NSW AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE 2019 – ALL WINNERS

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.

The Fiddler team

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 Bradford team

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.”

L-R: AHA NSW CEO John Whelan, 2019 Hall of Fame recipient Ross Colosimo, Kim Maloney OAM, Margaret Maloney

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

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