New South Wales’ hospitality elite gathered last night at The Star for the AHA NSW 2019 Awards for Excellence, crowning a new galaxy of stars in a record 45 categories.
This year attracted more than 600 nominees across the categories, and a crowd of more than 1200 packed the Event Centre and observatory level to share the achievements of the State’s premier hospitality ambassadors.
A big winner in 2019 was Lewis Land Group’s re-worked Fiddler, at Rouse Hill. The Group completed a major redevelopment of the landmark 19th century pub, bringing a suite of revised food & bev options as well as new conference and business facilities, and just last Friday unveiled the new 78-room hotel built in collaboration with Accor – The Mercure Rouse Hill at The Fiddler.
The transformed Fiddler took home the trophies for Best Metropolitan Local, and the major award of Metropolitan Hotel of the Year.
Also a big success last night was the O’Hara-Malloy operation, the Bradford Hotel at Rutherford, which snatched Best Regional Casual Dining (Northern), and major prize Regional Hotel of the Year.
The newly renovated Hotel Rose Bay performed well, with Toby Chick taking out Best Individual Hotel Operator of the Year, and Ian Royle taking Metropolitan Chef of the Year and Best Metropolitan Casual Dining (CBD/East).
Sam Arnaout’s Iris Group took the major award of Group Operator of the Year, for performance at the portfolio of 23 hotels. After more than two decades in the game, Arnaout says he is “humbled” for the accolade.
“We’d like to think we are continually adding to the industry through community contribution and venue development, to give our customers the best possible experience we can deliver.
“The award encapsulates the sum of the parts that make Iris a genuinely passionate hospitality group.”
Alistair Flower continued his run of success. Backing up the prior wins for Heart of the Community two years in a row, plus Outstanding Community Service at the Nationals, this year Settler’s Inn Port Macquarie was dubbed Best Regional Local.
Stephen Hunt’s new operations and marketing manager Ricky Lee was granted the honour of this year’s Industry Rising Star, and the boss couldn’t be prouder.
“I’m truly delighted,” offered Hunt. “Of all the awards we’ve ever won, I think this is up there with the most deserved. She’s one of those energetic people – no task is insurmountable.”
A key category in today’s highly competitive industry is the Best Metro New/Redeveloped Venue, which went to Arthur Laundy’s impressive greenfield The Marsden Brewhouse, at burgeoning Marsden Park.
The Laundy-Short partnership at Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel took titles for Best Deluxe Pub Accommodation, and a joint win with Haymarket’s Side Bar for Best Social Media Activity, as well as a Highly Commended in Best Outdoor Experience.
The Short-Leach partnership at the Imperial Hotel in Erskineville got the gongs for Best Unique Bar Experience, and the coveted Best Restaurant.
Sentimental favourite in the awards is the special presentation of the latest recipient of the Cyril Maloney medal (AHA NSW Hall of Fame), which in 2019 was presented to industry icon and philanthropist, Ross Colosimo, before a standing ovation.
Representing a state industry-wide event amid challenges felt state-wide, AHA NSW CEO John Whelan praised the winners and standard set by all in the face of headwinds.
“It is particularly pleasing to see so many regional hotels entering this year when many have been doing it tough in drought-stricken – and now bushfire-ravaged – communities.
“Regional hotels in particular are the hearts of their communities and it is great to see so many of them among the finalists and winners tonight.”
FULL LIST OF WINNERS
BEST FAMILY FRIENDLY
WINNER Toormina Hotel Toormina
HIGHLY COMMENDED Narellan Hotel Narellan
BEST LIVE MUSIC VENUE
WINNER The Sheaf Double Bay
HIGHLY COMMENDED Cambridge Hotel Newcastle West
HEART OF THE COMMUNITY
WINNER Public House Management Group
BEST REGIONAL LOCAL
WINNER Settlers Inn Hotel Port Macquarie
