By Annette Shailer
The NSW hotel industry celebrated the excellence of the state’s best three, four and five-star hotels in style at the 13th annual AHA (NSW) Accommodation Awards for Excellence on Monday (May 3).
Well-known comedian and television personality, Mikey Robbins, was MC for the night announcing the 33 winners at the glamorous presentation dinner, held at the Hilton Sydney.
More than 600 guests from across the accommodation, tourism and hospitality industries attended the gala event, where there were 150 finalists vying for top honours.
Once again, the competition was fierce and the standards very high, but it was the Observatory Hotel which was awarded 2010 Deluxe Accommodation of the Year, for the second year in a row.
The Crowne Plaza Terrigal has been named Regional Superior Accommodation of the Year for 2010 and The Grace Hotel Sydney also scooped one of the night’s major awards.
The Shangri-La Hotel and Sheraton on the Park were also standouts for 2010, taking out four awards and three awards respectively.
Hosted by AHA (NSW) Accommodation Division chairman Richard Munro, special guests included the Hon. Jodi McKay MP, Minister for Tourism; the Hon. George Souris MP, Shadow Minister for Hospitality and Tourism and AHA (NSW) president Scott Leach.
“These prestigious awards provide the opportunity to showcase the full range of our members’ venues, up to the most elite properties. And the competition for 2010 has certainly set an impressive benchmark,” Munro said.
“In addition, this year we launched the Inaugural Hall of Fame and have welcomed Sean Connelly from Star City Hotel and Apartments, Darley’s Restaurant at Lilianfels Blue Mountains Resort & Spa, The Old City Bank Brasserie at The Carrington Hotel and Quay Grand Suites Sydney to this illustrious category.”
For the complete list of winners, click here.