Nominations for Hotelier Awards to open on April 1

Nominations for the Hotelier Middle East Awards 2013 will open online at HotelierMiddleEast.com on April 1.

Now in their ninth year, the Hotelier Middle East Awards are renowned industry-wide for being the only awards to recognise the hotel professionals working front and back of house to establish their properties as some of the best in the world.

Last year’s winners included Serge Zaalof, president and managing director, Atlantis The Palm, who was named GM of the Year; Prabhat Shukla, executive housekeeper at Holiday Inn Kuwait Downtown, who won Housekeeper of the Year; Alena Miatlushka of Crowne Plaza Hotel Bahrain, who took home HR Person of the Year; and Mohammed Rafiq, gardener at InterContinental Hotel Abu Dhabi, who was named Hotelier’s Unsung Hero of the Year 2012.

Nominations for the Hotelier Middle East Awards are open to hoteliers working in all hotel categories, from budget to luxury, and hotels can nominate as many people as they wish in 19 categories via the dedicated entry forms online.

Entries from international, regional and independent hotel operators are welcomed, with Dubai’s Media One Hotel last year beating Atlantis The Palm and Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai to the coveted title of Hotel Team of the Year.

On receiving the award at the ceremony last year, Media One general manager Mark Lee said: “We were very surprised to win but leading the winning team is very easy, I’ve got a great team behind me so it’s very, very easy.

“It’s not really more difficult for an independent property to be successful; it’s just a focus on the end result. Going beyond the expectations of the guest and that’s what matters at the end of the day.

“We motivate the teams by leading from the front; we’ve got a great team of people who roll their sleeves up when necessary,” said Lee.

Hotelier Middle East, part of Dubai-based ITP Business Publishing, received more than 700 nominations for the 2012 awards.

ITP Business group editor hospitality Louise Oakley commented: “With enquiries coming in already from hotels eager to nominate their colleagues for this year’s Hotelier Middle East Awards, I am expecting even more nominations in 2013.

“There have been many exciting new hotel openings across the region in the past 12 months and I encourage these hotels to look within their teams and enter those staff members that strive for excellence every day.

“The Hotelier Middle East Awards provide you with the opportunity to gain regional recognition for colleagues delivering superior guest experience and working behind the scenes to ensure the smooth operation of your hotels. At Hotelier Middle East, we believe these people are the true heroes of the hospitality industry and look forward to celebrating their successes once again this year.”

The Hotelier Middle East Awards 2013 will be held on October 30 at the recently opened JW Marriott Marquis Dubai, the world’s tallest hotel.