A huge congratulations to all the winners and finalists of our 2024/2025 edition. There were hundreds of fabulous and worthy entries this year and the quality of entries was extremely high. Our panel of esteemed judges worked extremely hard to take a shortlist of brilliant OutThere brands through in each category. The four “Most OutThere” award winners were selected by a panel of handpicked judges. The winners of the six OutThere awards categories were voted for by OutThere readers.
The prize for each category winner is a GBP£15,000 / USD$20,000 display advertising package, in addition to fully editorialised inclusion in our awards edition of OutThere, with its front half dedicated to the Experientialist® Awards. The winners and highly commended of the ‘most OutThere initiative in community, conservation and sustainability’ share the GBP£15,000 / USD$18,500 proceeds.
The Experientialist® Awards 2024/25 is proudly supported by…
Most OutThere travel brand
Winner: Malta
Malta, with its emphasis on cultural immersion, phenomenal food, sustainability, heritage – not to mention their warm and inclusive people and hospitality as a result – is a reminder that the most profound experiences come not just from the places we visit, but from the connections we make, the stories we share and the joy of visiting somewhere that welcomes all OutThere travellers wholeheartedly. This year’s most OutThere brand embodies the convergence of freedom and beauty, a sharing of our core values of diversity, discovery and discernment. We just can’t help but want to ‘Explore More.’
Other finalists in this category include:
Andronis
Banyan Group
Hong Kong
Kimpton
Resplendent Ceylon
Scott Dunn
The Islands of Tahiti
Windjammer Landing
Most OutThere initiative in inclusive travel
Winner: Inclusive Morocco
Inclusive Morocco is doing something truly phenomenal, changing perceptions in the country to ensure that visitors feel that they can truly belong, but also by empowering the local community along the way. Their goal is to be the catalyst in travel, to infuse every journey with a deep sense of inclusivity and diversity and champion a forward-looking model of LGBTQI+ inclusivity … all in a country where same-sex relations are against the law.
Other finalists in this category include:
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Amilla
International African American Museum (Explore Charleston)
La Miniera Pool Villas Pattaya
Scott Dunn
Stockholm LGBT
Tahiti Tourisme
Visit California
Visit Malta
Most OutThere champion
Winner: Brad Dean
Brad Dean has woven Puerto Rico’s unique identity into the very fabric of their strategy, grounded in a belief that the destination must embody the values of sustainability, diversity and openness they seek to attract. In our work with Brad, we are always inspired by his open-mindedness, humility and determination to make a lasting impact on both the industry and the communities he serves. Under his leadership, Puerto Rico has not just welcomed the world, it has shown how tourism can be a force for meaningful change.
Special recognition: Eugenio Pirri
Eugenio Pirri has been a true champion for diversity, inclusion and belonging throughout his career, most recently as CEO at Dorchester Collection. An openly gay man, the son of Canadian-Italian migrants, he began his career in hospitality as a room attendant. His journey is a living testament to a personal philosophy of positive, values-driven change. Through his visionary leadership, Eugenio has not only transformed Dorchester Collection, but also set a powerful example for the industry. His work has made the company a true leader in diversity and inclusion.
Other finalists in this category include:
Bettina Walsh – Hong Kong Tourism Board
Christina Guggenberger – Stockholm LGBT
Kristina Snaith-Lense – The Upper House
Kurt Macher – Shangri-La London and Paris
Mike Freed – Post Ranch Inn
Nicola Shepherd – The Explorations Company
Vorapipat Dabbaransi – Avani+ Riverside Bangkok
Most OutThere initiative in community, conservation and sustainability
Joint-winner: The Pavilions Himalayas – Right4Children
The Pavilions Himalayas work in partnership with the NGO its founder had set up, to bring a wide range of benefits to disadvantaged young people in local communities. Its projects support schools and young women and include a hospitality training centre that has already upskilled many young people in in-demand abilities to put them into jobs in our industry. The project has driven some incredible and inspiring results to date, improving education in eleven schools in the area, benefitting and empowering nearly 2,000 students to date, mostly local girls and young women who were given market-driven vocational training including in traditionally male-dominated specialisms.
The Pavilions Himalayas has been awarded £6,000 collected from entry donations, to further fund their project.
Joint-winner: NIHI – Sumba Hospitality Foundation
Beautiful as it may be a place to live, Sumba is a very impoverished part of Indonesia, thin on career and empowerment opportunities for local people, driven by local role models. Having worked hard to earn the trust of local communities, luxury resort NIHI launched a training school in 2016. Each year the school trains 72 young local people, with a strict 50:50 gender ratio, in their choice of hospitality specialism, and to date the school has equipped more than 450 students with the skills and experience they need to gain work in world-class hotels and restaurants across the country they’re in and subsequently around the world, supporting themselves and their families. The concept extends to an on-campus hotel, which students run with supervision and a restaurant which allows budding chefs and restauranteurs to hone their craft. In both contexts, the students also get to meet international guests, gaining confidence and broadening their horizons.
The Sumba Hospitality Foundation has been awarded £6,000 collected from entry donations, to further fund their project.
Other finalists in this category include:
The two Highly Commended projects in this category will receive £1,500 each, collected from entry donations, to further fund their projects.
