A host of Queenstowners have made the cut in the 25th Hospitality New Zealand Awards for Excellence.
Hosted by Hospitality NZ, in conjunction with Lion NZ, the awards feature 20 categories from which the supreme winner will be chosen, along with the People’s Choice Award, open to finalists across every category, and voted on by the public.
In the Leader of the Year — Hospitality category, Future Hospitality Group’s Bert Haines and Republic Hospitality’s Blair Impey are finalists, with Future Hospitality’s Liam Cabourn a finalist in ‘future leader of the year’.
Queenstown’s Juliearna Kavanagh, of Hop on Hop off Wine Tours, and Lion NZ’s Jill Newton are finalists in supplier of the year.
QT Queenstown and Ramada Remarkables, in Queenstown, are in the running for best hotel, Garden Court Suites & Apartments, along with Cromwell’s Central Park Apartments are up for ‘best motel over 25 rooms’, and in the best luxury accommodation category, Fernhill’s Kamana Lakehouse has made the cut.
Queenstown’s Botswana Butchery’s a finalist in the best restaurant category, while Kamana Lakehouse and The Bunker Restaurant and Bar are up for best fine dining, and Kamana’s got another nod for best restaurant in an accommodation venue.
Little Blackwood, owned by Future Hospitality, is in the mix for best bar, while The Locker Room’s been named in the best sports bar category,
Yonder’s up for best late night/entertainment venue and Millbrook Resort’s in the running for best destination venue.
Meantime, Wānaka’s Edgewater Resort Hotel’s a finalist in ‘best marketed establishment’ and Te Anau’s Radfords on the Lake is up for ‘best motel under 25 rooms’.
Hospitality NZ CEO Julie White says the awards are ‘‘the pinnacle of our industry’’, recognising and rewarding members who create the highest possible standards and experiences for guests and their team.
‘‘Every year it’s a shame we have to single out anyone because operators and workers across the hospitality and accommodation sectors deserve an award for the perseverance they’ve shown.
‘‘It’s inspiring to see hospitality businesses still striving to be the best and to meet customers’ needs after what they’ve been through.’’
Winners will be announced at a gala dinner at Auckland’s Pullman Hotel on June 28.
