A special one-off award was made today at the Condé Nast Johansens hotel awards in memory of Julie Dunkley, who died this March after working for the publishers for seven years as a hotel inspector.
Dunkley, who also worked as hotel manager at Risley Hall hotel in Nottingham, died in her mid-forties after a long battle against cancer.
The award – for an outstanding individual whose commitment to standards contributed to the success of a hotel – went to Belinda Maloney, front office manager at Knock Ranny House Hotel and Spa in County Mayo, Ireland.
Malone created an enjoyable working environment, enrolled her team in the best service excellence programme and successfully introduced incentives and targets to boost bedroom sales and increase the number of repeat guests.
51 Buckingham Gate was voted the Most Excellent London Hotel, while Glasgow’s One Devonshire Gardens scooped the Most Excellent City Hotel award.
Rural winners included Ford Abbey, Pudleston, Herefordshire (Most Excellent Country House Hotel) and Cotswold House, Chipping Camden, Gloucestershire (Most Excellent Country hotel).
The White House on Herm Island, Guernsey (which scooped the Most Excellent Coastal Hotel award) was described by the judges as “paradise” despite lacking enough electricity for in-room TVs and kettles.
The Lake Country House hotel in Llangammarch Wells, Powys, was judged to have the Most Excellent Restaurant - and the best cheeseboard in Wales.
Other UK winners included:
Most excellent traditional inn: The Falcon Hotel, Castle Ashby, Northamptonshire
Most excellent value for money: The Mill at Gordleton, New Forest, Hampshire
Most excellent service: East Lodge Country House Hotel, Rowsley, Derbyshire
Most excellent business meeting dedicated venue: The Goodwood Estate, Chichester, West Sussex
Most excellent business meetings hotel: St Andrews Bay hotel, Fife
Most excellent venues dedicated conference centres: East Midlands Conference Centre, Nottingham
Most excellent spa: Whatley Manor, Malmesbury, Wilts
The Knight Frank award for excellence and innovation: the Goodman family, owners of Bailiff's Court Hotel, Climping, West Sussex
Tatinger wine list award: Devonshire Arms Country Hotel, Bolton Abbey, Yorkshire
European winners:
Most excellent value for money hotel: Le Manoir les Minimes, Amboise, France
Most excellent city/town hotel: Hostellerie le Maréchal, Colmar, France
Most excellent countryside hotel: La Bobadilla, Loja, Granada, Spain
Most excellent waterside hotel (sea, river, lake): La Posta Vecchia, Palo Laziale, Lazio, Italy
Most excellent spa hotel (dedicated spa): Hotel Byblos Andaluz, Mijas-Costa, Spain
Most excellent resort hotel (ski, golf or beach): St. Nicolas Bay Hotel, Crete, Greece
Most romantic hotel – “e-club award": Hotel Cocumella, Sorrento, Italy
Most excellent business venue: Torrequebrada Golf & Beach Resort, Málaga, Spain
US winners:
Most outstanding inn: The Emerson Inn & Spa, Mt Tremper, New York
Most outstanding small inn: The Inn at Irving Place, New York City
Most outstanding spa hotel: Ballantyne Resort, Charlotte, North Carolina
Most outstanding resort: Grand Velas all Suites & Spa Resort, Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico
The most outstanding hotel: Hotel Villa Del Sol, Zihuatanejo, Mexico
Most outstanding lodge: Rough Creek Lodge, Glen Rose, Texas
by Angela Frewin
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