. Paradisus Resorts 4. Karisma Hotels & Resorts 5. Dreams Resorts & Spas 6. Meliá Hotels International 7. Jade Mountain, Saint Lucia 8. Secrets Resorts & Spas 9. Zoëtry Wellness & Spa Resort 10. Hyatt Zilara

BEST LUXURY TOUR OPERATOR 1. Elegant Resorts 2. Black Tomato

LEISURE LIFESTYLE 2018

3. The Inspiring Travel Company 4. Abercrombie & Kent 5. Red Savannah 6. Kuoni 7. Trailfinders 8. Perillo Tours 9. The Turquoise Holiday Company 10. Cox & Kings

BEST AIRPORT FOR LAYOVERS 1. Doha Hamad International Airport 2. Singapore Changi Airport 3. Munich Airport 4. Zürich Kloten International Airport 5. Taipei Taoyuan International Airport 6. Helsinki Airport 7. Seoul Incheon Airport 8. Dubai International Airport

9. Denver International Airport 10. Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport

BEST AIRPORT FOR RECREATION 1. Munich Airport 2. Vancouver International Airport 3. Singapore Changi Airport 4. Incheon Airport 5. Denver International Airport 6. Austin Bergstrom International Airport 7. San Francisco International Airport 8. Miami International Airport 9. Los Angeles International Airport 10. Chicago O’Hare International Airport

FAVORITE LUXURY WATCH BRAND:

BEST PREMIUM-ECONOMY CLASS:

TAG Heuer

Scandinavian Airlines

PHOTO: © TAG HEUER

PHOTO: © SCANDINAVIAN AIRLINES

BEST LUXURY VEHICLE: Maserati

PHOTO: © MASERATI

BEST LEISURE AIRLINE: Hawaiian Airlines

PHOTO: © HAWAIIAN AIRLINES

BEST LEISURE AIRLINE 1. Hawaiian Airlines 2. American Airlines 3. Air Tahiti Nui 4. Alaska Airlines 5. United Airlines 6. Delta Air Lines 7. Fiji Airways 8. Aeromexico 9. TAP Air Portugal 10. Air France

BEST AIRLINE FOR ONBOARD ENTERTAINMENT 1. Asiana Airlines 2. Singapore Airlines 3. United Airlines 4. Air Canada 5. Qatar Airways 6. Delta Air Lines 7. American Airlines

8. Emirates 9. JetBlue 10. Korean Air

BEST PREMIUM-ECONOMY CLASS 1. Scandinavian Airlines 2. Lufthansa 3. Air Canada 4. EVA Air 5. American Airlines 6. United Airlines 7. Delta Air Lines 8. China Airlines 9. British Airways 10. Japan Airlines

BEST LUXURY VEHICLE 1. Maserati 2. Cadillac 3. Volvo 4. Porsche

5. Mercedes-Benz 6. BMW 7. Tesla 8. Lexus 9. Acura 10. Audi

FAVORITE WATCH BRAND 1. TAG Heuer 2. Patek Philippe 3. Panerai 4. Movado 5. Louis Vuitton 6. Tiffany & Co. 7. Omega 8. Ulysse Nardin 9. A Lange & Sohne 10. Cartier

BEST LEISURE CAR RENTAL 1. Hertz

2. Avis 3. Sixt 4. National Car Rental 5. Budget 6. Enterprise 7. Dollar Car Rental 8. Alamo 9. Thrifty 10. Payless

FAVORITE LIQUOR BRAND 1. Johnnie Walker Blue 2. Patrón 3. Grey Goose 4. Crown Royal 5. Johnnie Walker Black 6. Maker’s Mark 7. Belvedere 8. Bombay Sapphire 9. Bacardi 10. Woodford Reserve

LEISURE LIFESTYLE 2018

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Love a Little Paradise through the jungle in a dune buggy and see a show featuring some of the fastest drumming and hipshaking in the world. It’s also easy to make local friends. We love sharing our culture and telling people about our legends, our lifestyle and the way we live. We love talking about how the world looks from where we’re standing, in a place so beautiful it makes your heart swell. Our islands are our heritage, our pride and our joy. It’s why our lawns are always impeccable, raked of leaves shed by trees that give us mangoes, bananas and frangipanis. It’s why we teach our kids to value the environment the way our ancestors did. Conservation has always been the cornerstone of our culture. Half of our ocean territory is a legally marine-protected sanctuary, which means we limit

2018 MARKS THE THIRD YEAR in a row Global Traveler readers named the Cook Islands the Best Island in the Pacific Rim. We are proud of our “little paradise!” Though we occupy an ocean space more than four times the size of California, our islands have a combined landmass 44 times smaller than the Hawai’ian Islands. We have a little population — less than 20,000 — and are not over commercialized like most other island destinations; in fact, we have no buildings taller than a coconut tree, no traffic lights and little stress! Nor is it stressful to get here — we’re one of the only untouched island groups you can reach via a direct, non-stop flight from Los Angeles, and for a reasonable price, too. It’s also not stressful to plan an unforgettable vacation. On our islands, adventures and experiences are so accessible you won’t be tempted to spend all your days at a hotel pool. It’s impossible to get lost here, transportation won’t seem like a problem and making an itinerary

won’t feel overwhelming. In the Cook Islands, it’s easy to find an empty, pristine stretch of beach, or a lagoon-side bar offering live music, cocktails and front-row seats to the show of a South Pacific sunset. It’s easy to

find your way up our mountains, along earthy trails that lead you to panoramic views of cliffs and green valleys, ringed by a sapphire sea. It’s easy to snorkel with rainbow-colored tropical fish, or book a tour

commercial activity within it so our lagoons remain clean and full of tropical life. Six of our 11 inhabited islands do not burn fossil fuels. Our people still live off the land and follow natural rhythms. In the Cook Islands, we have nice things — luxury spas, linen-napkin dining, air-conditioned art galleries — but our islands aren’t overdeveloped, and our culture isn’t contrived. Here, as they say, what you see is what you get. What you see is natural and breathtaking and real. What you get is paradise, unfiltered. What you get is the authentic Polynesian experience. If you voted for our islands, we’re honored. If you haven’t visited us yet, we look forward to welcoming you, and then welcoming you back again, because the percentage of people who only come once — that’s little, too.

