The Oaks (Neutral Bay) and the Kooringal Hotel (Wagga Wagga) won the top honours at the New South Wales hotels industry’s night of nights.
The Oaks won overall hotel of the year (city) while the Kooringal Hotel won overall hotel of the year (country) before a crowd of more than 1400 people at a gala presentation ceremony at Dockside, Darling Harbour on Monday. [continues below]
The team from The Oaks
There were a record 436 finalists across 40 categories at the 21st annual AHA NSW Awards for Excellence.
Winners included:
- Overall hotel of the year (city) – The Oaks (Neutral Bay)
- Overall hotel of the year (country) – Kooringal Hotel (Wagga Wagga)
- Best traditional hotel bar – HPH Hotel Pennant Hills (Pennant Hills)
- Best family-friendly hotel – The Ettamogah (Kellyville Ridge)
- Best outdoor/non-enclosed facility – Watson’s Bay Boutique Hotel (Watson’s Bay)
- Best new redeveloped hotel (country) – Kooringal Hotel (Wagga Wagga)
- Best new redeveloped hotel (city) – Hotel Centennial (Woollahra)
- Outstanding community service and achievement – Camden Valley Inn (Camden Park)
- Best promotional concept – Merivale (March into Merivale Food and Wine Festival 2014)
- Best social media activity – ivy (Pacha) / Watson’s Bay Boutique Hotel
- Best restaurant (country) – Graze, Willow Tree Inn (Willow Tree)
- Best restaurant (city) – Sake` Restaurant and Bar
- Best fine dining restaurant (mains $35+) – Momofuku Seiobo, The Star (Pyrmont)
- Best steak venue – Hibernian Hotel (Goulburn)
- Best burger – Hunter’s Hill Hotel (Hunters Hill)
- Best entertainment venue – ivy, Pacha (Sydney CBD) / Eastern Hotel (Bondi)
- Best sports bar – Union Hotel (North Sydney)
- Best pub-style accommodation (traditional) – Royal Hotel (Randwick)
- Best pub-style accommodation (deluxe) – Establishment Hotel (Sydney CBD)
- Industry rising star – Andrew El-Bayeh (Merivale)
- Apprentice of the year – Peter Tavernese (Merivale)
- Cocktail bartender of the year – Michael Jones (The Bourbon)
- Chef of the year – Peter Doyle (est. Establishment Hotel)
- Best individual hotel operator – Janine Redman (The George Tavern) / Trevor Walker (Parkview Hotel)
- Best group hotel operator – Gallagher Hotel Management
- Hall of Fame inductees – Garry and Scott McDougall
AHA NSW CEO John Whelan said the record number and high quality of entries from right across NSW showed the strength of the hotel industry. [continues below]
The team from Kooringal Hotel
“These venues really do represent the best and brightest in our industry. All have worked very hard to achieve excellence in their various categories,” he said.
“I congratulate all winners.”
A full list of the 2014 AHA NSW Awards for Excellence winners is available on the AHA NSW website.