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The I Prefer Hotel Rewards program offered by the Preferred Travel Group has made an announcement regarding the Members’ Choice Awards for the year 2026 which will include some of the best independent hotels and resorts in multiple global regions.
The award has been given to those independent hotels that have been able to provide their guests with a consistent experience in the field of luxury travel in different parts of the world. The award covers four major regions of the world which are North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (Middle East & Africa), and the Caribbean (Central & South America).
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In North America, awarded properties are located across key travel destinations in the United States. These include Cape Elizabeth in Maine, Chatham in Massachusetts, Winter Park and Coral Gables in Florida, and Woodstock in Vermont.
These destinations represent a mix of coastal, cultural, and historic tourism regions across the United States. Cape Elizabeth in Maine is known for its Atlantic coastline and lighthouse scenery, while Massachusetts coastal towns such as Chatham are recognised for traditional New England seaside tourism.
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Florida destinations such as Winter Park and Coral Gables reflect urban luxury hospitality combined with cultural attractions, while Vermont’s Woodstock area is associated with heritage tourism and countryside resort experiences.
In Europe, recognised properties are located in major tourism destinations across the United Kingdom, Italy, Ireland, and Scotland. These include York and London in England, Lake Como in Italy, St Andrews in Scotland, and Newmarket-on-Fergus in Ireland.
York and London represent key cultural and historical tourism centres in the United Kingdom, attracting international travellers seeking heritage architecture and urban luxury accommodation. Lake Como in Italy remains one of Europe’s leading luxury lake destinations, known for upscale resorts and scenic alpine surroundings.
St Andrews in Scotland is internationally recognised for coastal heritage tourism, while Newmarket-on-Fergus in Ireland provides access to castle-based hospitality experiences and countryside tourism routes.
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In the Asia Pacific region, award-winning properties are located in Singapore, Japan, and Australia, reflecting some of the most developed urban luxury hotel markets in the world.
Singapore features multiple recognised properties, reinforcing its position as a leading global hospitality hub in Southeast Asia. The city-state is known for its modern skyline, waterfront districts, and strong international tourism infrastructure.
Kyoto in Japan represents a culturally rich destination combining traditional heritage with modern luxury hospitality experiences. Sydney in Australia serves as a major gateway for international tourism, with strong coastal and urban hotel offerings.
These destinations highlight the importance of Asia Pacific cities in global luxury travel networks, particularly for high-end leisure and business tourism.
In the Caribbean and Latin American region, recognised resorts are located in Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, Nicaragua, Jamaica, and Anguilla. These destinations represent key tropical tourism markets focused on beach resorts, island hospitality, and luxury leisure travel.
San Juan in Puerto Rico serves as a major Caribbean gateway with strong cultural and coastal tourism appeal. Harbour Island in the Bahamas is known for its pink sand beaches and boutique resort experiences.
Tola in Nicaragua represents emerging eco-luxury tourism development along Central America’s Pacific coastline. Montego Bay in Jamaica remains a major Caribbean resort hub, combining beach tourism with international hotel infrastructure.
Anguilla’s Rendezvous Bay is recognised for high-end beachfront resorts and low-density luxury tourism. These destinations reflect the continued expansion of premium hospitality across island and coastal regions in the Caribbean basin.
The awarded hotels and resorts reflect a broader trend in global tourism toward independent hospitality brands that focus on personalised guest experiences. These properties are distributed across established tourism destinations as well as emerging luxury markets.
Independent hotels in Europe, North America, Asia, and the Caribbean increasingly compete with global chains by emphasising local culture, design identity, and destination-specific experiences. This approach aligns with evolving traveller preferences for authentic and immersive stays.
The geographic spread of recognised properties highlights major international tourism corridors. Europe continues to attract high-volume luxury travel across Italy, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Scotland. North America maintains strong domestic and inbound tourism flows across coastal and cultural destinations.
Asia Pacific remains a key growth region for luxury hospitality, particularly in Singapore, Japan, and Australia, where urban tourism infrastructure supports international travel demand. The Caribbean and Central America continue to expand as premium beach destination markets supported by resort development and cruise-linked tourism.
The Members’ Choice Awards reflect a consumer-driven evaluation model within the luxury hospitality sector. Recognition is based on guest experiences across independent hotel networks, highlighting service quality, location value, and destination appeal.
This model underscores the importance of traveller feedback in shaping global hospitality reputation and influencing future travel demand across key tourism markets.
The nominated hotels further highlight the power of independent hotels in creating an image for world tourism. These hotels help create destination images through unique cultural accommodations that have their own connection with their geographic and heritage location.
From historic European destinations, Caribbean islands, to Asia Pacific destinations, independent hospitality remains one of the key players in world tourism networks.
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Saturday, September 12, 2026
Saturday, September 12, 2026
Saturday, September 12, 2026
Saturday, September 12, 2026
Saturday, September 12, 2026
Saturday, September 12, 2026
Saturday, September 12, 2026
Saturday, September 12, 2026