Vicki Lee, CEO of Hospitality New Zealand.
“The finalists for the 2017 Hospitality New Zealand Awards for Excellence have been selected and it was no easy job for the judges”, says Vicki Lee, CEO of Hospitality New Zealand.
“Once again, I’m excited by the calibre of the entries received this year”, she said, “It reinforces the level of professionalism and passion that our operators have for the industry. On top of that they had to squeeze in writing their awards entries around the major event of the year, the Lions Tour, which had many in the industry flat out for a number of weeks. No doubt, many of the Lions fans enjoyed eating, drinking or staying in these businesses and I’m confident they will have been well looked after”.
“The finalists are spread from one end of the country to the other and this is reflective of the value the industry brings to every region in the form of jobs and money injected into the local economy. Tourism continues to grow and these businesses are an integral part of the visitor experience”, she said.
Country hotels, upmarket metropolitan gastro pubs, multi-million dollar hotels, neighbourhood cafés, regional motels, exceptional hosts, marketers and trainers from all over the country are among the finalists announced today.
54 award finalists are spread across 16 separate categories. The finalists in this year’s Hospitality New Zealand Awards for Excellence are:
Best Bar
D4 on Featherston, Wellington
Emerson’s Taproom and Restaurant, Dunedin
Gin and Raspberry, Wanaka
Best Café
Dog with Two Tails, Dunedin
Fidel’s, Wellington
Longshot, Auckland
Best Country Hotel
Jolly Stockman, Gisborne
Theatre Royal Hotel, Kumara
Woodbourne Tavern, Renwick, Marlborough
Best Environmental/Sustainable Business
Hapuku Lodge & Treehouses, Kaikoura
Pullman Auckland
Wahi at Oceans, Tutukaka
Best Hotel
Edgewater, Wanaka
Escape to Picton Boutique Hotel
Jet Park Hotel & Conference Centre, Auckland
Pullman Auckland
Best Motel
Harbour City Motor Inn, Tauranga
La Rochelle Motel, Akaroa
Whangaparaoa Lodge, Auckland
Best Neighbourhood Bar & Eatery
Good Neighbour, Hamilton
Park Kitchen, Miramar, Wellington
The Dubliner, Methven
Best Newcomer – Accommodation
Aura Accommodation, Rotorua
Porters Boutique Hotel, Havelock North
Best Newcomer – F&B
Brew Union Brewing Co, Palmerston North
Emerson’s Taproom and Restaurant, Dunedin
The Little High Eatery, Christchurch
Best Redeveloped Accommodation
Aura Accommodation, Rotorua
Jet Park Hotel and Conference Centre
Stay Kerikeri
Best Redeveloped Bar/Restaurant
Bowl and Social, SKYCITY Hamilton
Danger Danger, Wellington
Jack Hackett’s Irish Pub, Wellington
The Rising Tide, Mt Maunganui
Best Restaurant
Botswana Butchery, Queenstown
Kika, Wanaka
Smith & McKenzie Steak House, Hamilton
Stratosfare Restaurant & Bar, Skyline Rotorua
White + Wong’s, Auckland
Excellence in Gaming
Ed St, Pukekohe
Square Leg, Hamilton
Tote and Craft, Upper Hutt
Yardhouse, Hamilton
Excellence in Host Responsibility
Christchurch Casino
Jack Hackett’s Irish Pub, Wellington
Stampede Bar and Grill, Papakura
Excellence in Marketing
Bowl and Social, SKYCITY Hamilton
D4 Featherston, Wellington
Escape to Picton Boutique Hotel, Restaurant and Bar
The Dubliner, Methven
Excellence in Training & Staff Development
D4 on Featherston, Wellington
Delaware North Wellington Airport, Wellington
Emberz at Ascot, Invercargill
Emersons Taproom and Restaurant, Dunedin
“Each year the Awards undergo a complete review to ensure we have the industry covered from a category perspective. We also continuously refine the entry process to make it simple to enter while still requiring entrants to prove they are deserving of an award’, Ms Lee said.
Entrants in the Hospitality New Zealand Awards for Excellence are judged over an eight-week period by a panel of independent industry professionals, who assess every entry on a range of commercial and operational criteria – including staff training and human resources, customer service, food and beverages, marketing and promotional activities, environmental initiatives and the demonstration of business growth. The Finalists will now be mystery shopped to ensure what they say on paper is what they actually do in real life.
Winners of the Hospitality New Zealand Awards for Excellence will be announced at the organisation’s national conference being held in Wellington on October 19.
