Business & Money | Monday 13 August, 2018 1:11 am |

The seventh edition of the Middle East Hospitality Awards (MEHA) announced the shortlist for the industry’s most prestigious event featuring over 70 distinct hotels, restaurants and bars that have made their way through stiff competition. 

Reflective of the remarkable developments in the Middle East’s hospitality sector, the Awards received the highest volume of entries from the most diverse collection of properties in the event’s history. 

The industry’s foremost properties, projects and people in the region will be honored on Sunday, 16thSeptember 2018 at The Ritz-Carlton, DIFC, Dubai.

Another first in the history of the Awards is a single property that has made it through as a finalist in a record-breaking eight categories. This enviable achievement goes to the JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai, which has been shortlisted for 5-Star Hotel of the Year; Event Venue of the Year; Hospitality Leader of the Year (Valerie Wade - Director of Sales & Marketing); Head Chef of the Year (Carmine Pecoraro); Rising Star Award (Anastasia Costache - Assistant Director of Marketing); Renovation Project of the Year; Spa of the Year; and Bar/Nightlife Venue of the Year. 

Rove and Sofitel the Palm have been shortlisted in four categories each closely followed by Fairmont the Palm, Gates Hospitality, Millennium Hotel Airport Dubai, Solutions Leisure Group and Zero Gravity each securing a spot in three categories. 

The shortlist also reflects strengthening hospitality propositions from across the UAE, with Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Fujairah, Sharjah and Ras al-Khaimah all included this year. Strong entries from the wider region includes hotels from Egypt, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Oman.

 

The event will also present a Lifetime Achievement Award to Gerald Lawless, former President and CEO of the Jumeirah Group and immediate-past chair of the World Travel and Trade Council. 

Event director Gary Williams said, “The quality and volume of entries received for the Awards this year has been the best that we’ve ever seen. The industry is experiencing rapid growth which is raising standards and spurring innovation across the sector. The 7thedition of MEHA will be a dazzling representation of the progress and accomplishments of the Middle East’s thriving hospitality sector”. 

 

 

 

An accomplished panel of judges will review the entries to finalise the winners. The judges for this year are Christopher Hewitt, Director, TRI Consulting, Daniel During, Principal & Managing Director, Thomas Klein International, Filippo Sona, Managing Director - Global Hospitality, Drees & Sommer, Judy Hou, Managing Director, The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management, Martin Kubler, CEO, sps:affinity, Paul Evans, Managing Director, Solutions Leisure Group, Rabih Feghali, Vice President, Ròya International, Rupprecht Queitsch, CEO, INHOCO Group, Sharon Jutla, Founder, Sharon Jutla Interiors, Stefan Breg, Head of Strategy, Keane Brands and Tatjana Ahmed, Functional Specialist Housekeeping, Hyatt Hotels. 

The Middle East Hospitality Awards 2018 is sponsored by Restonic, Pastificio G. Di Martino, Kimbo, Monviso, Patchi and Guest Supply (A Sysco Company) Leading the Industry in Hotel Solutions. 

For more information on how to attend the awards or register for The Hotel Show Dubai, please visit www.thehotelshow.com

The full Middle East Hospitality Awards 2018 shortlist is as follows:

5-STAR HOTEL OF THE YEAR

• FIVE Palm Jumeirah 
• JW Marriott Marquis Dubai
• Palazzo Versace Dubai
• Renaissance Downtown Hotel, Dubai
• The Nile Ritz-Carlton, Cairo
• Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah

BOUTIQUE HOTEL OF THE YEAR

• Address Montgomerie
• Copthorne Hotel Riyadh by Millennium
• La Ville Hotel & Suites City Walk, Dubai
• Le Gray, Beirut
• Manzil Downtown 
• XVA Art Hotel

4-STAR HOTEL OF THE YEAR

• Aloft Palm Jumeirah
• Capital Centre Arjaan by Rotana
• Jumeira Rotana Dubai
• Millennium Airport Hotel Dubai
• Novotel Dubai Al Barsha
• TRYP by Wyndham Dubai

HOTEL LAUNCH OF THE YEAR

• Aloft Palm Jumeirah
• InterContinental Fujairah Resort
• Kingfisher Lodge by Mantis
• Park Inn by Radisson Dubai Motor City
• Renaissance Downtown Hotel, Dubai
• Rove Dubai Marina 

3-STAR HOTEL OF THE YEAR 

• Centro Al Manhal 
• Centro Barsha
• Citymax Hotel Bur Dubai
• ibis One Central
• Rove Dubai Downtown 
• The Arabian Park Hotel & Park Hotel Apartments

