Bonaldi enlisted fellow Aussie Jonathon Beck to bring the brand and award-winning destinations to life. “My goal was to give little flavors of things," said Beck. "I wanted Philippe Starck’s Faena Hotel in Buenos Aires to resonate in the lounge, and for the Four Seasons in Cairo to seep through the terrace." One challenge was the weight restriction of the venue elevators, which required transporting much of the decor, including 12-foot palm trees, up several flights of stairs.

Upon entering the upstairs salon, guests found themselves surrounded by the vibe of a Nuevo Latino lounge. The bongo beat of Latin-Afro fusion band Yerba Buena welcomed new arrivals into the space accompanied by passed empanadas, red lighting, chips and salsa-topped tables, and a wall lit with faux candles. The Travel & Leisure logo revolved on the ceiling on LEDs inside two chandeliers.

With the wafting scent of barbecue and ample cozy places to mingle, the Middle Eastern and African-themed terrace scarcely had an empty seat the entire night. The only outside area free of a tent, the terrace featured Match Catering's buffet of spiced flank steak, grilled veggies, and grilled chicken wrapped in a flat pita with peanut and cucumber yogurt sauces.  

The magazine scaled down an original branding plan (three 10-foot-high multi-dimensional buildouts of the awards logo—large enough to sit inside—were to be placed on different levels of the venue) and instead opted for giant red vinyl stickers that spelled out "World's Best Awards 2008" on the roof's windows to simulate being enclosed by the brand.

Long after editor in chief Nancy Novogrod and new publisher Jean-Paul Kyrillos gave short speeches (piped throughout the various spaces), further acknowledging the winners, guests lingered to dance and taste the one dessert: a phyllo nest with vanilla honey cream and pistachios. Only a few left before 11 p.m., grabbing copies of the magazine's latest issue on their way out.