The leading properties in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific have been recognised for excellence in the accommodation industry at the 2007 HM Awards.

The HM Awards, presented by Panasonic and held at the University of Sydney’s MacLaurin Hall on Friday August 17, awarded properties, departments and people across 39 categories in front of over 350 industry guests.

“This year’s HM Awards showcased the best the industry has to offer. Once again, it was a night of excellence, led by the people that make hotels what they are,” said James Wilkinson, Editor of HM – Hotel Management magazine, host publication of the HM Awards.

“The staff we have running hotels in this region are without doubt the best the world has to offer,” he said. “I’m incredibly pleased that it’s these staff we primarily recognise every year, and in the 2007 HM Awards, the standard was incredibly high.”

Mirvac Hotels and Resorts’ CEO Andrew Turner won the top gong on the night, the 2007 HM Magazine Hotelier of the Year. The award, in its inaugural year, was decided by the leading regional directors of international hotel chains across Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific.

Other major awards on the night included: Australian Hotel Manager – Stephen Lewis, Four Seasons Hotel, Sydney; New Zealand Hotel Manager – Mark Wilkinson, Sofitel Queenstown; South Pacific Hotel Manager – David Hopcroft, Shangri-La’s Fijian Resort; Overall Accommodation Property – Park Hyatt Sydney; Accommodation Chain – ACCOR; Hotel Brand Management Company – Small Luxury Hotels of the World.

Nominations in the HM Awards were open to hotel staff across Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific. This year, a record 700 properties and people were nominated in the 2007 HM Awards, which then went to two separate panels of judges. Around 30 leading travel writers and industry leaders decided on the property categories, while a special in-house HM magazine team decided on the people awards. A combined group decided on three judges’ only categories – Accommodation Chain, Overall Property and Hotel Brand Management Company.

“This year we were proud to have Panasonic on board as the presenting partner of the HM Awards for the first time,” Wilkinson said. “Once more, our co-hosts included ahs Hospitality, the HMAA, Hirum and the Blue Mountains Hotel School. Without the support from these companies, the HM Awards would not be possible.”

A full list of winners is included below.


WINNERS IN THE 2007 HM AWARDS

AUSTRALIAN PROPERTY CATEGORIES

1. Serviced Apartment Property
Presented by Panasonic
• Medina Grand Adelaide Treasury, SA

2. Accommodation under 3.5-stars
Presented by HMAA
• Travelodge Southbank Melbourne, VIC

3. Accommodation under 4.5-stars
Presented by ahs Hospitality
• Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley, NSW

4. Accommodation 5-stars
Presented by BMHS
• Four Seasons Hotel Sydney, NSW

5. Business Hotel
Presented by Maginet
• The Westin Sydney, NSW

6. Resort
Presented by Hirum
• Hayman Island, QLD

7. Boutique Hotel
Presented by Concept Amenities
• The Observatory Hotel, Sydney, NSW

8. Unique Accommodation
Presented by Sealy
• Voyages Longitude 131, NT

9. Ecotourism Property
Presented by BMHS
• Voyages Longitude 131, NT

10. New Hotel
Presented by Horwath HTL
• Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley, NSW

11. Alpine Accommodation
Presented by Hirum
• Grand Mercure Mount Buller, VIC

12. Meetings and Conference Property
Presented by BMHS
• Novotel Twin Waters Resort, QLD

13. Regional Property
Presented by AIHS
• Lake House, Daylesford, VIC

14. Hotel Day Spa
Presented by Concept Amenities
• Chuan Spa, The Langham Melbourne, VIC

15. Hotel Bar
Presented by The Macallan
• Zeta, Hilton Sydney, NSW

16. Hotel Restaurant
Presented by Fiji Water
• Darley’s, Lilianfels Blue Mountains, NSW

17. Hi-Tech Hotel
Presented by Panasonic
• Hilton Sydney, NSW

NEW ZEALAND / SOUTH PACIFIC PROPERTY CATEGORIES

18. New Zealand City Hotel
Presented by ahs Hospitality
• Langham Hotel Auckland

19. New Zealand Regional Property
Presented by Hirum
• Treetops Lodge, Rotorua

20. Fijian Property
Presented by ahs Hospitality
• Jean Michel Cousteau Fiji Islands Resort

21. South Pacific Property
Presented by Panasonic
• Sofitel Bora Bora Beach Resort, French Polynesia

PEOPLE AWARDS

22. Concierge
Presented by Champagne Charles Heidsieck
• Alex Williams, Sheraton on the Park, Sydney, NSW

23. Executive Chef
Presented by Le Cordon Bleu
• Simon Bryant, The Brasserie, Hilton Adelaide, SA

24. Bar Team Member
Presented by Richmond Grove wines
• Mike Enright, Zeta Bar, Hilton Sydney, NSW

25. Human Resources Dept Member
Presented by Hostec
• Justin Prince, Rendezvous Observation City Hotel Perth, WA

26. Sales & Marketing Dept Member
Presented by Vacations & Travel Magazine
• Parris Fotias, The Leading Hotels of the World

27. PR & Communications Dept Member
Presented by Travmedia.Com
• Kim McKay, TOGA Hospitality

28. Front Office Dept Member
Presented by Hirum
• Angus Muffet, Quay Grand Suites Sydney, NSW

29. Rooms Division Dept Member
Presented by ahs Hospitality
• Monique Russell, Melbourne Marriott Hotel, VIC

MAJOR AWARDS

30. Marketing Campaign
Presented by HMAA
• Vibe CD, Vibe Hotels, TOGA Hospitality

31. Environmental Hotel
Presented by Panasonic
• InterContinental Bora Bora Resort, French Polynesia

32. Service to the Community
Presented by AIHS
• Accor’s Cure Kids campaign, Fiji

33. Hotel Brand Management Company
Presented by ahs Hospitality
• Small Luxury Hotels of the World

34. Overall Accommodation Property
Presented by Hirum
• Park Hyatt Sydney, NSW

35. Accommodation Chain
Presented by Panasonic
• ACCOR Asia-Pacific

36. South Pacific Hotel Manager
Presented by HM magazine
• David Hopcroft, Shangri-La’s Fijian Resort, Fiji Islands

37. New Zealand Hotel Manager
Presented by Panasonic
• Mark Wilkinson, Sofitel Queenstown

38. Australian Hotel Manager
Presented by Panasonic
• Stephen Lewis, Four Seasons Hotel Sydney, NSW

39. HM Magazine Hotelier of the Year
Presented by HM magazine
• Andrew Turner, Mirvac Hotels & Resorts