Family-Style Fun Spend quality time together at resorts that keep all ages in mind. BY KELLY MAGYARICS

KID STUFF:

Atlantis Paradise Island Resort water slide (top); and (bottom left to right) Three Monkeys Kids Club and beach movie night at Karma Jimbaran, and Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort mini golf PHOTOS: © ATLANTIS PARADISE ISLAND RESORT, © KARMA JIMBARAN, JIMBARAN BAY, © OMNI AMELIA ISLAND PLANTATION RESORT

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WHAT MAKES A GREAT resort for families? A killer beach and pool complex? Activities that keep the interest of everyone, from curious toddlers to been-there, done-that teens? Amenities that lend a home-away-from-home feel? These seven resorts boast all that and more. Get stirred to plan your next sojourn with the whole gang in tow.

ALL OF THE VILLAS at Karma Jimbaran, Bali’s 5-star, family-friendly resort in Jimbaran Bay, include private pools so families can splash and play all day. Inside you’ll find

LEISURE LIFESTYLE 2018

the creature comforts of home including a modern gourmet kitchen, open-plan living area, en-suite bathrooms, satellite TV, home-theater system and free WiFi. The resort is situated on a slope in the southern peninsula amid lush tropical gardens; it’s also adjacent to one of the area’s best powdery white-sand beaches and calm waters, making it easy to switch from lounging poolside to searching for seashells. Kids aged 2 to 12 can partake in the activities of the Three Monkeys Kids Club such as Balinese dance lessons, a sandcastle competition and kite construction and flying. THE SPRAWLING 404-ROOM Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort, on 1,350 acres on a barrier island just off the northeast Florida coast, offers so much for families, starting with the largest poolscape in the northern part of the state. Overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and 3.5 miles of private beachfront, it boasts a 10,000-square-foot family-friendly pool, a children’s splash park, two hot tubs and an infinity

adult swimming pool for parents who crave a little time alone. At Amelia’s Wheels, parents and kids can rent bicycles, tagalong bikes, baby trailers, jogging strollers and Island Hoppers (golf carts), or sign up for a Segway tour. The Nature Center offers crabbing and tours of the region’s indigenous plants and wildflowers as well as shell and shark tooth hunts and buildyour-own-turtle stations. The resort’s mascot, Tanner the Turtle, hosts dance parties on the pool deck, and everyone can tee off at a nautically themed miniature golf course or make s’mores by the fire pit at night. AT THIS APTLY NAMED ocean-themed resort on a Bahamian island, it’s all about the water and the marine life in it. The Atlantis Paradise Island Resort is built around 8 million gallons of freshwater and saltwater pools, lagoons and cascading waterfalls and the largest outdoor marine exhibit in the Caribbean. Aquaventure is a water park lover’s dream — a 141-acre playground with 11 swimming pools, three beaches, a seven-acre snorkeling lagoon, 20 water slides and two river rides. At Dolphin Cay, parents and kids can interact with docile mammals rescued from Mississippi in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina. New programs include an early morning playtime with the resident bottlenose dolphins, watching them socialize and play from a clear-bottom kayak, and a snorkeling expedition that lets you swim alongside them to see how curious and smart they are. Families can get a taste of authentic Bahamian cuisine with dining concepts serving up a fish fry, mahi mahi and cracked conch along with island staples like peas and rice, mac ’nʽ cheese and fried plantains.

FUN FOR ALL:

Atlantis Sea Squirts (top), paddle boarding with dolphins (middle), and JA Palm Tree Court horses and Coolzone for kids (bottom) PHOTOS: © ATLANTIS PARADISE ISLAND RESORT, © JA PALM TREE COURT

FAMILIES FIND THIS TOP-RATED hotel located along Dubai’s golden shoreline exotic yet approachable. The JA Palm Tree Court’s 200 suites overlook the gardens or half a mile of private beach; for more luxury, 14 villas in The Residence come with butler service and other premium benefits. Keep cool with three pools complete with swim-up bars for icy refreshment, along with two children’s and toddlers’ pools. The resort features three kids’ clubs with age-appropriate activities: Crèche for ages 4 months to 4 years, Coolzone for those 4 to 12 years and the Chillzone for ages 8 to 16. Take a horseback-riding lesson; try your hand at tennis, squash or badminton; play a rousing family game of beach volleyball; or challenge each other in mini golf. Book a scuba diving, snorkeling or other underwater excursion in the new diving center, or rent a fishing boat and guide at the 85-berth marina.

LEISURE LIFESTYLE 2018

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OUTDOOR CHALLENGE:

Meliá Braco Village Adventure Park agility course (top left), and rock climbing wall (top right) and cooking fresh oysters at The Tides Inn (below) PHOTOS: © MELIÁ BRACO VILLAGE , © THE TIDES INN

