Two Queenstown hospo outlets and a hotel picked up national awards in Auckland on Wednesday night.
The Locker Room Sports Bar was named the country’s best sports bar at the 2023 Lion Hospitality Awards for Excellence, while QT Hotel picked up best hotel and Botswana Butchery won best restaurant.
Future Hospitality Group boss Bert Haines was given a highly commended in the ‘Leader of the Year’ category.
Announced at a black-tie dinner at the Pullman Hotel, the awards celebrate the success, achievements and, particularly in light of the tough year the industry has faced, the resilience of the hospo and accommodation sectors.
Hosted by Hospitality New Zealand in partnership with Lion NZ and industry partners, it was the 25th year the awards have been held in person.
Hospitality NZ CEO Julie White says all category winners, finalists and entrants deserve congratulations.
‘‘To me, they are all winners to be willing and able to put themselves forward during yet another tough year.
‘‘Just to be able to enter was an achievement.’’
Lion’s country director, Craig Baldie, says his company’s in awe at how well hospo operators performed in the face of the continuing huge challenges the industry was going through.
‘‘We are delighted to be able to once again support operators and an industry of such resilience.’’
Other Queenstown finalists were Republic Hospitality’s Blair Impey (‘Leader of the Year’), Future Hospitality’s Liam Cabourn (‘Future Leader of the Year’), Hop on Hop off Wine Tours’ Juliearna Kavanagh and Lion NZ’s Jill Newton (supplier of the year), Ramada Remarkables (best hotel), Garden Court Suites & Apartments (‘best motel over 25 rooms’), Kamana Lakehouse (best luxury accommodation; best fine dining; best restaurant in an accommodation venue), The Bunker Restaurant and Bar (best fine dining), Little Blackwood (best bar), Yonder (best late night/entertainment venue), and Millbrook Resort (best destination venue).
Meantime, Christchurch’s Kaiser Brew Garden won the supreme award and the award for ‘best marketed establishment’.
