Winners announced: Victoria’s finest recognised

Victoria’s top accommodation providers and venue staff have been honoured at the 2022 Victorian Accommodation Awards for Excellence.

It was a milestone occasion with ‘Motel of the Year’ awarded to Matador Motel and Mitchelton Winery, Nagambie awarded Boutique Style Accommodation of the Year.

Quest Southbank Apartment Hotel, Mercure Melbourne Doncaster, Hyatt Centric Melbourne and Crown Towers Melbourne all took away accommodation hotel awards alongside RACV City Club, Melbourne, Balgownie Estate, Yarra Valley, and Quality Hotel Wangaratta Gateway.

This prestigious event heralded a timely demonstration of industry unity as members of Tourism Accommodation Australia (Victoria) and the Accommodation Association of Australia came together to celebrate venue and service excellence.

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A gathering of 850 hoteliers, industry suppliers and broader Victorian hospitality and tourism sector industry stakeholders, including Shadow Minister for Tourism, Cindy McLeish, came together to recognise Victoria’s best accommodation providers and their teams, whose efforts continue to position the state’s hotel and hospitality offer as the envy of all other Australian states and territories.

A highlight was the presentation of the prestigious “Outstanding Contribution to the Industry” award, which recognises the sustained influence of a hotelier or industry leader who has made a significant contribution to Victoria’s tourism and accommodation sectors.

This year’s very popular winner was industry doyen, John Sweetman AM.

Mr Sweetman has enjoyed an exceptional career in Victoria’s and Australia’s hospitality and tourism sectors and has been inducted as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM), with the citation reading “for service to the tourism and hospitality industries, particularly in relation to education and training.”

TAA (Vic) General Manager, Dougal Hollis recognised the levels of innovation and resilience Victorian hoteliers continue to demonstrate, post-pandemic.

He said: “This event recognised and celebrated all the work hoteliers and their teams have undertaken to reimagine their product and service offers, even when continuing to face challenging trading conditions.”

AAoA CEO, Richard Munro added: “Accommodation hotels in Victoria really are among the best in the business and this was again on display here at the Awards.”

TAA (Vic) Chair, Shaun D’Cruz and AAoA Chair – Victorian State Advisory Committee, Adrian Williams praised finalists, award-winners and individuals who were honoured, noting their achievements reflected “a year of hard work and dedication to providing superior standards of venue and service excellence to guests.”

Award category winners are…

1. Apartment Accommodation Hotel of the Year – Quest Southbank Apartment Hotel.
2. Concierge of the Year – Daniel Finlayson, Crowne Plaza Melbourne.
3. Motel of the Year, Matador Motel.
4. Mid-range Accommodation Hotel of the Year, Mercure Melbourne Doncaster.
5. Engineer and Maintenance Employee of the Year, John Paez, Hyatt Place Melbourne Caribbean Park.
6. Regional Hotel Restaurant of the Year – Turbine, The Trawool Estate.
7. Revenue Management Employee of the Year – Brad Francis, Crown Hotels Melbourne
8. Hotel Club lounge of the Year – Club Lounge, Pullman Melbourne on Swanston.
9. Back of House Employee of the Year – Rita Gunawan, PARKROYAL Monash Melbourne.
10. Resort Style Accommodation of the Year – Balgownie Estate, Yarra Valley.
11. Hotel Industry Rising Star – Thomas Stafford, Ramada Resort by Wyndham Phillip Island.
12. Housekeeper Employee of the Year – Sarah Singh, ahs hospitality.
13. Best Marketed Accommodation Provider – Grand Hyatt Melbourne.
14. Outstanding Contribution to the Industry – John Sweetman AM.
15. Boutique Style Accommodation of the Year – Mitchelton Winery, Nagambie.
16. Front Office Services Employee of the Year – Reshvin Gill, Hilton Melbourne Little Queen Street and Chikako Ohtani, The Westin Melbourne.
17. Excellence in Innovation – Ovolo South Yarra.
18. Regional Accommodation of the Year – Quality Hotel Wangaratta Gateway.
19. Human Resources Employee of the Year – Kate Fraser, Balgownie Estate Yarra Valley.
20. Hotel Restaurant of the Year – Members’ Dining Room, RACV City Club.
21. Food and Beverage Services Employee of the Year – Darshana Prasad, Hyatt Place Melbourne Caribbean Park.
22. Sales and Marketing Employee of the Year – Alicia Sabato, Crown Hotels Melbourne.
23. Hotel Bar of the Year – Bar 1309 @ Balgownie, Balgownie Estate, Yarra Valley and The Cliveden Bar and Dining, Pullman Melbourne on the Park.
24. Executive of the Year – Amy Moylan, Ovolo South Yarra.
25. Outstanding Achievement in Training and Development Grand Hyatt Melbourne.
26. Deluxe Restaurant of the Year – La Madonna, Next Hotel Melbourne and Doot Doot Doot, Jackalope Merricks North.
27. Superior Accommodation of the Year, RACV City Club, Melbourne.
28. Best Meeting and Event Space – W Melbourne.
29. Chef of the Year – Paul Griffiths, QT Melbourne.
30. Outstanding Community Service and Achievement – The Langham Melbourne.
31. Luxury Lifestyle Accommodation Hotel of the Year – Hyatt Centric Melbourne.
32. Hotel Spa of the Year – Park Club Health & Day Spa, Park Hyatt Melbourne.
33. Deluxe Accommodation Hotel of the Year – Crown Towers Melbourne.

Mandy Clarke

Mandy has over 17 years of accommodation and tourism industry writing experience and is Editor of AccomNews & Resort News, Publisher of SchoolNews & Director of Multimedia Pty Ltd. She is a retired registered nurse with a 25-year NHS career that followed a few unforgettable years in hotel housekeeping.