LEARN ABOUT VIRGINIA’S aquaculture at The Tides Inn (the resort sits in the heart of the state’s Oyster Trail in Irvington) while enjoying views of Carters Creek, the Rappahannock River and Chesapeake Bay. Named one of the best resorts for families, this 106-room seasonal property on the Northern Neck region has been around for 70 years. Crab Net Kids is a supervised program for children aged 4 to 12 with outdoor activities like crabbing, and the on-site Premier Sailing School inspires would-be sailors aged 6 and up. Guests can also learn to balance on a paddle board, explore the water in a canoe or ocean kayak, cast their lines for freshwater fishing, or pedal around the cute town of Irvington on a single or family bicycle. There are tennis and golf camps for kids and teens. In the evening, make s’mores on a campfire on the terrace or the beach, or get a little friendly family competition going in the View Room with classic board games like pirate bingo or horse racing. FOR ANOTHER ISLAND OPTION, head to Meliá Braco Village in Rio Bueno, Jamaica. Colonial Georgian-style architecture designed to resemble the nearby town of Falmouth, local culture incorporated into activities and programming, and Jamaican cuisine at its restaurants give this all-inclusive resort on the island’s north coast an authentic, welcoming vibe. Its 232 rooms and suites with garden, beachfront or oceanfront views are located either on the Colonial side or The Level side. Those on The Level all tout ocean views and private balconies and patios, as well as a private beach, pool and restaurant and concierge service. In 2017 the Meliá introduced its on-property Adventure Park with a strength and agility obstacle course; zip line over tropical forests; a four-lane, 35-foot rock wall; and four bungee trampolines — all perfect for family fun. Its Kids & Co. concept offers activities for children ages 5 to 12. Once a week the resort transforms into a Jamaican village, with a buffet dinner of Jamaican favorites and local artisans selling homemade crafts, jewelry and souvenirs. Every day, the smell of jerk chicken grilled on an oil barrel wafts to the pool and beach; along with meat patties

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LEISURE LIFESTYLE 2018

and coconut water sipped right from a freshly cut coconut from a cart, it provides an ideal casual, waterside lunch. THE POOL IS A SHOWSTOPPER at Majestic Colonial Punta Cana, a 658-room, all-inclusive resort in the Dominican Republic. “Pool” is actually an underwhelming misnomer; it’s actually a 1,312-foot-long, river-style attraction that runs perpendicular all the way to the beach, meaning the deck never feels crowded and families of any size can spread out on lounge chairs and soak up the sun. To really take advantage of all that water, book a swim-up suite featuring an indoor Jacuzzi tub and another on the spacious patio. Stare at (or swim in) the Caribbean from a shady palapa, or grab some snorkeling gear, an ocean kayak or a catamaran and head out to the water. There are several impressive dining concepts, and the buffet is a big draw morning, noon or night with an international and local selection of cuisine for even the pickiest eater. Kids also get a kick out of trying to catch stir-fried shrimp in their mouths at a teppanyaki table at Ma+Suri.

Local Fare Savor your next destination as you sample its cuisine on a food tour. BY ALLISON VOIGTS

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ROME IN THE SEASON of strawberries and artichokes is the same as Rome in the season of kale and blood oranges, its artisans always slicing, mashing, pinching off and offering what is freshest. As I stood outside Volpetti, a delicatessen in Testaccio, awaiting the gold paper plate of prosciutto that circled our tour group, the owner handed me a toothpick with truffle-infused pecorino cheese that made me close my eyes in rapture. Eating Italy tour guides navigate these encounters, concentrating on the flavors that may otherwise elude eager but unknowing travelers like me. Our guide, Valentina, led us next into Testaccio Market, past stalls brimming with olives and lemons, purple cabbage piled beside fennel, pointing to but not stopping for the odd, fiery zucchini flowers and heading straight to the bruschetta. My hand hovered to catch any wayward chunks, but

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this was such sound toast and softly ripe tomato that each bite neatly sent juice and garlic spilling only onto my tongue. Our tour kept rounding the hill at the center of Testaccio, taking in the ancient pyramid and aqueducts, but Valentina didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t reveal its surprising origin until we found ourselves inside a lowceilinged trattoria, twirling homemade tonnarelli on forks to collect the last black pepper flecks from then-empty plates. The hill, growing up over millennia as Romans collectively discarded their shattered pottery there, now forms the perfect wine cellar. Flavio al Velavevodetto serves chilled whites and, of course, Chianti with its classic cacio e pepe. As a parting gesture, Valentina made sure we could discern authentic gelato at Giolitti, where the family has made it for a century. The flat, dull

ABBONDANZA: Shop at Testaccio Market in Rome PHOTO: ÂŠ EATING ITALY TOURS

appearance of a real gelato — like only lightly hued pistachio — belies its dense flavor. Never again will I be taken in by the puffy, garish concoctions that used to dazzle me, which I learned are just full of air. I LITTLE IMAGINED signing up for a food tour in England that we would end up in The English Restaurant, but that’s exactly where our guide, Flic, took us. Meeting early one morning in Spitalfields Market for the Eating London tour, I thought she was joking when she pointed it out as an eventual destination. Her rapid-fire orientation to the East End brimmed with dry humor. Nearby Houndsditch Street, it turns out, was formerly exactly what it sounds like. Our first stop aligned more with what I expected, a bacon sandwich at St. John Bread and Wine: cutting-edge but classic innovation in a stylishly remodeled bank under the direction of celebrity chef Fergus Henderson. The bread crunched and the bacon crackled. Next, the East End’s famous Brick Lane offered a feast for the senses. The chilly November sky made Beigel Bake’s salt beef and hot mustard welcome. The aroma of spicy curry preceded

our arrival at Aladin, one of London’s top 10 Indian restaurants, where we sat down for a proper lunch of chicken tikka masala. When we did finally round back to The English Restaurant, its fireplace and dark-paneled booths lulled any lingering doubts even before Flic urged us to poke a hole in the crinkly top of our bread and butter pudding and pour custard into its steaming center. Our tour wound down with still more traditional fare at The Pride of Spitalfields Pub, where warm ale won me over, too. A footballer scored a goal on the television behind the bar; and while the locals roared, the resident Instagram star, Lenny the cat, barely reacted, snug by the stove.

SWEETS TO MEATS: Giolitti and gelati (top,) and (bottom left to right) bacon sandwich at St. John Bread and Wine, Aladin Brick Lane curry and Beigel Bake’s salt beef and hot mustard PHOTOS: © EATING LONDON TOURS

TO UNDERSTAND BELGIUM’S 180 breweries and 2,000 chocolatiers, I took The Brussels Journey, a beer and chocolate tour through the world’s second-most diverse city. First, at Chocopolis, our guide, Baptiste, explained how they craft the renowned praline, from the cocoa’s Peruvian origins through its eventual union with hot cream and butter to form the shiny ganache that coats nuts, pastes or more chocolate. At Frederic Blondeel, pralines gleam like gems, basil green or citrus.

