AHEAD, the Awards for Hospitality Experience and Design, has revealed its winners in a ceremony at Faena Forum.
Celebrating the most ambitious and innovative hotels across the Americas, winners include an environmentally driven urban resort in Brooklyn, a retro-chic retreat in Napa Valley, and a carefully curated boutique resort in Nicaragua.
In a nod to the host venue’s South American origins, the ceremony took on an Argentinian twist with a theme of Tango in the Night, including a Latino-inspired soundtrack courtesy of Music Concierge and an Amphitheatre After Party with music curated by Design Hotels.
The night was hosted by Sleeper’s Editor-at-Large Guy Dittrich, with Awards Director Matt Turner opening proceedings.
Projects were assessed on the excellence of their aesthetics, guest experience and commercial viability by an esteemed panel of hoteliers, architects, interior designers and industry experts.
The winners are:
Bar, Club or Lounge – Magic Hour Rooftop Bar & Lounge at Moxy Times Square, New York, USA
Event Spaces – Espace C2 at Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth Hotel, Montreal, Canada
Guestrooms – Made Hotel, New York, USA
Hotel Renovation & Restoration – Calistoga Motor Lodge & Spa, Calistoga, USA
Landscape & Outdoor Spaces – Meson Nadi Boutique Hotel, Tola, Nicaragua
Lobby & Public Spaces – Public Hotel, New York, USA
Resort Hotel – Meson Nadi Boutique Hotel, Tola, Nicaragua
Restaurant – Le Sirenuse at Four Seasons Hotel The Surf Club, Miami, USA
Spa & Wellness – MoonAcre Spa & Baths at Calistoga Motor Lodge & Spa, Calistoga, USA
Suite – The Whitby Suite at The Whitby Hotel, New York, USA
Urban Hotel – Conversion – NoMad Los Angeles, USA
Urban Hotel – Newbuild – 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge, New York, USA
Outstanding Contribution – Andrew Zobler, CEO – Sydell Group
Visual Identity of the Year – Calistoga Motor Lodge & Spa, Calistoga, USA
New Concept of the Year – Habitas, Various locations
The AHEAD Americas Hotel of the Year – Calistoga Motor Lodge & Spa, Calistoga, USA
Winners took home bespoke trophies in hand-blown glass designed and manufactured by Lasvit, while headline sponsor Grohe – along with a host of other supporters – helped victors celebrate into the evening.
The four regional heats – Americas, Asia, Europe and MEA – will culminate in a Global Biennale in January 2019, which will see the winners compete head-to-head to decide a worldwide winner in each category.
