AHEAD, the Awards for Hospitality Experience and Design, has revealed its winners in a ceremony at Park Plaza Westminster Bridge London.
Celebrating the most ambitious and innovative hotels across Europe, winners include the reimagining of Sir Edward Lutyens iconic Midland Bank, the conversion of a Stockholm department store, and a vineyard retreat in Portugal’s Alentejo region.
Inspired by a sci-fi meets cyberpunk theme, the venue was brought to life with lasers, LEDs and a soundtrack of futuristic funk, creating a backdrop for the 900 leading hospitality professionals in attendance.
The night was hosted by Sleeper’s Editor-at-Large Guy Dittrich, with Awards Director Matt Turner opening proceedings.
The winning projects were subject to an arduous judging process by a panel chaired by Javier Hortal, Regional Director of Technical Services EMEA, Mandarin Oriental. Each entry was assessed on its aesthetic excellence, guest experience and commercial viability.
The winners are:
Bar, Club or Lounge – The Living Room at Huus, Gstaad-Saanen, Switzerland
Event Spaces – The Ned, London, UK
Guestrooms – At Six, Stockholm, Sweden
Hotel Renovation & Restoration – Pulitzer Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Landscape & Outdoor Spaces – Ekies All Senses Resort, Vourvourou, Greece
Lobby & Public Spaces – Roomers Baden-Baden, Germany
Resort Hotel – São Lourenço do Barrocal, Monsaraz, Portugal
Restaurant – Millie’s Lounge at The Ned, London, UK
Spa & Wellness – Ned’s Club Relax at The Ned, London, UK
Suite – Split Level Suites at Casa Cook, Rhodes, Greece
Urban Hotel – Conversion – At Six, Stockholm, Sweden
Urban Hotel – Newbuild – CitizenM Tower of London, UK
Outstanding Contribution – Rob Wagemans, Concrete
Visual Identity of the Year – Huus Hotel, Gstaad-Saanen, Switzerland
New Concept of the Year – La Granja, Ibiza, Spain
The AHEAD Europe Hotel of the Year – The Ned, London, UK
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 winners celebrate into the evening.
The four regional heats – Asia, Americas, MEA and Europe – will culminate in a Global Biennale in 2019, which will see the winners compete head-to-head to decide a worldwide winner in each category.
