The One & Only Royal Mirage, Dubai, triumphed at the Depa Hotel Awards beating 26 participants to be named Middle East North Africa Hotel of the Year.
The awards, attributed by live ‘Interactive Voting System’, were presented during a glittering ceremony at Dubai’s Grand Hyatt and attended by more than 750 people from the international hotel and tourism sector.
The Grand Rotana Resort and Spa, Sharm El Sheik scooped the Middle East Resort Property of the Year while The Fairmont Dubai was named Business Hotel of the Year. The trophy for New Hotel went to Qasr Al Sharq, Jeddah KSA and One and Only Royal Mirage, Dubai won their second award of the night in the Hotel Spa Facility of the Year category
A clearly delighted Patrick Antaki from Le Meridien Al Aqah was crowned Hotel Manager of the Year. He was joined by an equally thrilled Claudia Nazzal from Courtyard by Marriott Dubai Green Community as Young Hotelier of the Year.
The F&B Award of the year was scooped by Beach Rotana Hotel and Towers, Abu Dhabi while the Standard Hotel Room of the Year and Commitment to Quality Award was attributed to Le Royal Hotel Beirut and Shangri-La Hotel, Dubai respectively.
Now in their sixth year, the Depa Middle East Hotel Awards are designed to recognize and reward outstanding service, performance and creativity by the region’s hotels and hospitality professionals.
Depa Chief Executive Officer, Mohannad Sweid said: “Depa has been working with the region’s hotels for a long time and although we are not involved in the judging we knew that the ‘live voting system’ would be the key for this year event success. We are absolutely delighted for the winners although it must be stressed that each and every entry exemplified excellence in all the categories.”
Mrs. Noor El-Solh, Managing Director of Strategy at Depa United Group, added: “The Hoteliers were faced with a truly daunting task, voting for each other and recognizing each other’s excellence. The standard of entries was outstanding in all areas and I am sure that deciding the winners was certainly not easy. I’d like to extend my congratulations to every hotel that entered. All were worthy contenders.”
Depa also thanked the support sponsors of the awards which included: HSBC; Arab Bank; Al Aqariya TV; City 7 TV; S. Pellegrino; Acqua Panna; WSI Internet Consulting; Satellite; The Hotel Show; Mediaone FZ LLC; Ninawa Tours; Arte Casa; Decolight; Sara General Trading; Villeroy & Boch; Carrara, and Specialized Metal Systems (SMS).
“The commitment from our co-sponsors, the team and the hotels which prepared such superb entries have all helped to set a benchmark for best practice within the region’s hospitality sector,” added Sweid.
“The Depa Awards are now well and truly established as the pinnacle of excellence to which all Middle East hotels aspire. We are already looking forward to next year’s event and genuinely hope that those who were not so lucky this time will try again. They owe it to themselves.”
The full list of winners:
The Middle East North Africa Hotel of the Year
One & Only Royal Mirage, Dubai
The Middle East North Africa Resort Property of the Year
Grand Rotana Resort and Spa, Sharm El Sheik
Business Hotel of the Year
The Fairmont Dubai
New Hotel of the Year
Qasr Al Sharq, Jeddah KSA
Hotel Spa Facility of the Year
One and Only Royal Mirage, Dubai
Food and Beverage Award of the Year
Beach Rotana Hotel and Towers, Abu Dhabi
Standard Hotel Room of the Year
Le Royal Hotel Beirut
Commitment to Quality Award
Shangri-La Hotel, Dubai
Hotel Manager of the Year
Patrick Antaki - Le Meridien Al Aqah
Young Hotelier of the Year
Claudia Nazzal, Courtyard by Marriott Dubai Green Community
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