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The Belgian prince had dropped by here the week before, Baptiste added with a wink. In the Grand-Place, in a high-ceilinged Art Nouveau mall, the pharmacist Jean Neuhaus invented the praline a century ago, covering medicine with chocolate to make it more palatable to children. His experimentation changed the world of confection, and you can still sample the legacy in Les Galleries Royales Saint-Hubert, where marzipan, nougat and caramel abound. A sudden December rainstorm couldn’t deter us from our beer appointment. Just as I thought my umbrella would break in the lashing wind, Baptiste ducked through an alley into the surreal Theatre Royal de Toone tavern to a long, dark-wood table. The marionettes were sleeping overhead as we tasted our first Gueuze Lambic, a spontaneously fermented beer produced only in the central Belgian valley where local wild yeasts remain a carefully protected tradition. Most preferred the Kriek, its bite softened by cherries, but I savored the Lambic’s intense sourness. Our increasingly merry night ended in another medieval tavern, Au Bon Vieux Temps, drinking glass after glass of Westmalle Tripel, whose well-rounded sweetness seemed to coat my tongue. Baptiste delineated the Trappist beers Orval, Chimay and Westvleteren, taken seriously by the monks who brew them. Only 11 abbeys in the world attained this prestigious label, six in Belgium. FOR MY FIRST TRIP TO Marrakech, an evening with Marrakech Food Tours seemed like the perfect way to allay any anxieties about wandering the city’s famous medina, or old walled area, after dark. Our tour guide, Amin, met our group as the sun dipped below the Atlas Mountains and Jemaa el-Fnaa square came alive with Berber storytellers and musicians. For our first stop we visited one of the neighborhood ovens, where locals bring earthenware jars full of lamb to slow-cook over warm embers all day, creating the Marrakech specialty tangia. The result is a succulent roast that falls off the bone and offers fragrant hints of saffron, turmeric and preserved lemon — no sauces or side dishes necessary. In addition to satisfying our carnivorous cravings, Amin stopped off at the souk, or street market, so we could sample marinated olives stuffed with garlic or cheese on the way to our next destination: the famous “souk mama,” whose fluffy, hand-rolled couscous and hearty vegetable tagine have drawn vendors and the neighborhood’s needy residents to lunch for as long as anyone can remember. As we sidestepped bicycles and rounded narrow corners, our guide pointed out features of local life, including a bakery passed down for generations and the underground furnace where water is heated for the local hammam bathhouse. Finally, we stopped to satisfy our sweet tooth with boxes piled high with Moroccan sweets, dripping with honey and tasting of ground almonds or hints of orange blossom water — with plenty to take home as a reminder of our time in the magical Red City.

MOUTHWATERING MARRAKECH: Couscous tfaya (top), tagine (middle), and darkawa mint tea (bottom) PHOTOS: © MARRAKECH FOOD TOURS

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Workers and employers suffer the consequences of forfeiting time off. BY HOLLY RIDDLE

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PHOTO: © KASPARS GRINVALDS | DREAMSTIME.COM

Vacation Deprivation

VACATION DEFICIT DISORDER, vacation deprivation, overworked, burnt out — however you refer to it, the causes and results are still the same. Americans are at risk for not using all their vacation days and, when they do use a portion of those days, not truly getting away from their workplace or using their time off for mundane tasks like doctor appointments or household chores. Not only can this negatively impact personal fulfillment and relationships, but also it negatively impacts the workplace, resulting in decreased productivity and creativity. In fact, Katie Denis, chief of research and strategy, Project Time Off (a national movement aimed at creating an American attitude transformation toward vacation time) said those not taking their vacation days aren’t even the ones getting the promotions and raises at work. “We’ve got some research that shows that people who are forfeiting their vacation time are actually less likely to get promoted. They’re less likely to get raises and bonuses. So those traditional metrics of success we don’t see lining up with the people skipping vacation, and we think there are a lot of reasons for that,” she said. “The biggest one to me, though, is that if you’re doing the same thing day after day and you’re not giving yourself and your mind that chance to breathe, you’re not

PHOTO: © PAULUS RUSYANTO | DREAMSTIME.COM

coming up with the next big idea; you’re not going to be as forwardthinking, as motivated.” So why does this issue exist? Denis notes that when you look at macro trends of vacation usage from the 1970s until now, you see a decline in usage starting around 2000. As technology and productivity increased, vacation usage largely decreased. “There are a few moments where things will go up or down a little bit year over year, but on the whole, we’re using a lot less time than we did 17 years ago. I think a lot of that is that we feel not just connected to the workplace, but that we’re always needed, we’re always plugged in. It becomes that much harder to pull yourself away and prioritize vacation time,” she said. Vacation deficit disorder isn’t just a byproduct of technology, though. Many countries have the exact same technology in the workplace that Americans enjoy, so why aren’t Europeans suffering from the same fate? Could it be tied to an evolving idea of the American work ethic?

