Ph&r Announces 2016 Awards Of Excellence And Eighth Giftts Pineapple Award Winner

October 18, 2016

Recipients Honored at the 2016 Preferred Global Conference in Dubai

CHICAGO – October 18, 2016 – Preferred Hotels & Resorts is pleased to announce the winners of its first annual Preferred Awards of Excellence and eighth GIFTTS initiative. The awards were presented before an audience of more than 150 hospitality industry leaders, renowned speakers, media, and independent hoteliers at the closing ceremony of the 2016 Preferred Global Conference, which took place at member hotel Palazzo Versace Dubai from October 12-16, 2016.

“We are proud to celebrate these partners for embracing their commitment to outstanding independent hospitality – from showcasing significant acts of selfless giving to providing guests with unparalleled, personalized, and authentic luxury experiences upon every stay,” said President & CEO Lindsey Ueberroth. “Our 2016 winners deserve global recognition for continuously setting new standards for the industry across every region and every category.”

Preferred Awards of Excellence
New for 2016, the Preferred Awards of Excellence recognize partners across the company’s worldwide network that exemplify excellence within the Preferred Hotels & Resorts brand promise and inspire the global travel community to pursue #ThePreferredLife. Spanning from Best New Hotel of the Year to Lifetime Achievement Award, the following member properties and hoteliers of Preferred Hotels & Resorts were honored with the prestigious 2016 Preferred Awards of Excellence:

Hotel of the Year – Overall:

  • Grand Hotel Tremezzo (Lake Como, Italy)

Hotelier of the Year:

  • Michael Davern, Chief Executive & General Manager, The K Club (Straffan, Ireland)


Lifetime Achievement Award:

  • Philip Wood, Managing Director, The Jefferson , Washington, D.C.


Best New Hotel of the Year (joined the brand within the past 12 months):

  • The Temple House (Chengdu, China


Hotel of the Year – Americas & The Caribbean:

  • Condado Vanderbilt (San Juan, Puerto Rico)


Hotel of the Year – Europe:

  • Hotel Sans Souci (Vienna, Austria)


Hotel of the Year – Asia Pacific:

  • New Otani Tokyo, Executive House Zen (Tokyo, Japan)


Hotel of the Year – South Asia, Middle East, Africa, and Australasia:

  • The Leela Palace New Delhi (India)


iPrefer Hotel of the Year:

  • The Pulitzer Amsterdam (Netherlands)

To qualify for nomination, hotels were required to rank among the top in their region as part of the bespoke Preferred Hotels & Resorts Integrated Quality Assurance program – which takes into account the results of a professional on-site inspection and real-time guest feedback from the world’s top consumer review sites – and actively demonstrate strong engagement in their partnership with the brand, including full participation in the iPrefer hotel rewards program. From the pool of qualified hotels, the company’s team of executive vice presidents created a shortlist of 34 nominees across the seven categories. Eleven hoteliers were nominated for Hotelier of the Year based on their outstanding contributions to the industry and the significant accomplishments they have achieved throughout their career by consistently demonstrating excellence at the highest level. The awards committee, chaired by the Ueberroth Family, selected the winners.

GIFTTS Pineapple Award Winner
At each Global Conference, Preferred Hotels & Resorts recognizes member hotels that take the meaning of genuine hospitality beyond their front doors by showcasing an outstanding commitment to philanthropy, community, sustainability, and education as part of its GIFTTS (Great Initiatives for Today’s [Tomorrow’s] Society) program. In 2016, 48 properties were nominated for their exemplary efforts over the past 18 months, and Banyan Tree Mayakoba (Playa del Carmen, Mexico) was named the 2016 GIFTTS Pineapple Award winner for making a huge impact on its local community through a variety of donations in both time and resources. Since 2015, the hotel’s team has donated more than 2,500 hours of community service and more than 1,900 volunteer hours in education and mentoring outreach to the local community as part of its renowned SEEDLINGS program, in addition to achieving other accomplishments such as accreditation by GSTC and both Earthcheck Silver and PROFEPA certification.

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About Preferred Hotels & Resorts
Preferred Hotels & Resorts is the world’s largest independent hotel brand, representing more than 650 distinctive hotels, resorts, residences, and unique hotel groups across 85 countries. Through its five global collections, Preferred Hotels & Resorts connects discerning travelers to the singular luxury hospitality experience that meets their life and style preferences for each occasion. Every property within the portfolio maintains the high quality standards and unparalleled service levels required by the Preferred Hotels & Resorts Integrated Quality Assurance Program. The iPrefer™ hotel rewards program, Preferred Residences℠, Preferred Family℠, Preferred Pride℠, and Preferred Golf™ offer valuable benefits for travelers seeking a unique experience. For more information, visit PreferredHotels.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Caroline Michaud
Vice President, Corporate Communications & Public Relations
Tel: +1 312 542 9218
cmichaud@preferredhotels.com

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