The Bulgari Resort Dubai was announced as one of the triumphant winners at this year’s AHEAD MEA Awards.
Scooping the prestigious Hotel of the Year accolade, as well as awards for its event spaces and suite, The Bulgari was commended by judges for its restrained design, beautifully curated palette of materials and strong architectural presence.
Other multiple award winners included Five Palm Jumeirah, recognised for its Lobby & Public Spaces and Spa & Wellness facilities, and The Silo, Thomas Heatherwick’s conversion of a grain silo on Cape Town’s V&A waterfront, which won the award for Renovation, Restoration & Conversion.
The awards were announced at an equestrian-inspired ceremony at The Meydan Hotel, Dubai. Owing to the host venue’s racecourse location, the evening took on a theme of ‘A Night at the Races’, with 300 professionals gathering to celebrate hospitality design and guest experience in all its forms.
A panel of judges comprising leading hoteliers, architects, interior designers, consultants and industry commentators assessed entries on their aesthetic excellence, guest experience and commercial viability.
The winners of AHEAD MEA will now progress to compete with other regional winners in a Global Finale, with the results announced on Monday 28 January 2019.
The winners are:
Bar, Club or Lounge
Flair No.5 at The Ritz-Carlton – DIFC Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Event Spaces
The Bulgari Resort – Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Guestrooms
The Renaissance Downtown – Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Landscaping & Outdoor Spaces
Kempinski Hotel – Muscat, Oman
Lobby & Public Spaces
Five Palm Jumeirah – Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Lodges & Tented Camps
Bisate Eco Lodge – Ruhengeri, Rwanda
Renovation, Restoration & Conversion
The Silo – Cape Town, South Africa
Resort Hotel
The Bulgari Resort – Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Restaurant
Little Miss India at Fairmont The Palm – Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Spa&Wellness
The Spa at Five Palm Jumeirah – Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Suite
Bulgari Suite at The Bulgari Resort – Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Urban Hotel
Form Hotel – Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Visual Identity of the Year
The Silo – Cape Town, South Africa
New Concept of the Year
Form Hotel – Dubai, United Arab Emirates
The AHEAD MEA Hotel of the Year
The Bulgari Resort – Dubai, United Arab Emirates
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.