MOST IMPRESSIVE HOTEL FEATURE OF THE YEAR

• Hyatt Regency Riyadh Olaya - 3D Wall of Riyadh
• Le Meridien Dubai Hotel & Conference Centre - The Great Ballroom
• Palazzo Versace Dubai - Mosaico Lobby
• Rove Downtown Dubai - Reel Boutique Cinema
• Saadiyat Rotana Resort & Villas - Ashwaq Abdulla Art
• Sofitel The Palm, Dubai - Vertical Gardens

RESORT OF THE YEAR

• Atlantis, The Palm
• DoubleTree by Hilton Resort & Spa Marjan Island 
• Khalidiya Palace Rayhaan by Rotana 
• Millennium Resort Mussanah
• Sofitel The Palm, Dubai 
• Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah

RISING STAR AWARD

• Anastasia Costache, Assistant Director of Marketing, JW Marriott Marquis Dubai
• Christopher Kinsley, Head Chef at Flow, Jumeirah Emirates Towers
• Elisa Mueller, Sales Manager Corporate and MICE, Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates
• Ellie Keene, Head of Public Relations, White Label Management
• Jonathan Scanlon, General Manager at Karma Kafé and STK Downtown Dubai
• Terje Abrams, Public Relations Manager, Fairmont Dubai

 

 

 

BAR OR NIGHTLIFE VENUE OF THE YEAR

• folly by Nick & Scott
• JB's Gastropub
• Level 43 Sky Lounge located at Four Points by Sheraton Sheikh Zayed Road
• Lock, Stock & Barrel JBR
• Vault Bar, JW Marriott Marquis Dubai
• Zero Gravity

GYM OR SPORTING FACILITY OF THE YEAR

• Body Language Health Club, Al Barari 
• DRYP
• Embody Fitness
• SoFIT Health Club at Sofitel The Palm, Dubai
• The Aviation Club Dubai
• The Gym 

SPA OR WELLNESS CENTRE OF THE YEAR

• Fairmont The Palm Health Club & Willow Stream Spa
• Heart & Soul Spa, Al Barari
• Saray Spa, JW Marriott Marquis Dubai
• SoSPA at Sofitel The Palm, Dubai
• The Pearl Spa
• The Waldorf Astoria Spa

RENOVATION PROJECT OF THE YEAR

• Bridgewater Tavern, JW Marriott Marquis Dubai
• Grand Hyatt Dubai room refurbishment
• Hilton Ras Al Khaimah Resort & Spa
• market24
• Ritz Carlton Al Hamra Beach Resort
• Ritz Carlton Al Wadi Desert Resort

NEW RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR

• Little Miss India, Fairmont The Palm
• MASTI – Cocktails & Cuisine
• Moombai & Co
• SLAB
• STK JBR
• Trader Vic’s, Hilton Dubai Jumeirah

 

 

EVENT VENUE OF THE YEAR

• Abdulrahman Fakieh Grand Ballroom
• Conference Centre, Atlantis, The Palm
• JW Marriott Marquis Dubai
• Millennium Airport Hotel Dubai
• Palace Downtown Dubai
• Roda Al Bustan - Grand Rashidiya Ballroom

TEAM OF THE YEAR

• Housekeeping Team, Fairmont Dubai
• Julien Pilard and Jonathan Vercoutere, Bistro Des Arts / Publique
• Marketing and PR Team, Fairmont The Palm
• Nick Alvis & Scott Price: Folly by Nick and Scott / The Lion by Nick and Scott
• Rove Hotels Cluster Team
• Zero Gravity

HEAD CHEF OF THE YEAR

• Aphichat Amatmontri, Head Chef, Pai Thai
• Carmine Pecoraro, Executive Chef, JW Marriott Marquis
• Cesar Bartolini, Chef de Cuisine, Bread Street Kitchen & Bar, Atlantis, The Palm
• Christian Knerr, Executive Chef, The Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain
• Francesco Pescatore, Head Chef, Cavalli Club, Restaurant & Lounge
• Winfried Helmetag, Executive Chef, Millennium Airport Hotel Dubai

HOSPITALITY LEADER OF THE YEAR

• Aloki Batra, CEO, FIVE Hospitality
• Emma Banks, General Manager, JRG Dubai
• Rabih Melhem, General Manager, Park Rotana & Park Arjaan by Rotana Abu Dhabi
• Girish Sehgal, CEO and Managing Director, FASSCO International PTE
• Peter Skudutis, General Manager, Zero Gravity
• Valerie Wade, Director of Sales & Marketing, JW Marriott Marquis Dubai

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Gerald Lawless, former President & CEO, Jumeirah Group