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Intrepid – The Black Mambas
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Singita – Singita Lowveld Trust
Abercrombie & Kent – A&K Philanthropy
andBeyond –
andBeyond Vira Vira
Blue Apple Beach – Green Apple Foundation
The Datai Langkawi – The Datai Pledge
Elewana – The Loisaba Conservancy
Jade Mountain – Sustainable Actions
Kamba Africa Rainforest Experiences – Odzala-Kokoua National Park
Lemala Camps & Lodges – The Untold Story
Mantis – The Banana Leaf Slipper Project
Mashpi Lodge – The Forests of the Chocó
Palladium Hotel Group – Palladium Cares
Six Senses Laamu – SHELL
Uniworld Boutique River Cruises – The TreadRight Foundation / Make Travel Matter
Wilderness – Children in the Wilderness
The following six categories for the Experientialist Awards celebrate the luxury travel brands, that like us, are rooted in diversity, discovery and discernment, linked to the six OutThere traveller profiles.
The Adventurer award
Winner: Xigera Safari Lodge
Xigera Safari Lodge serves adventure reimagined – unbounded, breathtaking and for everyone. In a magical Botswana wilderness in what may be one of the planet’s most surreal destinations, this brand conjures unforgettable moments and is one of the world’s first properties to win IGLTA accreditation – the gold standard in welcoming LGBTQ+ travellers.
Other finalists in this category include:
HIGHLY COMMENDED
andBeyond
HIGHLY COMMENDED
PONANT
Bhutan
cazenove & loyd
Eleven Experience
Kamba Africa Rainforest Experiences
The Slow Cyclist
Wildluing
The Culturalist award
Joint-winner: Costa Navarino
Costa Navarino celebrates the journey of a man whose values chime perfectly with today’s OutThere travellers. It is a constellation of world-class luxury and culture, set among the mythical landscapes of Ancient Greece.
Joint-winner: Hotel de l’Europe Amsterdam
Hotel de l’Europe is steeped in heritage and storytelling but is not afraid to come up with constant twists in its tale. We were most impressed by its recent installation, celebrating a diverse cast of homegrown, creative geniuses.
Other finalists in this category include:
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Shinta Mani Mustang
100 Princes Street
Banyan Tree Higashiyama Kyoto
Botanic Sanctuary
ME Barcelona
Raffles Jaipur
Santa Monica
The Escapist award – Far and beyond
Joint-winner: Kisawa Sanctuary
Mozambique is having a moment right now. It’s hard to imagine a more alluring home-away-from-home in this youthful, culture-rich country, or a more heavenly, away-from-it-all beach location than Kisawa Sanctuary.
Joint-winner: Nirjhara
Nirjhara is somewhere you can lose yourself and find yourself all at the same time, in the transporting embrace of this island getaway. Surrounded by rice paddies and palm trees, this luxury eco-resort is close to volcanic-sand beaches, secret waterfalls and Bali’s sacred springs.
Other finalists in this category include:
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Wildluing
Buahan Banyan Tree Escape
Cali Mykonos
Mashpi Lodge
Waldorf Astoria Seychelles
Xigera Safari Lodge
Zannier Bãi San Hô
The Escapist award – Wellbeing
Winner: Bürgenstock Resort Lake Lucerne
Why have a mere massage, when you can have a 24ct-gold hot stone massage in an elegant, palatial, dreamy, historic, celebrity-studded destination that’s home to Europe’s largest spa? This is Bürgenstock Resort Lake Lucerne.
Other finalists in this category include:
HIGHLY COMMENDED Naturhotel Forsthofgut
AIRE Ancient Baths
Cape of Senses
Chiva Som
Dharana at Shillim
Evian Resort
Kagi Maldives
Six Senses
The Hedonist award
Joint-winner: Gleneagles
Gleneagles is synonymous with rarefied fun and indulgence, and despite its stately heritage, it serves up lashings of good times. Hedonism doesn’t have to have sand between its toes – Highlands heather works just as well, especially with a falcon on your arm.
Joint-winner: Iniala Beach House / Iniala Harbour House
Iniala’s properties couldn’t be further apart: Iniala Beach House in Thailand embraces the Andaman Sea and Iniala Harbour House in Malta has a Mediterranean vibe instead. Iniala is an incredibly versatile brand, but good times are surely guaranteed.
Other finalists in this category include:
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Cali Mykonos
Ashford Castle
Mandarin Oriental
Melia Ibiza
Suvretta House
The Witchery
Thailand
The Insider award
Winner: Scott Dunn
Purveyors of travel that goes beyond the ordinary, Scott Dunn is the custodian of some of the best-kept travel secrets and crafts an incredible product, shaped by a deep understanding of who they are, and an insatiable desire to make their guest’s experience meaningful.
Other finalists in this category include:
Broadwick Soho
Capella Bangkok
Cartology Travel
Jacada Travel
PoB Hotels
Shangri-La
The Siam
Tuscany Now & More
The Sophisticate award
Winner: Regent Hotels & Resorts
Regent Hotels and Resorts, with a portfolio of 11 exceptional properties from the French Riviera to Montenegro to its first home, Hong Kong, twins extravagant indulgence with exceptional service. Our Sophisticate supreme above all understands that an authentic sense of place is today one of travellers’ most cherished luxuries. This brand is now raising the bar in hospitality, enriching guests’ stays with crafted, bespoke and truly personalised narratives.
Finalists:
hich of the luxurious, taste-making, out-of-this-world properties, journeys and experiences they would shortlist. These are their final nine.
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Capella Bangkok
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Palazzo Cordusio, a Gran Meliá Hotel
Cliveden House
The House Collective
Le Grand Jardin, Ultima Collection
Nobu Hotels
Soneva
Xara Collection
