The winners of the Boutique Hotel Awards 2019 were announced on the 6th November at the prestigious Awards ceremony held at the Merchant Taylors’ Hall, London. The ceremony brought together an array of boutique hotel owners, travel and lifestyle press and travel industry influencers from all four corners of the globe.
This year’s keynote speech was delivered by Maureen O’Hare, travel expert and CNN journalist. Maureen is a Senior Digital Producer for CNN Travel, and has more than 15 years’ experience in digital media, working for organisations including Microsoft and the BBC.
The winners were selected from over 300 nominees in more than 80 countries. Each entrant was nominated by a member of the Awards Nomination Committee, comprising 70 leading trailblazing travel experts, whose business it is to be ‘in the know’ concerning the extraordinary boutique hotels.
The Awards then coordinate judge evaluation visits with each shortlisted nominee. The judges document all aspects of the guest experience covering six categories: dining and entertainment, design, facilities, location and, most importantly, staff service and overall emotional impact. Finally, these extensive hand-written evaluations are meticulously studied by the Awards Panel, which decides the regional and World’s Best Award winners.
The world’s Best Category Winners and Best in Region are listed below:
World’s Best Boutique Hotel: Awarta Nusa Dua Resort & Villas, Bali, Indonesia World’s
Best Beach or Coastal Hotel: Emaho Sekawa Resort, Fiji, South Pacific
World’s Best City Explorer Hotel: Riad Kheirredine, Marrakech, Morocco
World’s Best Chic Elegance Hotel: Arctic Light Hotel, Rovaniemi, Finland
World’s Best Classic Elegance Hotel: Relais & Châteaux Hotel Heritage, Bruges, Belgium
World’s Best Culinary Excellence Hotel: Velaa Private Island, Maldives
World’s Most Inspired Design Hotel: Byblos Art Hotel, Verona, Italy
World’s Best Honeymoon Hideaway Hotel: Drake Bay Getaway Resort, Drake Bay, Costa Rica
World’s Best Newcomer Hotel: Te Koi The Lodge At Bronte, New Zealand
World’s Best Relaxation Retreat Hotel: Green SPA Resort Stanglwirt, Austria
World’s Most Romantic Retreat Hotel: Rancho Pacifico, Uvita, Costa Rica
World’s Most Eco Friendly Hotel: Donkey Bay Inn, Russell, New Zealand
World’s Best Wellness Spa Hotel: Masseria San Domenico, Puglia, Italy
World’s Most Stunning Views Hotel: Hanging Gardens of Bali, Bali, Indonesia
World’s Best Family Hotel: Chitwa Chitwa Private Game Lodge, Greater Kruger, South Africa
Best Farm To Table Hotel: Masseria Susafa Hotel
Best Host Of The Year: Riccardo Barsottelli Of Locanda Al Colle
The Finest Home – Grown Wine Pairing: Tenuta Montemagno
For a full list of the regional category winners, and for further details of the awards, click here.
