A huge congratulations to all the entrants who reached the finals in each category. With hundreds of outstanding submissions of exceptional quality this year, our judges faced an extraordinarily difficult task in determining the final shortlists. After much careful deliberation, our panel of esteemed judges worked tirelessly to select the following OutThere brands to progress to the finals…
The Experientialist® Awards 2026 is proudly supported by…
Most OutThere travel brand
The nine most revolutionary, mindful and forward-looking travel brands that have demonstrated unrivalled and holistic innovation, inclusivity, creativity and excellence across all aspects of their operations, linked specifically to OutThere’s core values of diversity, discovery and discernment.
Aleenta
andBeyond
Banyan Group
Intercontinental Hotels & Resorts
Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group
Montcalm Collection
Relais & Chateaux
Scott Dunn
Visit Stockholm
Most OutThere champion
Through stewardship, creativity, innovation and tenacity, these individuals are pushing boundaries and redefining the status quo of luxury travel. They create market-defining experiences, serve as role models and consistently deliver excellence in purpose-driven travel, personalisation, diversity and inclusion.
Benjamin di Costa – Windjammer Landing Resort & Residences
David Diaz-Molina – Minor Hotels
Janice Tjon Sien Kie – OutCaribbean
Joshua Gardner – Broadwick Soho
Mike McHugo MBE – Kasbah du Toubkal
Richard Thompson – INCLU Group
Most OutThere initiative in inclusive travel
These travel brands are making a meaningful impact by championing inclusivity and intersectionality in luxury and experiential travel, demonstrating a genuine commitment to personalisation, diversity and inclusion in everything they do.
Amilla
INCLU Group
La Miniera Pool Villas Pattaya
Sabi Sabi Reserve
Visit Stockholm
Visit California
Most OutThere initiative in community, conservation and sustainability
Social responsibility remains a core pillar for many of today’s luxury travel brands, inspiring travellers to journey with purpose – not only to consider where they travel, but how, why and with whom. It is genuinely heartening to see so many brands develop initiatives that foster a deeper, more empathetic understanding of humanity, nature and responsible stewardship, while also earning meaningful support from guests, travellers and the wider public. These projects represent the very best in social responsibility across community, conservation and sustainability, seamlessly woven into transformative travel experiences that are true to OutThere’s core values.
*The winner(s) of this category will receive the £15,000 / $20,000 collected from entry fees to help fund their project.
We wish to honour and recognise ALL the amazing projects/submissions this year, so we have not created a shortlist in this category. We will reveal which project(s) our judges rated most deserving – and who will receive the prize fund for their project(s) – in March.
137 Pillars Suites & Residences, Bangkok – Sustainable Thailand
A&K Philanthropy – The Cycle of Giving / Chipego Bike Shop
Ashford Castle – The Cré Kitchen
Carrier – Running Wild
The Datai Langkawi – The Datai Pledge
Jacada Travel – Positive Impact Collection
Jawakara Island Maldives – Seaturtle Teaching
The Lakes by Yoo – Sustainable Actions
Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve – Kubu / Shoes to Schools
Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park – Sustainability Transformation
Spier Hotel and Wine Farm – Growing for Good
Steppes Travel – Fund for Female Guides
Sunlife – For a World Where Kindness Shines
Wilderness – Sabyinyo Community Livelihood Association (SACOLA)
The following six Experientialist Awards shortlist categories honour luxury travel brands that share our commitment to diversity, discovery and discernment, and align with the six OutThere traveller profiles.
The Adventurer award
The six most adventurous brands from a long list of worthy entries, these travel providers embody a true spirit of discovery – encouraging their customers to embrace the great outdoors and push their own boundaries.
andBeyond
62ºNORD
Mountain Lodges of Nepal
Red Savannah
PONANT Explorations
Shinta Mani Mustang
The Culturalist award
These shortlisted brands place culture at the very heart of what they do – embracing not just the Arts, but also the local communities and destinations they operate in.
Bankside Hotel, Autograph Collection
Botanic Sanctuary
Capella Bangkok
Castelfalfi
Hart Shoreditch
Inhabit Hotels
JA Manafaru
ME Lisbon
Schloss Elmau
The Escapist award
These escapist journeys celebrate the art of ‘getting away from it all,’ promoting wellbeing and peace of mind. Each is a deserving finalist, selected from a vast array of entries competing for a place on the Experientialist Awards shortlist.
Beaverbrook
Dharana at Shillim
eriro Alpine Hide
Grand Forest Metsovo
Himalayan Echoes
Il Salviatino
Le Grand Bellevue
Naturhotel Forsthofgut
O&L Leisure
The Hedonist award
We loved judging this “just because” category, and have shortlisted six of the most delightfully indulgent and mindblowing properties, brands and experiences – each rooted in fun, joy and celebration.
Broadwick Soho
Eden Roc Cap Cana
ME Malta
Patina Maldives
The Slate
Ultima Corfu
The Insider award
These nine brands are all about ‘being in the know’ – offering journeys that are otherwise hard to access, made possible through the brands’ innovation, creativity and exceptional connections.
Aahaasa Collection
Jacada Travel
Mountain Lodges of Nepal
The Largo
Patina Osaka
Red Savannah
Tanah Gajah, a Resort by Hadiprana
Upper House
Wix Squared
The Sophisticate award
The most hotly contested category of the entire awards, this one had the judges pondering, debating and reconsidering countless times which of the luxurious, trend-setting, truly extraordinary properties, journeys and experiences deserved a place on the shortlist. These are their final nine.
Capella Hotel Group
Carrier
Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni
Il Sereno
Iniala Harbour House
La Sultana
Nobu Hospitality
Trisara
Windjammer Landing Resort & Residences