“The only other countries that seem to struggle with this in the way we do are in Asia — South Korea and Japan. They definitely have issues with vacation usage as well, to the point that Japan was considering making it a government mandate … but here, I think this is so much a part of what people think is the American work ethic, and that’s where I take issue with that idea,” said Denis. “When you look at historical vacation usage, from the 1970s to 2000, we were much better about taking vacation, so this is not part of the storied American work ethic. We have always had a strong work ethic; we have not always been work martyrs, and that is the shift we’ve seen over the last 17 years or so. We’re so connected, it’s so ingrained in us to be constantly wired in, that it’s changing our mindset in a way that isn’t good. It’s obviously playing on something we believe as a country because last I checked, they have smartphones in France. We’re not the only people with that [technology], so how can we start thinking differently about what it means to be a valuable, productive employee?” The American issue is most dire within certain demographics —

LEISURE LIFESTYLE 2018

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PHOTO: © EDITE ARTMANN |

primarily millennials and females. According to Alexis Tiacoh, public relations representative, Expedia, Inc., commenting on the brand’s recent studies, “Research shows American millennials are the most vacation-deprived age group, and they receive the least vacation time. They are also the most likely to shorten their trips due to impending workload (53 percent) compared to their older counterparts. American women also report feeling more vacationdeprived than men.” Denis refers to these groups as “work martyrs,” always worried they’re asking too much of their colleagues when needing coverage while out, or even worried they may be viewed as replaceable or unneeded if things go entirely smoothly while they’re not in the office. These worries are unwarranted, though, with most teams perfectly fine with covering for a colleague who’s on vacation — when, of course, there’s enough notice, which can be a big issue. Project Time Off found most employees give six weeks’ notice or

less, which isn’t ideal. “Every company or team can be different; but if you’re not giving plenty of heads up and aren’t working toward that, and everyone’s not aware that you’re going to be out, I think that’s where resentment can come in,” said Denis. It also sometimes results in employees avoiding asking their colleagues for assistance altogether and taking work with them on their vacation. There’s also no need for employees to fear asking their bosses for vacation time at the risk of appearing lazy, undedicated or like they’re skipping out. “[Employers] want their employees to take their vacation,” said Denis. “They want them to be creative and productive. They’re worried about burnout. … You are going to get an employee that’s at least as productive if not more if they’re taking their time off because they are motivated and they are driven, and that’s a different brand of employee. Every company wants the best version of the person they hired.” Denis clarified traveling somewhere new when using vacation days adds a whole other level of work benefits. “Travel is the solution to really getting the true benefits of time off … stepping away, seeing something different, getting a new perspective, being inspired differently. It’s tougher to do that if you’re staying in your house getting chores done. I think it’s just giving yourself that time and space to think and do different things, see different things, try different foods and just be inspired.” Thankfully, the issue is improving in certain ways. Tiacoh confirmed, “While vacation deprivation levels worldwide are on the rise (53 percent, up from 49 percent in 2016), Americans were among a handful of countries that saw reduced deprivation levels — down 4 percent from 2016. Another positive change is that the U.S. workforce is feeling less guilty for taking time off, down to only 8 percent from 14 percent in 2016. However, the number of vacation days received, used and lost remained consistent year over year, with Americans on average receiving 15 days of vacation and only taking 12. So while perceptions and anxiety about taking vacation might be changing for the better in America, this shift has yet to translate into people actually using up more of their allotted vacation time.” Both Denis and Tiacoh offered some tips for making the most of your vacation time and changing your thought patterns on vacation day usage, whether you’re an employee or employer. “I think the single biggest step anyone can take, whether it’s to take more time or enjoy it more or not feel like you’re putting too much on your colleagues, is to plan ahead more,” said Denis. For employers, she said, “The biggest thing people can do is talk. About two-thirds of employees hear nothing about vacation in their workplace. If we are not talking about what is expected and also behaving accordingly, [employees are] not going to go [on vacation], and that’s one of the simplest things you can do.” “If the thought of taking a week or more off work is causing you to put vacation plans on hold, consider taking a long weekend or adding personal time onto a business trip,” Tiacoh advised. “Hold yourself accountable when you are on vacation so you don’t end up spending all your time

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GT Members Section passed through in 2016 — its busiest year yet. Arranging a car service in advance proves the best way to get into town. Services like Centurion Tours and Citi Hopper greet you at the terminal and run about 270–360 South African rand ($20–27), depending on the number of passengers in the vehicle. Uber is also thriving in Cape Town, so consider hailing a ride with the app if your smartphone works in South Africa. The Uber X service costs R146–189 ($11–15), while the more luxurious Uber Black should cost about R249–324 ($18–25). The 20- to 30-minute ride (depending on traffic) along the highway takes you past some of South Africa’s infamous townships. Although the center of Cape Town is home to fewer than 435,000, the metro area boasts a population of more than 3.7 million. Many live in these makeshift towns consisting of informal housing, a remnant from the days of apartheid, prohibiting non-whites from living in the city center. Cape Town, though, is quickly moving on from those unfortunate days. As you approach the downtown area, you’ll immediately recognize the faces of Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu currently installed on the façade of the Civic Centre. On a clear day, you’ll also spot the flat-topped Table Mountain in the background. Suitable hotels are scattered around the Central Business District and along the waterfront, but the 12-story Townhouse Hotel offers an excellent option for business travelers with its downtown location near City Hall and South Africa’s Houses of Parliament. It boasts seven meeting rooms that accommodate up to 425 people, with its largest holding 300. While your hotel likely includes full breakfast, you might want to organize a morning meeting offsite. Taxis don’t roam Cape Town’s streets, however, so use Uber or ask the concierge to arrange transportation for you. Hemelhuijs, a chic café by Chef Jacques

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JOHANNESBURG MAY HAVE THE REPUTATION as South Africa’s business capital, but Cape Town still offers plenty to those traveling for work. The Mother City, as it is commonly known, with its spectacular waterfront setting crowned by the famous Table Mountain, hosts conferences that attract visitors from around the world. You’ll likely arrive at Cape Town International Airport, the second-busiest in South Africa and the thirdbusiest on the entire continent. Located just 12 miles from the city center, it experienced tremendous growth since opening in 1954. More than 10 million passengers

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Star Treatment You don’t need to be a celebrity to travel like one.

