Winners Announced in the 2008 HM Awards

The leading hotels in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific have been recognised for excellence at the 2008 HM Awards for Hotel & Accommodation Excellence, held in front of 420 guests in Sydney tonight.

The HM Awards, presented by Panasonic, awarded people, departments, properties and chains across 39 categories in front of the industry’s leading hoteliers, staff, key suppliers and travel media.

“Once again, the HM Awards showcased the best the industry has to offer,” said James Wilkinson, Managing Editor of HM magazine – host of the sixth annual HM Awards.

“We have some of the finest staff and hotels the world has to offer and it has again been a privilege to recognise excellence across the industry here in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific.

“The 2008 HM Awards were the most successful ever held. A record 420 guests attended the gala presentation dinner, while over 400 entries were received for the 39 categories – that meant 650 people, properties, hotels and chains were nominated for HM Awards in 2008,” he said.

Keith Barr, InterContinental Hotels Group’s Chief Operating Officer for Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific, took home the biggest award, the 2008 HM Magazine Hotelier of the Year. The award was voted on by the leading regional directors of hotel chains, as were the other two biggest awards on the night – Overall Accommodation Property and Accommodation Chain.

Park Hyatt Sydney, led by General Manager Marlene Poynder, won Overall Accommodation Property, while Mirvac Hotels & Resorts was named Accommodation Chain of the Year.

Other major Awards saw Sean Hunt win Australian Hotel Manager of the Year, Hilton Sydney win Marketing Campaign for its ‘Provocateur’ package and Small Luxury Hotels win Hotel Brand Management Company.

Nominations in the HM Awards were open to hotel staff across Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific. Over 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 in conjunction with Hostec.

HM (Hotel & Accommodation Management) Magazine is the host of the annual HM Awards, which were presented by Panasonic. Co-hosts of the event for 2008 included the Blue Mountains Hotel, ahs Hospitality, ISIS and Micros Fidelio.

A complete list of winners can be found below.

2008 HM AWARDS WINNERS

PROPERTY AWARDS – AUSTRALIA

1. Serviced Apartment Property
Presented by ahs Hospitality
Medina Grand Adelaide Treasury, SA

2. Accommodation under 3.5 Stars
Presented by Australian International Hotel School
Hotel Ibis Sydney Airport, NSW

3. Accommodation under 4.5 Stars
Presented by Micros Fidelio
Vibe Hotel Rushcutters Bay, NSW

4. Accommodation 5 Stars
Presented by ahs Hospitality
The Observatory Hotel Sydney, NSW

5. Boutique Hotel
Presented by Panasonic
Cape Lodge, Margaret River, WA

6. Resort
Presented by ISIS
DUAL WINNERS: qualia, QLD & Hayman Island, QLD

7. Business Hotel
Presented by DOCOMO Intertouch
Shangri-La Hotel Sydney, NSW

8. Unique Accommodation
Presented by Sealy
Peppers Seven Spirit Bay, Arnhem Land, NT

9. Ecotourism Property
Presented by Blue Mountains Hotel School
Daintree Eco Lodge, Daintree, QLD

10. Best New Hotel
Presented by InTrust Super
Emporium Hotel, Brisbane, QLD

11. Alpine Accommodation
Presented by check-in.com.au
Thredbo Alpine Hotel, Thredbo, NSW

12. MICE Property
Presented by Main Event Magazine
InterContinental Perth Burswood, WA

13. Regional Property
Presented by Australian International Hotel School
Lilianfels Blue Mountains Resort & Spa, Katoomba, NSW

14. Hotel Day Spa
Presented by Micros Fidelio
Angsana Spa, Angsana Resort & Spa Great Barrier Reef, Palm Cove, QLD

15. Hotel Bar
Presented by Panasonic
Zeta Bar, Hilton Sydney, NSW

16. Hotel Restaurant
Presented by FIJI water
Est, Establishment, Sydney, NSW

17. Hi-Tech Hotel
Presented by FOXTEL Business
Hilton Sydney, NSW

PROPERTY AWARDS – ALL COUNTRIES

18. Environmental Hotel
Presented by AAA Tourism
Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley, NSW

PROPERTY AWARDS – NEW ZEALAND & SOUTH PACIFIC

19. New Zealand Hotel
Presented by Vingcard Elsafe
Sofitel Queenstown

20. New Zealand Regional Property
Presented by Queenstown Resort College
Huka Lodge, Taupo

21. Fijian Property
Presented by ISIS
The Westin Denarau Island Resort & Spa, Denarau Island

22. South Pacific Property
Presented by Panasonic
InterContinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa, French Polynesia

PEOPLE AWARDS

23. Concierge
Presented by Vroom Vroom Vroom
Peter McBrearty, The Langham, Melbourne, VIC

24. Executive Chef
Presented by Global Chef
Hugh Whitehouse, Darleys, Lilianfels Blue Mountains Resort & Spa, Katoomba, NSW

25. Bartender / Bar Manager
Presented by Micros Fidelio
Stuart Reeves, harbourbar, Park Hyatt Sydney, NSW

26. Human Resources department member
Presented by Hostec
Debbie Simister, Accor Hotels Australia

27. Sales & Marketing department member
Presented by Vacations & Travel Magazine
Catherine Mangan, InterContinental Sydney, NSW

28. PR/Communications department member
Presented by Travmedia.com
Katie Malone, The Langham Auckland, NZ

29. Front Office department member
Presented by ISIS
Maja Shiels, Four Seasons Hotel Sydney, NSW

30. Rooms Division department member
Presented by ahs Hospitality
Mandy Lean, Quay West Resort Magenta Shores, NSW

MAJOR AWARDS

31. Marketing Campaign
Presented by Panasonic
‘Provocateur Package’, Hilton Sydney, NSW

32. Service to the Community
Presented by HM magazine
Melbourne Marriott, VIC

33. Hotel Brand Management Company
Presented by Panasonic
Small Luxury Hotels of the World

34. South Pacific Hotel Manager
Presented by Blue Mountains Hotel School
Darren Shaw, Outrigger on the Lagoon Fiji, Fiji Islands

35. New Zealand Hotel Manager
Presented by Micros Fidelio
Nathan Cook, The Quadrant Hotel, Auckland

36. Australian Hotel Manager
Presented by ISIS
Sean Hunt, Sheraton on the Park, Sydney, NSW

37. Accommodation Chain
Presented by ahs Hospitality
Mirvac Hotels & Resorts

38. Overall Accommodation Property
Presented by Panasonic
Park Hyatt Sydney, NSW

39. HM Magazine Hotelier of the Year
Presented by HM Magazine
Keith Barr, InterContinental Hotels Group

The 2008 HM Awards were officially audited by Ernst & Young.