The Queensland Hotels Association (QHA) celebrated a long-awaited night of nights this week, crowning its winners for the 2022 Awards for Excellence at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre.
On Monday night a record crowd of more than 1,700 members and guests arrived, eager to brush off the challenges of the past two years and celebrate the work of their industry colleagues.
A reported record number of nominations were received across the 46 awards, emceed by Pat Welsh and Sofie Formica, providing opportunity to celebrate the important role hotels play within their communities – both “as a place for social gathering and as a training ground” for the future of the industry.
“In the face of a challenging period for tourism and hospitality our members have continued to invest in the future of Queensland’s hotel industry, and it is exciting to see what’s to come,” championed QHA CEO Bernie Hogan.
After a long hiatus, winners emerged from as far afield as Charters Towers, Gladstone and Ilfracombe.
Notable triumphs include Mel Tait, who has been at Murrumba Downs Tavern since it launched in 2010 and was named Queensland’s Hotelier of the Year for 2022, and the impressive Eatons Hill Hotel, which took out Hotel of the Year – Metropolitan, again.
Katarzyna Group was named Best Hotel Group Operator for the work at its venues, which include Birdees, Empire Hotel, Family, Bunk Brisbane and Bunk Surfers Paradise, Press Club, The Island, and Cloudland, for which they also won Best Marketed Hotel – General Division.
Full list of the 2022 QHA Awards for Excellence winners:
- Hall of Fame – 2018, 2019, 2021 – 2022 Hall of Fame for Best Outdoor Non-Enclosed Facility – Sandstone Point Hotel
- Best Bistro General Division – Regional – Central Lane Hotel, Gladstone
- Best Bistro General Division – Metropolitan – Boardwalk Tavern, Hope Island
- Best Family Dining – Sandstone Point Hotel
- Best Restaurant – General Division – Regional – Beast & Barrel at The Rix, Charters Towers
- Best Restaurant – General Division – Metropolitan – Ciao Papi at Howard Smith Wharves
- Best Restaurant – Accommodation Division – Homage at Spicers Hidden Vale
- Best Marketed Hotel – General Division – Cloudland
- Best Marketed Hotel – Accommodation Division – JW Marriott Gold Coast Resort & Spa
- Responsible Service of Gaming – Prince Consort Hotel
- Responsible Service of Alcohol – Pig N Whistle, West End
- Best Environmental & Energy Efficiency Practise – Howard Street Wharves
- Outstanding Achievement in Training – Bracken Ridge Tavern
- Keno Outstanding Community Service & Achievement – The Wellshot Hotel, Illfracombe
- Best TAB Licensed Venue – Robina Pavilion
- Best Meeting & Events Venue – Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort, Port Douglas
- Best Hotel or Pub-Style Accommodation – Porters Plainland Hotel
- Best Mid-Range Accommodation – Big4 Sandstone Point Holiday Resort
- Best Suite or Apartment Style Hotel – Meriton Suites Surfers Paradise
- Best Superior Accommodation – Eatons Hill Hotel
- Best Deluxe Accommodation – The Westin Brisbane
- Best Tourism Initiative – Ovolo Hotels
- Employee Excellence in Service – General Division – Jason Stephenson – Cooly Liquor
- Employee Excellence in Service – Accommodation Division – Deborah Ellyett – McGuires Suites and Conference Centres
- Front of House Employee of the Year – General Division – Kelly Snow, Meadowbrook Hotel
- Front of House Employee of the Year – Accommodation Division – Filipe Santos, Sea World Resort
- Chef of the Year – David Finlayson, Howard Smith Wharves
- Best Hotel Bar – General Division – Regional – The Rix Hotel, Charters Towers
- Best Hotel Bar – General Division – Metropolitan – The Prince Consort Hotel
- Best Hotel Bar – Accommodation Division – Iris Rooftop at Hotel X
- Best Draught Beer – The Osbourne Hotel
- Best Retail Liquor Outlet – Blacksheep Bottleshop South Brisbane
- Best Detached Bottle Shop – Full Moon Hotel Bottlemart
- Best Gaming Venue – Regional – Shamrock Hotel (will move to Hall of Fame in 2023 – has won for three years in a row)
- Best Gaming Venue – Metropolitan – Seaview Hotel
- Best Outdoor Non-Enclosed Facility – Eatons Hill Hotel
- Best Sporting Entertainment Venue – The Sporting Globe, Robina
- Best Entertainment Venue – Sandstone Point Hotel
- Best Redeveloped Hotel – General Division – Central Lane Hotel, Gladstone
- Best Redeveloped Hotel – Accommodation Division – JW Marriott Gold Coast Resort & Spa
- Hotel Industry Rising Star Award – Kim Baker, W Brisbane
- Best Hotel Group Operator – Katarzyna
- Hotel of the Year – Accommodation Division – JW Marriott Gold Coast Resort & Spa
- Hotel of the Year – Regional Division – Central Lane Hotel, Gladstone
- Hotel of the Year – Metropolitan Division – Eatons Hill Hotel
- Hotelier of the Year – Melinda Tait, Murrumba Downs Tavern