THERE’S NO DENYING CELEBRITIES live in a different reality than the rest of the world when it comes to travel, where bizarre requests like hand-carved ice balls and in-room Indian yoga caskets are tended to without so much as a batted eye. Celebrity travel isn’t bound by practical things like vacation schedules or budgets — a detail made clear when Vulture revealed actor Johnny Depp’s $200,000-per-month bill for private jets and E! News reported Kim Kardashian spent $443,000 for four days in the Bahamas to celebrate husband Kanye West’s 40th birthday. Although celebrities rule the red carpet and own the spotlight on screen or on air, when it comes to traveling in style, it doesn’t take an inflamed bank account or even a spot on the A-list to get star treatment. “High-end clients want personalized and exceptional experiences, but you don’t have to be a celebrity to get those yourself,” says Kelly Shea, owner and president, Kelly Shea Travels, Inc. A travel agent since 1992, Shea earned a reputation as the “travel advisor to the stars” from her years spent arranging lavish travel experiences for her clientele. Along with being one of the elite travel advisors specially trained to sell suborbital flights aboard Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic commercial space venture, Shea booked private tours for celebrity chefs, Hollywood stars and numerous names found on the Forbes list of billionaires. “Private tours of the world’s most memorable places are not just for the rich and famous,” she explains. “Anyone can have a private tour of the Uffizi Gallery or the Sistine Chapel, and it’s not as expensive as you may think.” From scoring exclusive reservations and cashing in on upgrades to getting through security without breaking a sweat, you’ll soon kick back like Kanye and lounge like Leonardo with these tips and tricks for traveling like a celebrity.

HIRE A TRAVEL AGENT. Aside from simply saving you from the tedious and time-consuming task of selecting and booking your next vacation, a travel agent can actually score you some sweet hook-ups that aren’t available to the general public. Travel agents are the experts, and they make it their business to develop relationships with key players in the

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BY KRISTY ALPERT

travel industry. “We can get you rooms that may be ‘sold out’ to the public,” Shea adds. “But oftentimes I also know the general manager or the head of sales where I can call and have them personally check. There are almost always a few rooms held back just in case.” Most agents keep a finger on the pulse of the next hot thing in the travel industry, so they can advise clients to choose one hotel or cruise line over another based on factors like change of management or even recent renovations. “Celebrities are always looking for the unique and try to be away from the glaring [eye of the] public,” she explains. “We know the Michelin-starred restaurants and the hidden-away restaurants that most people have never heard of. This is our specialty whether we’re working with a millionaire or our next-door neighbor.” SPEAK UP! Every celebrity knows you don’t get what you want if you don’t ask for it — hence the bouquet of white lilies and grapefruitscented candles by Jo Malone that greeted Jennifer Lopez when she checked in to her London suite at The Dorchester. Although highly specific requests like these may land you in diva territory, asking for simple things like a better view from your hotel room or a suite farther from the elevator are definitely within reason. Even requesting a room on the concierge level is fair game, especially if you’re traveling out of peak season.

Celebrating your anniversary or birthday over your vacation? Make it known. Hotels and even some airlines are happy to treat guests to a special item like fresh flowers in the room, a complimentary upgrade, a bottle of Champagne or even just a handwritten note on the day of the event. Most workers in the hospitality industry grasp the concept that an elevated guest experience can lead to long-term loyalty and, more often than not, are willing to offer VIP treatment for guests who have chosen to spend their special moments with the brand. BE A LOYAL CUSTOMER. There are many benefits to signing up for loyalty programs through airlines and hotels (such as free award travel tickets, complimentary airport lounge privileges), but one of the best perks is a complimentary upgrade. Try to keep all your business with one hotel brand and one airline alliance and soon you’ll be racking up points and upgrades like a star. Airline perks include free checked bags (fewer bags to haul through the airport), complimentary upgrades and even onboard benefits like premium snacks and cocktails. Some hotel rewards programs offer perks like free breakfasts, free minibar access and spa credits for elite members, while others go so far as to customize your pillow preference and morning beverage delivery after a certain number of stays with the brand. LEISURE LIFESTYLE 2018

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CREATE AN “APP-TOURAGE.” Celebrities rarely travel solo, often touting personal assistants, babysitters and even masseuses to help make their vacations more carefree. Thankfully, you don’t need an entourage

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to get this star-studded service while on the road … or even a loyalty membership or credit card, for that matter. Owning a smartphone could give you all the prestige points you need for celebrity services like personally delivered treats, on-demand dry cleaning, hotel upgrades and more. There truly are apps for just about everything; and although apps like Uber and Lyft can help with the basics of travel, here are a few others that can take your travel game to the next level. Use a dry cleaning app like Cleanly and FlyCleaners for same-day pick-up and delivery in many cities around the world. Babysitter apps like UrbanSitter can help you find a trusted babysitter in your destination. Get special delivery. Ask one of the “taskers” at TaskRabbit to help out with everything from picking up and delivering your favorite cupcakes to setting up a romantic picnic for you to surprise your significant other while on vacation. Need some pampering? Sure, you can book a massage at a spa, but apps like Soothe and Zeel bring the masseuse to you. Perssist connects you with a virtual personal assistant who can make reservations, handle tedious assignments and offer local recommendations, all through the mobile app.

BOOK AN AIRPORT CONCIERGE. Even if your favorite starlet owns a matching set of Bottega Veneta’s alligator luggage, you’ll rarely see her carrying so much as a handbag while walking through the airport. This is where airport concierges come in. Not only will they deliver your bags directly to the gate for you, but also services start with a VIP check-in experience, a fast-track pass through customs and VIP lounge access, followed by a personal escort for you and your party to the gate. Some companies, like Royal Airport Concierge Services — which offers services in more than 750 airports around the world — even provide a VIP transfer where a private driver will deliver you and your party to the aircraft in a private vehicle for flights parked on the apron of the airport. Rates vary by destination, but the services are all-inclusive and will make any traveler feel (and look) like a VIP with no waiting in lines or carrying bags, so you arrive at your destination fresh and stressfree.

