Winners announced in the 2007 HM Awards

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.”

The full list of winners is:

AUSTRALIAN PROPERTY CATEGORIES

1. Serviced Apartment Property
Medina Grand Adelaide Treasury

2. Accommodation under 3.5-stars
Travelodge Southbank Melbourne

3. Accommodation under 4.5-stars
Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley

4. Accommodation 5-stars
Four Seasons Hotel Sydney

5. Business Hotel
The Westin Sydney

6. Resort
Hayman Island

7. Boutique Hotel
The Observatory Hotel, Sydney

8. Unique Accommodation
Voyages Longitude 131

9. Ecotourism Property
Voyages Longitude

10. New Hotel
Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley

11. Alpine Accommodation
Grand Mercure Mount Buller

12. Meetings and Conference Property
Novotel Twin Waters Resort

13. Regional Property
Lake House, Daylesford

14. Hotel Day Spa
Chuan Spa, The Langham Melbourne

15. Hotel Bar
Zeta, Hilton Sydney

16. Hotel Restaurant
Darley’s, Lilianfels Blue Mountains

17. Hi-Tech Hotel
Hilton Sydney

NEW ZEALAND / SOUTH PACIFIC PROPERTY CATEGORIES

18. New Zealand City Hotel
Langham Hotel Auckland

19. New Zealand Regional Property
Treetops Lodge, Rotorua

20. Fijian Property
Jean Michel Cousteau Fiji Islands Resort

21. South Pacific Property
Sofitel Bora Bora Beach Resort, French Polynesia

PEOPLE AWARDS

22. Concierge
Alex Williams, Sheraton on the Park, Sydney

23. Executive Chef
Simon Bryant, The Brasserie, Hilton Adelaide

24. Bar Team Member
Mike Enright, Zeta Bar, Hilton Sydney

25. Human Resources Dept Member
Justin Prince, Rendezvous Observation City Hotel Perth

26. Sales & Marketing Dept Member
Parris Fotias, The Leading Hotels of the World

27. PR & Communications Dept Member
Kim McKay, TOGA Hospitality

28. Front Office Dept Member
Angus Muffet, Quay Grand Suites Sydney

29. Rooms Division Dept Member
Monique Russell, Melbourne Marriott Hotel

MAJOR AWARDS

30. Marketing Campaign
Vibe CD, Vibe Hotels, TOGA Hospitality

31. Environmental Hotel
InterContinental Bora Bora Resort, French Polynesia

32. Service to the Community
Accor’s Cure Kids campaign, Fiji

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

34. Overall Accommodation Property
Park Hyatt Sydney

35. Accommodation Chain
ACCOR Asia-Pacific

36. South Pacific Hotel Manager
David Hopcroft, Shangri-La’s Fijian Resort, Fiji Islands

37. New Zealand Hotel Manager
Mark Wilkinson, Sofitel Queenstown

38. Australian Hotel Manager
Stephen Lewis, Four Seasons Hotel Sydney

39. HM Magazine Hotelier of the Year
Andrew Turner, Mirvac Hotels & Resorts