Australia came up trumps in the annual Smith Hotel Awards, with four venues triumphing in several categories, including best budget, best eco and best for families.
Australia’s boutique hotel offerings are officially among the best in the world, with their standing confirmed in the Smith Hotel Awards 2014, held in London.
Intended to celebrate the most remarkable hotels in the world, the Smith Hotel Awards 2014 pitted more than 950 hotels head to head in 12 specially selected categories, including Sexiest Bedroom, Best Dressed and Best Hotel Pool.
Pictured: Best Budget Boutique winner, 1888 Sydney.
Some 22,000 members of the hotel-loving public voted for their favourite stays during the month-long poll, after which shortlists were put to a panel of three specialist judges in each category, including writer and presenter Mariella Frostrup, chef Marcus Wareing, television presenter and editor Neale Whitaker and singer-songwriter Jessie Ware.
‘When we started Smith in 2003, we set out to find the very best boutique hotels in the UK. Over the last 11 years, we’ve taken that mission all over the world, so this list of 2014 award-winners really does represent the best of the best on the global hotel scene,” said James Lohan, co-founder of Mr & Mrs Smith.
Choosing from such incredible hotels is a tough job, of course, which is why we asked the public to help, and thanks to them and our panel of specialist judges, we think we’ve arrived at the ultimate hot list.”
Pictured: The Eco Award winner, Sal Salis, Ningaloo Reef.
Australian properties came up trumps in four categories – Best Budget Boutique, Best for Families, The Eco Award and Above and Beyond – with a further three local hotels awarded Runners-up.
The Australian Smith Hotel Awards 2014 winners were the Southern Ocean Lodge, Kangaroo Island in the Above and Beyond category.
Sal Salis, Ningaloo Reef won the Eco Award.
“100% solar power is pretty special, Juliet Kinsman, Mr & Mrs Smith, said.
“It does mean no internet, but that makes this the perfect retreat for anyone after a digital detox.”
Emirates, Wolgan Valley was top pick for Best for Families. The 1888 Hotel reigned supreme in the Best Budget Boutique Hotel stakes.
“A new-meets-old aesthetic and properly good value,” designer, Wayne Hemingway, said.
Pictured: Above and Beyond winner, Southern Ocean Lodge Australia.
Runners-up included Lake House, Daylesford for Best Hotel Restaurant. Saffire, Tasmania came a close second in the Best-Dressed Hotel category and Qualia, Great Barrier Reef almost received the gold medal for Best Smith Hotel 2014. The winner of the category was Uxua Casa Hotel & Spa, Bahia, Brazil.
“What could be more blissful than a beautiful beach hotel with stand-out personality, fantastic food, a come-to-me spa and a proper sense of place?” said Sophie Lam, The Independent on the winner.
The full list of winners can be found here.
Pictured: poolside at Best for Families winner, Emirates, Wolgan valley.