All the winners from the 2019 AHA National Awards for Excellence

The crème-de-la-crème of Australian hospitality has been revealed at the AHA National Awards for Excellence.

Hosted at The Star, Gold Coast, the annual ceremony saw Crown Towers Perth take home the coveted Overall Hotel of the Year award for 2019, one of the day’s major categories.

Andrew Cairns, executive manager Crown Towers Perth, accepted the prestigious national award in front of a crowd of more than 500 VIP and industry guests.

The national title for Best Superior Accommodation was won by Maylands Lodge in Tasmania, while the Holiday Inn Melbourne on Flinders won Best Mid-Range Accommodation.

Acknowledging Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley’s efforts towards environmental sustainability, the resort accepted the award for Best Environmental and Energy Efficiency Practice.

Fairmont Resort & Spa Blue Mountains, M Gallery by Sofitel was awarded the nation’s Best Meeting and Events Venue. Fairmont also received the award for Best Conference and Events Centre of the Year at the TAA NSW Awards in late July.

Best Marketed Hotel was won by The Island Gold Coast, while the East Hotel in the ACT won Best Suite/Apartment Hotel.

Best Restaurant went to Hardy’s Verandah Restaurant, Mount Lofty House in South Australia while Best Accommodation Hotel Bar was won by Alibi, Ovolo Woolloomooloo in Sydney.

The award for Best Tourism Initiative went to Voyages Ayers Rock Resort.

Nick Warner of Holiday Inn Express Brisbane and James Lightbody of Hotel Realm in Canberra were joint winners of the Hotel Industry Rising Star award.

Yvone Qian of the Sheraton Melbourne Hotel walked away with the national award for Employee Excellence in Service.

Laurent Johnson of Melbourne’s Marriott Hotel won national Front of House Employee of the Year.

Tourism Accommodation Australia (TAA) national CEO Michael Johnson paid tribute to the hard work of staff, “who work tirelessly each and every day to ensure Australia’s accommodation sector is second to none.”