One established name and one newcomer became first-time winners at the World Travel Awards Grand Final, which took place at the luxurious JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay in Vietnam on Sunday.

Aristi Mountain Resort & Villas was named World’s Leading Eco-Lodge, an award many were surprised to see go to Greece, shining a light on efforts being made to make the country’s tourism industry more sustainable.

Grand Resort Lagonissi (which has previously won titles at the European level of the awards) was named World’s Leading Meetings & Conference Hotel, managing to beat out stiff competition such as the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, and even more impressively, the One World Hotel in Malaysia, which has taken home the title every year since 2014.

Aristi Mountain Resort & Villas (Zagori)

World’s Leading Eco-Lodge 2017

The Aristi Mountain Resort & Villas is built in harmony with its natural surroundings, while also maintaining the architectural aesthetic of the area. The villages of the mountainous region of Zagori traditionally consist of stone-built houses with natural slate roofs, architectural features that Aristi has embraced, using local wood, stone and other materials.

A high-tech system cleans the resort’s waste water, reducing its impact on the environment; heat pumps are used to cut down the need for heating oil, and the resort is constantly striving to achieve zero waste.

Verdant forest surrounds the rooms and villas, which resemble luxurious homes, decorated with modern furniture and with working fireplaces. The restaurant serves organic local dishes, made from produce grown in the resort’s own garden and greenhouse. They also have spa facilities, and cooperate with several alternative recreational tourism companies who organize outdoor activities in the area.

The resort’s owner, Vasilis Iosifidis is also the co-founder of ZEN (the Zagori Excellence Network), an organization aiming to promote the tourism of Zagori while protecting the region’s environment and biodiversity through systematic preservation efforts.

Grand Resort Lagonissi (Athens)

World’s Leading Meetings & Conference Hotel 2017

The Grand Resort Lagonissi is widely considered one of the top hotels around Athens, and has previously taken home titles at the European level of the World Travel Awards (such as Europe’s Leading Luxury Wedding Resort in 2017 and 2016). For business travelers, it has long been a top choice, but recent upgrades have made it the best in the world, according to the organization.

The newly built “Grand Hall”, features 2.500 sq. meters of meeting spaces suited for corporate meetings, conventions, exhibitions, press conferences, and product events. The large Ballroom Foyer works as a perfect reception space with room for a press booth and administrative services, and can also be used for functions and exhibitions.

The Cosmos Ballroom is a large, multifunctional, fully carpeted space which can seat 1350 people, featuring a stage and state-of-the-art audiovisual technology. It connects to the Uranus Terrace; an outdoor space perfect for gala dinners, meetings, and themed evenings. The Zeus Hall rooms 700 seats and, like the Cosmos Ballroom, it has a glorious view through glass doors that open up towards the sea. Additionally, there are eight conference rooms fitted with modern audiovisual equipment, each large enough to seat 130 people.

Aside from the conference center itself, the fine dining restaurants of Grand Resort Lagonissi serve business travelers perfectly, and when you need to unwind, there is no better place to be than the Thalaspa Chenot (nominated for the Best Greek Resort Spa award at the World Spa Awards 2017).

At the European leg of the World Travel Awards earlier this year, Greece took home 10 titles. Find all of the Greek winners of European and Greek titles here.