2020 HM Awards winners revealed at gala Sydney event

The winners of the 2020 HM Awards for Hotel and Accommodation Excellence, presented by Sealy Posturepedic, have been announced at a black tie event in Sydney for 216 people in person and broadcast live to over 2,000 across the region.

For the 18^th time, the HM Awards recognised the biggest and brightest stars in the accommodation industry across Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific, from individuals to properties, departments, brands and chains.

HM Awards Chief Judge and Founder, HM magazine’s Editor-In-Chief, James Wilkinson, said this year was more important than ever to recognise the hard work and dedication of so many individuals and teams.

“HM was proud to produce and present the 2020 HM Awards, particularly one that has been the most challenging in history for the Australasian accommodation industry,” he said.

“We received over 1,000 entries for the 2020 HM Awards, only slightly down on 2019, and amongst them were so many stars from this amazing industry.

The team from Ovolo Hotels took home multiple gongs at the 2020 HM Awards.

“The entries this year – from chefs to housekeepers, five-star resorts and apartment hotels – were incredible and it was terrific to see so many staff and properties highlight so many achievements in challenging times,” Wilkinson said.

Winners were announced in 48 categories at the 2020 HM Awards on the night and major gongs went to Accor (Hall of Fame, New Zealand General Manager, Service to the Community, Australasian Hotel and Asia-Pacific Hotelier), InterContinental Hotels Group (Service to the Industry, Australian General Manager and Accommodation Chain), Marriott International (South Pacific General Manager and Service to the Community), Quest Apartment Hotels (Service to the Community and Accommodation Chain), Hilton (Hotel Brand and Australasian Hotelier), Ovolo Group (Hotel Brand) and Hamilton Island (Australasian Hotel).

Hilton was a winner in the Hotel Brand of the Year category.

“Once again this year, the HM Awards recognised some of finest staff and hotels in the world and especially in 2020 they should be very proud of these amazing achievements,” Wilkinson said.

There was a panel of over 30 judges for the 2020 HM Awards, from leading travel editors to airline executives, hotel industry consultants, and for the peer-voted major awards, the leading VPs, CEOs and COOs of hotel chains across Australasia and Asia-Pacific.

On the night, guests at the event in person at Hyatt Regency Sydney and those watching live from across the Asia-Pacific region were treated to an exciting show that included not only the 48 HM Awards being handed out, but over an hour of live entertainment with stellar performances by Boys in the Band’s ‘Rat Pack Reloaded’ and ever-popular The Diamonds.

Entertainment at the 2020 HM Awards included the New Rat Pack, who belted out some energetic classics.

The 2020 HM Awards were able to proceed thanks to the support of the event’s major partners, including the presentation partner Sealy Posturepedic, co-hosts AHS, Intrust Super, Torrens University Australia and the Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School, and entertainment and AV partner Foxtel Business.

Other key sponsors included Assa Abloy, Dyson and Honeybadger, while supporting companies included Accolade Wines, Gage Roads, S.Pellegrino and Acqua Panna, Time Out Australia, Travmedia, Vittoria, Wayfarer and Withers Worldwide. Support also came from leading industry bodies the Accommodation Association and Tourism Accommodation Australia.

A full list of winners from the 2020 HM Awards for Hotel and Accommodation Excellence presented by Sealy Posturepedic can be found below.

2020 HM AWARDS WINNERS

1: SERVICED APARTMENT PROPERTY

Sponsored by Sealy Posturepedic

WINNERS:

-Adina Apartment Hotel Bondi Beach, NSW

-Quest Orange, NSW

HIGHLY COMMENDED:

-Pullman Quay Grand Sydney Harbour, NSW

-Silkari Suites at Chatswood, NSW

2: ECONOMY HOTEL

Sponsored by ahs Hospitality

WINNER:

-Crowne Plaza Sydney Coogee Beach, NSW

HIGHLY COMMENDED:

-Ovolo Nishi, ACT

-Pan Pacific Melbourne, VIC

-Peppers Silo Launceston, TAS

5: UPPER-UPSCALE HOTEL

Sponsored by Assa Abloy Global Solutions

WINNER:

-Riley, a Crystalbrook Collection Resort, QLD

HIGHLY COMMENDED:

-QT Sydney, NSW

-The Calile Hotel, QLD

-The Westin Perth, WA

6: LUXURY HOTEL

Sponsored by Intrust Super

WINNERS:

-Hilton Sydney, NSW

-Hotel Realm, ACT

HIGHLY COMMENDED:

-Pan Pacific Melbourne, VIC

-The Westin, Perth, WA

9: RESORT

Sponsored by Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School

WINNERS:

-InterContinental Hayman Island Resort, QLD

-qualia, QLD

HIGHLY COMMENDED:

-Byron at Byron, a Crystalbrook Collection Resort, NSW

-Sofitel Noosa Pacific Resort, QLD

10: HOTEL INTERIOR DESIGN

Sponsored by Sealy Posturepedic

WINNER:

-The Ritz-Carlton, Perth, WA

HIGHLY COMMENDED:

-Hotel Chadstone Melbourne, MGallery by Sofitel, VIC

-Peppers Cradle Mountain Lodge, TAS

-Wildlife Retreat at Taronga, NSW

11: BOUTIQUE HOTEL

Sponsored by Sealy Posturepedic

WINNER: Wildlife Retreat at Taronga, NSW

HIGHLY COMMENDED:

-Hotel Chadstone Melbourne, MGallery by Sofitel

-Quest Orange, NSW

-The Ritz-Carlton, Perth, WA

13. MEETINGS AND CONFERENCING PROPERTY

Sponsored by Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School

WINNERS:

-Hyatt Regency Sydney, NSW

-Sheraton Grand Sydney Hyde Park, NSW

HIGHLY COMMENDED:

