Australia’s best hotels have been recognised at the 2008 AHA National Hotel Awards for Excellence, with the winners announced at a gala dinner in Sydney on Thursday night (August 28).
The awards reward high standards in all aspects of hotels, including bars, restaurants and accommodation, with at least one winner from each State and Territory.
Overall General Hotel of the Year was awarded to the Full Moon Hotel of Sandgate, Brisbane, while Overall Accommodation Hotel of the Year was awarded to Lilianfels Blue Mountains Resorts and Spa of Katoomba, NSW.
Best Bar Presentation and Service was jointly awarded to the Hilton Sydney’s Zeta Bar and the Prince Patrick Hotel of Collingwood, Melbourne.
Best Restaurant was awarded to the First Floor Restaurant of Kingston, Canberra (general division) and the Sydney Radisson Plaza Hotel’s Bilson’s Restaurant (accommodation division).
Best Environmental Initiative went to the Esplanade Hotel of Fremantle, while the Grand Hotel of Mornington and the Macquarie Hotel of Surry Hills in Sydney were jointly recognised for Outstanding Community Service.
Three hoteliers were inaugural inductees into the Johnnie Walker Hall of Fame: Michael Monaghan of WA, Tom Payne of Victoria and David Thomas of NSW.
“Australia’s hotel industry is constantly raising the bar when it comes to standards,” said AHA chief executive, Bill Healey. “Hotels that have been honoured at the 2008 AHA National Hotel Awards for Excellence underline this point. Congratulations to all finalists and in particular, all winning hotels.”