AHEAD – the awards for hospitality experience and design – has named Capella Sydney as the winner of its Ultimate Accolade award.
After a rigorous judging process which saw triumphant projects from the regional schemes go head-to-head, the project was declared best-of the-best by an expert panel of 30 judges.
Held in association with headline sponsor RH Contract, AHEAD Global has also revealed its Top Ten – the new openings that won the highest praise from the inaugural AHEAD 100.
You can view photography and details of the design team behind each winning project on Sleeper’s new platform Sleepifier via the links below.
Ultimate Accolade
Pontiac Land Group / Capella Hotels & Resorts / Make Architects / Bar Studio
The ultimate winner at AHEAD Global was Capella Sydney, named 2023’s best new hotel across the globe. Big winners at AHEAD Asia, the property has been converted from a former Department of Agriculture building to a luxury five-star hotel by Pontiac Land Group and Make Architects, with interiors by Bar Studio.
Described as “outstanding”, the judges commended Capella Sydney’s “expert transitions between new and existing architecture” – from refreshed original features to a four-storey glass rooftop extension – resulting in “a reimagined sequence of spaces that delight”.
Top Ten
OKO Group / Aman Resorts, Hotels & Residences / SLCE Architects / Denniston
Designed by Jean-Michel Gathy, Aman New York scooped four trophies at this year’s AHEAD Americas, including the coveted Hotel of the Year award for the region.
The Frenchman / GFAB Architects / Bitte Design Studio
Brutalist beachfront eco-retreat Cap Karoso was described by the panel as a resort “made with love”, featuring “modernist architecture, sensitive landscaping and an inherent sense of place that engages the local community”.
Carlton Cannes, A Regent Hotel – Cannes, France
Katara Hospitality / IHG Hotels & Resorts / Richard Lavelle / Tristan Auer
Winner of the awards for best Guestroom, Renovation, Lobby and Hotel of the Year at AHEAD Europe, Tristan Auer-designed Carlton Cannes was dubbed a “beautiful example of taking an icon and creating something for the next generation”.
The Cōmodo – Badgastein, Austria
Comodo Hospitality / Barbara Elwardt / ioo Architekten / WeStudio / Hutterreimann
Renovated by WeStudio, The Cōmodo’s 1960s nostalgia has been layered with an eclectic mix of bespoke Mid-Century furnishings and modern art, described by the judging panel as “fun, playful and fresh”.
Mamula Island – Herceg Novi, Montenegro
Samih Sawiris / Mamula Hotel Operating Company / MCM Architecture & Design / WeStudio
Nestled at the entrance of Montenegro’s Bay of Kotor, Mamula Island is a boutique hotel reconstructed from a 19th-century Austro-Hungarian fortress. At AHEAD Global judging, designers commended the developers for “finding beauty in something that didn’t have beauty before”.
Taking residence in an eight-storey former factory that dates back to the 1950s, Mona Athens showcases a layered, industrial design scheme by House of Shila, dubbed “brave”, “bold” and “joyous” by the judges.
The Ned / Soho House & Co. / David Chipperfield Architects (Berlin) / Soho House Design
The Ned Doha was transformed by David Chipperfield Architects in collaboration with Soho House Design, who carefully layered the existing architecture with touches of 1970s glamour. The hotel’s architecture in particular was commended by judges, who saw a “bold statement for the region” that “sets a new benchmark for the Middle East”.
The Serai Wing at The Chedi Al Bait – Sharjah, UAE
Sharjah Investment & Development Authority (SHUROOQ) / General Hotel Management / Anarchitect
The Serai Wing at The Chedi Al Bait – winner of the Guestroom award at AHEAD MEA – was lauded by the judging panel for its materiality and detailing which, through sensitive restraint, showcases a striking maturity, judges claimed.
Cityhold Iconic Hotel / Accor / Ennismore / David Chipperfield Architects / RDAI / Notoire / Jordane Arrivetz
After winning the award for Hotel Conversion at AHEAD Europe, Ennismore‘s SO/ Paris was praised by AHEAD Global judges for its “bold, exciting and fresh” design, in particular in its public spaces.