-PARKROYAL Melbourne Airport, VIC

-Sofitel Sydney Wentworth, NSW

14: REGIONAL PROPERTY

Sponsored by ahs Hospitality

WINNERS:

-Byron at Byron, a Crystalbrook Collection Resort, NSW

-Fairmont Resort & Spa Blue Mountains, MGallery by Sofitel, NSW

HIGHLY COMMENDED:

-Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort, Port Douglas, QLD

-voco Kirkton Park Hunter Valley, NSW

15: DAY SPA

Sponsored by Intrust Super

WINNER:

-Waldheim Alpine Spa, Peppers Cradle Mountain Lodge

HIGHLY COMMENDED:

-One&Only Spa, Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley

-The Ritz-Carlton Spa, The Ritz-Carlton, Perth, WA

-Ubika Day Spa, Fairmont Resort & Spa Blue Mountains, MGallery by Sofitel, NSW

16: HOTEL BAR

Sponsored by ahs Hospitality

WINNER:

-Peppers Parehua Martinborough

HIGHLY COMMENDED:

-Craggy Range Winery Cabins, Hawke’s Bay

-Hilton Lake Taupo

-Novotel Tainui Hamilton

21: NEW ZEALAND LODGE

Sponsored by Sealy Posturepedic

WINNERS:

-Accor Pacific (Single Use Plastics Program)

-Wildlife Retreat at Taronga (Environmental Initiatives)

HIGHLY COMMENDED:

-Crystalbrook Collection (#ResponsibleLuxury)

-Little National Hotel (Environmental Initiatives)

26: CONCIERGE

Sponsored by ahs Hospitality

WINNERS:

-Jennifer Roach, View Hotels, Australia

-Simon Tufrey, Wyndham Destinations Asia-Pacific

HIGHLY COMMENDED:

-Deborah Cunningham, Fairmont Resort and Spa Blue Mountains, MGallery by Sofitel, NSW

-Nicole Downs, Ovolo Hotels, Australia

30: SALES AND MARKETING ASSOCIATE

Sponsored by Intrust Super

WINNERS:

-Allison Roberts, TFE Hotels, Australia

-Javed Shameem, Marriott International Hotels and Resorts, Fiji

HIGHLY COMMENDED:

-Christine Lee, Ovolo Hotels, Australia

-Marie Heritage, InterContinental Sydney, NSW

31: COMMUNICATIONS ASSOCIATE

Sponsored by Intrust Super

WINNERS:

-Lester Adams, IHG Western Australia

-Wendy Van Der Walt, Accor New Zealand

HIGHLY COMMENDED:

-Chloe Nguyen, Ovolo Hotels, Australia

-Shannon Shi, Melbourne Marriott Hotel, VIC

34: REVENUE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATE

Sponsored by Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School

WINNERS:

-Fready Goenawan, Ovolo Inchcolm and Ovolo The Valley, Brisbane, QLD

-Joanna Millwater, View Hotels, Australia

HIGHLY COMMENDED:

-Gillian O’Keefe, Pullman Sydney Airport

-Rosalind MacDonald, Crowne Plaza Sydney Coogee Beach

35: HOUSEKEEPER

Sponsored by ahs Hospitality

WINNERS:

-Sharleen Wells, ibis Styles Kingsgate, VIC

-Tiffany Egan, Crowne Plaza Surfers Paradise, QLD

HIGHLY COMMENDED:

-Christian Tapia, Pullman Quay Grand Sydney Harbour, NSW

-Irina Rynne, Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort, Port Douglas, QLD

36: HOTEL ENGINEER

Sponsored by Sealy Posturepedic

WINNER:

-Neeraj Chadha, Marriott International Fiji and Samoa

HIGHLY COMMENDED:

-Justin King, VOMO Island Fiji

-Marcus Niszow, Pacific Resort Hotel Group;

-Vincent Macquet, Sofitel Fiji Resort and Spa

40: NEW ZEALAND GENERAL MANAGER

Sponsored by ahs Hospitality

WINNER:

-Jo Finnigan, Hotel St Moritz MGallery by Sofitel, Queenstown

HIGHLY COMMENDED:

-Jamie O’Donnell, Oaks Wellington Hotel

-Mark Rose, The Rees Hotel, Queenstown

-Zac Lumsden, Grand Mercure Auckland

41: AUSTRALIAN GENERAL MANAGER

Sponsored by Sealy Posturepedic

WINNER:

-Jennifer Brown, InterContinental Sydney, NSW

HIGHLY COMMENDED:

-Emma Hynes, TFE Hotels, NSW

-Jesse Kornoff, Mount Lofty House, Crafers, SA

-Michael Collis, Mayfair Hotel, Adelaide, SA

42: SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY

Sponsored by Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School

WINNERS:

-Accor

-Marriott International Fiji

-Quest Apartment Hotels

HIGHLY COMMENDED:

-Atura Blacktown, NSW

43: HOTEL BRAND OF THE YEAR

Sponsored by Sealy Posturepedic

WINNERS:

-Hilton

-Ovolo Hotels

HIGHLY COMMENDED:

-Little National

-QT Hotels and Resorts

44: ACCOMMODATION CHAIN OF THE YEAR

Sponsored by Intrust Super

WINNERS:

-InterContinental Hotels Group

-Quest Apartment Hotels

HIGHLY COMMENDED:

-Accor

-Hyatt Hotels and Resorts

45: AUSTRALASIAN HOTEL OF THE YEAR

Sponsored by Sealy Posturepedic

WINNERS:

-qualia, QLD

-Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour, NSW

HIGHLY COMMENDED:

-Peppers Cradle Mountain Lodge, TAS

-The Ritz-Carlton, Perth, WA

46: AUSTRALASIAN HOTELIER OF THE YEAR