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Paths to the Past For legions of travelers, looking backward is the new way to move forward. BY DEBRA BOKUR ACCESS TO MULTIDIMENSIONAL machinery aside, time travel is all the rage, from pilgrimages to ancient megaliths to personal quests to locate the garden café tucked into a winding brick alley in Prague where your great-grandfather proposed to your great-grandmother. While the exact definition may vary from one traveler to the next, the interest in journeys with a historical component — sometimes termed heritage tourism — holds steady. Travelers are searching for and embarking upon expeditions that tangibly connect them to some version of the past, hoping to discover a

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gateway to a specific period, cultural event or significant family moment. “We see historical or heritage tourism as very broad,” offers Heather Reekie, head of marketing, Scotland-based Rabbie’s Tours. “It covers everything on the tourism map from built heritage (such as Edinburgh Castle), cultural heritage (think Shakespeare), landscapes (pre-historical sites such as Skara Brae), places of historical interest (like Culloden) or places linked to historical characters (such as the Jacobites or Mary Queen of Scots). It is, ultimately, connecting travelers to people, places

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Skara Brae Stone Age village in Scotland (top), and clan graves on Culloden Moor battlefield in Scotland

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and experiences of the past.” In a world increasingly viewed through the lens of technology and social media, these links to another time in human history may grow in importance. Companies specializing in organized tours understand this and find ways to engage a travel market segment in pursuit of these connections. Brian DeToy, Ph.D, and his wife, Sheryl Rankin Shafer, founded their Denver-based company, Essential History Expeditions, with the goal of fulfilling the travel dreams of those seeking an experiential, immersive history-culture experience. According to DeToy, who spent 14 years as a university professor (including teaching history and strategic studies at West Point) and 28 years as a U.S. Army officer with combat experience, historical travelers are looking for answers to some basic questions. “They want to know where we come from; what factors, events, challenges and opportunities shaped us,” he says. “Not only are they curious about the personalities that drove change, but, perhaps most importantly, why did our present day turn out the way it did when numerous paths could have led to other outcomes. It’s that sense of contingency that intrigues us, along with a very human story that is relatable across decades and centuries.” Within the arena of historical travel, multiple sub-categories evolved. During 23 years of leading more than 150 tours, DeToy identified popular categories that include military history (battles, clashes and sites), cultural investigation (engaging with people from other cultures to identify the effect of time and events on their development), topical history (such as a Civil Rights journey across the American South), literature and filmbased history (tours of England’s Yorkshire district prompted by the BBC Downton Abbey series), and corporate leadershipteam building expeditions with a historical element (executive teams traveling to battlefields such as Gettysburg or Normandy

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to explore the development of leadership and character and examine how past leaders dealt with great challenges). Jacqui Lewis, president and managing director, Audley Travel North America, says her company defines historical tourism as “travel that connects individuals with any location that provides context for the world we currently live in” — whether through visiting ancient ruins, partaking in traditional ceremonies or simply joining a private city tour with the aim of understanding the development of our modern cities. “We have seen a big push towards connecting with cultures that still hold on to traditions despite our rapidly changing world,” says Lewis. “For example, while people on a trip to Vietnam still want to visit Hanoi, there seems to be an increase in people wanting to add time in Sapa, trekking through the

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Terraced rice fields near Sapa (top), and a Red Zao child riding her buffalo along the road near Sapa, Vietnam (bottom) PHOTOS: © SONHA95 | DREAMSTIME .COM, © EDWARDJE | DREAMSTIME .COM

FX Excursions FX Excursions offer a chance for a once-in-a-lifetime experience in a destination around the world. The unique itineraries, exclusively created by and for FXExpress Publications, Inc. and its partners, allow participants to go hands-on at a worldwide event or see an international city in a new way. All the planning and sightseeing is handled for attendees, from the flights and accommodations to the itinerary. The tours offer partners the chance to connect with FXExpress Publications’ readers and gain exposure across our various outlets. The tours are exclusively marketed through our publications — Global Traveler, globaltravelerusa.com, whereverfamily.com and trazeetravel.com — and our social media outlets. Travel with us as we embark on these handcrafted agendas around the globe.

FACE OF HISTORY:

area and sharing a meal with a local hill tribe community.” These experiences become powerful links to places that seem steeped in the past but are rapidly vanishing amid modernization. While Lewis notes many travelers choose places with which they have some familial connection in order to explore their ancestry, there is also a trend to connect with nature and the greater world in a desire to see a less complicated version of life — like viewing the night sky from places such as Ayers Rock in Australia, where the unobstructed view is how others thousands of years ago would have seen the stars. Moving at a slower pace appears to be part of this trend. DeToy’s tours regularly visit battlefields where participants have the opportunity to walk through the landscape, providing context and insight to why and how long-ago commanders may have made specific decisions. For Lewis, trekking to view ancient ruins is a frequent request. “There is something very powerful,” explains Lewis, “about