BEST METROPOLITAN LOCAL
WINNER The Fiddler Rouse Hill
HIGHLY COMMENDED The Ambarvale Hotel Ambarvale
BEST BUSH PUB
WINNER Armatree Hotel Armatree
HIGHLY COMMENDED Nevertire Hotel Nevertire
BEST OUTDOOR EXPERIENCE (INCLUDING ROOFTOP BARS)
WINNER Barangaroo House Barangaroo
HIGHLY COMMENDED Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel Watsons Bay
BEST LATE NIGHT VENUE
WINNER Goros Surry Hills
BEST SPORTING ENTERTAINMENT VENUE
WINNER Northies Hotel Cronulla
HIGHLY COMMENDED Coogee Bay Hotel Coogee
BEST REGIONAL TAB VENUE
WINNER Windsor Castle Hotel East Maitland
BEST METROPOLITAN TAB VENUE
WINNER Sports Hotel Bankstown
HIGHLY COMMENDED Station House Hotel Campsie
BEST RETAIL LIQUOR OUTLET
WINNER Harrigans Irish Pub and Accommodation Pokolbin
HIGHLY COMMENDED Post Office Hotel Gulgong
BEST DRAUGHT BEER QUALITY
WINNER Shortland Hotel Shortland
HIGHLY COMMENDED The Squire’s Landing The Rocks
BEST NSW WINE LIST
WINNER The Squire’s Landing The Rocks
BEST REGIONAL GAMING VENUE
WINNER Bradford Hotel Rutherford
BEST METROPOLITAN GAMING VENUE
WINNER The Wentworth Hotel Homebush West
HIGHLY COMMENDED El Cortez Hotel Canley Heights
BEST SOCIAL MEDIA ACTIVITY
JOINT WINNER Side Bar Haymarket
JOINT WINNER Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel Watsons Bay
BEST PROMOTIONAL CONCEPT
WINNER Greenwood Hotel North Sydney
BEST UNIQUE BAR EXPERIENCE (INCLUDING SMALL, COCKTAIL, LOUNGE OR THEMED BARS)
WINNER Imperial Hotel Erskineville
BEST INNOVATIVE REFURBISHMENT
WINNER The Trinity Surry Hills
HIGHLY COMMENDED Stag & Hunter Hotel Mayfield
BEST REGIONAL NEW/REDEVELOPED VENUE
WINNER Tattersalls Hotel Armidale
HIGHLY COMMENDED George IV Inn Picton
BEST METROPOLITAN NEW/REDEVELOPED VENUE
WINNER The Marsden Brewhouse Marsden Park
HIGHLY COMMENDED The Governor Macquarie Park
BEST TRADITIONAL PUB ACCOMMODATION (UNDER $130)
WINNER Prince of Wales Hotel Gulgong
HIGHLY COMMENDED Nags Head Hotel Adamstown HIGHLY COMMENDED Northern Star Hotel Hamilton
BEST DELUXE PUB ACCOMMODATION ($130 AND OVER)
WINNER Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel Watsons Bay
HIGHLY COMMENDED Headlands Austinmer Beach Austinmer
BEST STEAK
WINNER Thoroughbred Hotel Scone
HIGHLY COMMENDED Willow Tree Inn Willow Tree
BEST PARMI
JOINT WINNER Tydvil Hotel & Bistro Broken Hill
JOINT WINNER The Ophir Hotel Orange
BEST STEAK SANDWICH
WINNER The Oaks Neutral Bay
HIGHLY COMMENDED Moko Eastwood Eastwood
BEST BURGER
WINNER Hotel Jesmond Jesmond
BEST CHEAP EAT MEAL (UNDER $15)
WINNER Prince of Wales Hotel Gulgong
HIGHLY COMMENDED Shelbourne Hotel Sydney
BEST REGIONAL CASUAL DINING (NORTHERN)
WINNER Bradford Hotel Rutherford
BEST REGIONAL CASUAL DINING (SOUTHERN)
WINNER Robertson Public House & Kitchen Robertson
BEST REGIONAL CASUAL DINING (WESTERN)
WINNER The Railway Hotel Parkes
HIGHLY COMMENDED Jack Duggans Irish Pub Bathurst
BEST METROPOLITAN CASUAL DINING (CBD & EASTERN)
WINNER Hotel Rose Bay Rose Bay
BEST METROPOLITAN CASUAL DINING (NORTHERN)
WINNER Eastwood Hotel Eastwood
HIGHLY COMMENDED Daniel San Manly
BEST METROPOLITAN CASUAL DINING (SOUTHERN)
WINNER El Cortez Hotel Canley Heights
BEST METROPOLITAN CASUAL DINING (WESTERN)
WINNER The Sackville Hotel Rozelle
BEST RESTAURANT
WINNER Priscillas, Imperial Hotel Erskineville
INDUSTRY RISING STAR
WINNER Ricci-Lee Wheeler Hunt Hospitality
HIGHLY COMMENDED Jonathon Williams Central Hotel, Shellharbour
APPRENTICE/TRAINEE OF THE YEAR
WINNER Jackson Partridge-Sharpe Headlands Austinmer Beach, Austinmer
HIGHLY COMMENDED Jake Mayled Tattersalls Hotel, Armidale
REGIONAL CHEF OF THE YEAR
WINNER Paul Thornton Hotel Jesmond, Jesmond
HIGHLY COMMENDED Tahir Akim The Terrigal Hotel, Terrigal
METROPOLITAN CHEF OF THE YEAR
WINNER Ian Royle Hotel Rose Bay, Rose Bay
HIGHLY COMMENDED Mark Holland Paddo Inn, Paddington
INDIVIDUAL HOTEL OPERATOR OF THE YEAR
WINNER Toby Chick Hotel Rose Bay, Rose Bay
GROUP HOTEL OPERATOR OF THE YEAR
WINNER Iris Hotel Group
REGIONAL HOTEL OF THE YEAR
WINNER Bradford Hotel Rutherford
METROPOLITAN HOTEL OF THE YEAR
WINNER The Fiddler Rouse Hill