Two NZ Hotels Recognised In Australasian Awards

Two New Zealand Hotels Recognised In Australasian Awards

Two New Zealand hotels were recognised for their excellence in the annual Choice Hotels Australasian Awards. The Comfort Inn Fairmont in Hastings and Rotorua’s Clarion Collection - Wai Ora Lakeside Spa Resort both won Gold Awards.

The Gold Awards recognise excellence in such business areas as branding, marketing, customer relations, franchisor relations, training and development, profitability and amenities. The winners were announced at the Gala Awards Dinner last night, part of Choice Hotels Annual Conference held on the Gold Coast.

Aileen Cobern, general manager sales and marketing for Choice Hotels, said the New Zealand hotels under the Choice umbrella are reaching new heights of customer service and excellence, as evidenced by their strong showing in the awards.

“The Comfort Inn Fairmont and Clarion Collection - Wai Ora Lakeside Spa Resort are properties that showcase the best Choice has to offer the discerning traveller,” she said. “Choice Hotels throughout the country are going from strength to strength in delivering a first-class experience to both domestic and international tourists.”

In addition, Ann Cowan of Quality Inn Hurley’s (Queenstown), Leanne and Craig Duncan of Comfort Inn Explorer (Te Anau), Bryan Hughes of the Clarion Collection - Wai Ora Lakeside Spa Resort and Darrin Muggeridge of Quality Hotel Plymouth International (New Plymouth) were named Champions of Choice.

Champion of Choice Awards recognise individuals for their exceptional service, individual effort and commitment to building the Choice brand.

Franchisee of the Year winners were also announced for each of the Choice Hotel brands operating in New Zealand and Australia -- Econo Lodge, Comfort, Quality, Clarion and Clarion Collection.

They were Econo Lodge City Star Brisbane (Brisbane), Comfort Inn Parkes International (Parkes), Quality Hotel NOAH’s On the Beach (Newcastle), Clarion Hotel Mackay Marina (Mackay) and Rendezvous Allegra Hotel Adelaide – Clarion Collection (Adelaide).

The winning hotels were nominated and judged by an executive panel comprising members from Choice’s senior management and franchise service team. Winners of the Franchisee of the Year Awards automatically go into the running for Choice Hotels International’s International Hotel of the Year Awards.

ENDS