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seeing a historical structure that you have just arrived at much the same way one would have when the site hosted a flourishing civilization.” The interest in historical-heritage tourism extends to pre-history. Travel that embraces some kind of archaeological factor brings increasing numbers of inquisitive visitors to explore crumbling ruins and enigmatic structures such as Stonehenge, Easter Island, the Erbil Citadel and the Lascaux Caves. Companies specializing in these experiences include U.K.-based Andante Travel, offering a multitude of tours such as a new expedition to Malta and Gozo headed up by Cambridge archaeologist Jeremy Bennett. Andante’s leadership in archaeological tours spans a three-decade-long track record of pairing travelers with historians, archaeologists and other experts who help interpret surroundings and provide perspective and framework for what travelers see along the way. “People often travel to just see or experience different places and cultures, but no one can see or experience something different without wondering how and why it is the way it is,” adds Andrew Lear, founder and president, Oscar Wilde Tours and Shady Ladies Tours. Lear acknowledges while some of the answers lie in geology, biology, economics or other factors, what truly determines the story of a place or a culture is indelibly bound within its history. “On the whole,” says Lear, “history — including art history — is taught and told in a remarkably prudish way, as if the messy, amusing, and sexy sides of life were best forgotten. Our tours tell people the fun side of history that most of the fields of history and art history suppress.” He points to the labels in art museums as an example. At New York’s Metropolitan Museum, a canvas by the 19th-century French painter Rosa Bonheur called The Horse Fair is on view. Bonheur, who was both a lesbian and a cross-dresser, centered herself in the painting, dressed in men’s clothing. “Yet,” says Lear, “the Met’s label does not mention it, as if this were not interesting, while in fact it is the most interesting thing about the painting, the thing which would bring the painting and the artist to life for a viewer. By telling people about this suppressed side of history, we help people feel a real sense of connection to people in earlier periods.” This connection becomes even more vital and poignant in our technology-obsessed culture. Perhaps a counter drive has sprung up, one Reekie suggests is a natural urge to rebel against change and to seek authentic experiences with places deeply rooted in our collective consciousness that allow us to disconnect and immerse ourselves in the stories that led us to this point in time. To keep your eyes open and look where you’re going as you move through the world is, of course, a fine bit of advice, but historical tourism reminds us this isn’t the only view. To never look behind means to miss out on a bigger, more complete picture. “Historical tourism,” says DeToy, “means examining in depth the people, events and cultures that created or impacted the stream of history in such ways that we are still touched by it today. It is the human story.”

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Home Sweet (Second) Home We examine the best places to purchase a vacation property in the United States. BY KATIE SKRZEK BEACH TOWN:

Panama City Beach PHOTO: ÂŠ RUTH PETERKIN | DREAMSTIME.COM

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BUYING A VACATION HOME in a region away from your primary home can be a daunting task. There are many factors to consider: long-term goals, budget, type of home, destination. With the passage of new federal tax laws in late 2017, buying a second home is more complicated than ever. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t let that deter your plans. Plenty of markets throughout the United States offer prime real estate opportunities. Rental property marketplace Rented.com recently released the results of its study of the best places to buy a domestic vacation property for 2018. The study was based on several key factors: real estate price; local vacation rental rates; overall popularity of the destination; and insurance, taxes and maintenance costs. The ranking reveals 150 destinations throughout the United

LEISURE LIFESTYLE 2018

States ideal for purchasing a vacation property. The study breaks down specific regions as well as listing the overall top cities. These cities offer a potential return on investment. Whether you want to capitalize on an investment opportunity or simply want a home away from home, these destinations offer great potential. Rented.com ranked these cities as the top five vacation property markets in the United States. PANAMA CITY BEACH is a waterfront town in the northwest part of Florida on the Gulf of Mexico. The city is served by Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport, about a 30-minute drive to the beach. TripAdvisor named Panama City Beach one of the top 25 beaches in the United States. The region

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NAPA NESTLES IN THE HEART of California’s Napa Valley wine region. Located less than 60 miles outside of San Francisco, it can easily be reached from San Francisco International Airport. Though the cost of home ownership is generally high in this market, short-term rental opportunities offer great potential for income. According to Zillow, the median rent price in Napa is $2,875. The median house value rose 5.5 percent over the last year and is expected to rise another 3.3 percent in the next year. The time to buy is now. LOCATED ALONG THE Arkansas River, Tulsa is the second-largest city in Oklahoma. Tulsa International Airport lies about five miles from the downtown area. The Greater Tulsa Association of Realtors annual report marks the area’s average home sale price at $188,746, with the median price below the national average. Besides affordability, the market offers stability. The Tulsa housing market didn’t suffer a total collapse like other markets during the 2008 recession, and prices remained mostly steady 2016–2018. Realtor.com recently rated Tulsa as one of the top 10 housing markets for 2018, so consider purchasing sooner rather than later.

RENTAL POTENTIAL:

Napa Valley vineyard (top), and Memphis skyline (bottom) PHOTOS: © JAVARMAN | DREAMSTIME.COM, © JESSE KUNERTH | DREAMSTIME.COM

boasts 27 miles of beaches with 100 public beach access points as well as two state parks with miles of hiking and biking trails. The market experienced an increase in home sales over the last several years. However, according to Trulia, the median price for a one-bedroom property decreased. CHICAGO IS A TOURISM HUB with many famous attractions ranging from museums and skyscrapers to sporting events and culinary establishments. With its cold winters and metropolitan atmosphere, however, The Windy City isn’t necessarily always considered a vacation home destination. Compared to other major cities in the United States, Chicago has an overall lower cost of living. While housing costs doubled in certain markets, prices mostly stayed steady with smaller increases in Chicago. Financial service firm UBS’ Global Real Estate Bubble Index classifies Chicago as an undervalued market.

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LEISURE LIFESTYLE 2018

SITUATED ON THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER in southwest Tennessee, Memphis is known for its music scene. Memphis International Airport serves the city from its location about seven miles southeast of downtown Memphis. According to Zillow, the median home value in Memphis is $84,200, with a prediction of a 3.8 percent rise within the year. However, the market shows a zero percent increase from last year’s median home sales, according to Trulia. The city has plans for a variety of multifamily development projects in the works for 2018, offering potential to second-home buyers. Though the best places to buy vary year to year, several cities repeatedly appear on Rented.com’s list. Eight cities were considered among the best places to buy in 2017 and 2018, with six of those on the list in 2016, 2017 and 2018. With the popularity of short-term rental companies like Airbnb, VRBO and HomeAway, it’s now easier than ever to rent your second home when you aren’t there. Travelers are increasingly more interested in alternative lodging over a traditional hotel experience. Even when you aren’t staying at the property, you have potential to monetize the space. Wherever you decide to buy, make yourself at home.

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SOFITEL LOS ANGELES AT BEVERLY HILLS | 8555 BEVERLY BLVD. LOS ANGELES, CA 90048 | 310-278-5444 WWW.SOFITEL-LOS-ANGELES.COM

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