The finalists for the 35th Gold Key Award for Excellence in Hospitality Design, the industry’s most prestigious honor, have been announced by HX: The Hotel Experience (formerly IHMRS).
A panel of eight prominent judges considered more than 350 entries for these coveted awards, which recognize outstanding design worldwide for hospitality projects that were completed or renovated from April 1, 2014 through May 30, 2015.
“It was a thrill to set a new record for the number of entries. It’s a testament to the health of the hospitality industry but also to the powerful role design plays in its success,” says Mary Scoviak, executive editor of Boutique Design. “But, equally importantly, this year’s entries set a new record for creativity and innovation. Projects from around the world, in every segment of the market, are pushing the definition of what ‘excellence’ means for hospitality design.”
Michelle Finn, president of Hospitality Media Group said of the competition, “We are thrilled to recognize the accomplishments of this years’ Gold Key finalists; our industry’s thought leaders and up and coming talent, who are breaking down boundaries, exploring new directions and raising the bar on hospitality design…and are excited to announce the winners during our Gold Key Award for Excellence in Hospitality Design Gala.”
“We’re seeing designers who aren’t afraid to step out of the box,” says Stacey Greene, vice president, design and construction, Chesapeake Lodging Trust and 2015 Gold Key judge. “They’re not just putting a desk into a guest room because that’s the expectation. They’re asking what the customer really wants, and they’re willing to do something different to meet that expectation.”
Finalists will be recognized and winners will be revealed in each of this year’s 18 categories at the Gold Key Awards Gala, cocktail reception and dinner, on Monday, Nov. 9, at the Waldorf Astoria New York. The ceremony will culminate with the presentation of the Designer of the Year.
The 35th Gold Key Award finalists are:
BEST ECO CONSCIOUS OR SOCIALLY CONSCIOUS HOTEL
Meyer Davis, New York; 1 Hotel South Beach, Miami Beach
Fox Browne Creative, Johannesburg; Michaelis Boyd Associates, London; Nicholas Plewman Architects, Johannesburg; Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge, Okovango Delta, Botswana
BEST LOBBY MIDSCALE/BUDGET/FOCUSED SERVICE
EoA Inc., Coral Gables, Fla; Amara Cay Resort, Islamorada, Fla.
Gene Kaufman Architect PC, New York; CAMBRiA hotel & suites New York – Chelsea
+tongtong, Toronto; Drake Devonshire Inn, Wellington, Ont., Canada
BEST LOBBY UPSCALE
CCD / Cheng Chung Design (HK) Ltd., Hong Kong; The Westin Chongqing Liberation Square, China
The Gettys Group, Chicago; Renaissance Chicago Downtown Hotel
NICOLEHOLLIS, San Francisco; The Palladian Hotel, a Kimpton Hotel, Seattle
Studio GAIA, New York; W Bogota, Colombia
BEST LOBBY LUXURY
Meyer Davis Studio, New York; 1 Hotel South Beach, Miami Beach, Fla.
Varró Design, Budapest; Aria Hotel Budapest
BAR Studio, Melbourne; Rosewood Beijing
HBA/Hirsch Bedner Associates, Santa Monica, Calif.; The Castle Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Dalian, China
BEST GUEST ROOM MIDSCALE/BUDGET/FOCUSED SERVICE
+tongtong, Toronto; Drake Devonshire Inn, Wellington, Ont., Canada
PAL Design Consultants, Hong Kong; DusitD2 Hotel Constance Pasadena, Calif.
Stylt Trampoli, Gothenburg, Sweden; U & ME Hotel, Umeå, Sweden
BEST GUEST ROOM UPSCALE
CCD / Cheng Chung Design (HK) Ltd., Hong Kong; The Westin Chongqing Liberation Square, China
NICOLEHOLLIS, San Francisco; The Palladian Hotel, a Kimpton Hotel, Seattle
Studio GAIA, New York; W Bogota, Colombia
BEST GUEST ROOM LUXURY
Meyer Davis Studio, New York; 1 Hotel South Beach, Miami Beach, Fla.
Varró Design, Budapest; Aria Hotel Budapest
HBA/Hirsch Bedner Associates, Singapore; NUO Hotel Beijing
BEST SUITE
Josh Held Design, New York; GuestHouse at Dream Downtown, New York
Wimberly Interiors, New York; Bentley Suite at The St. Regis Istanbul
Studio GAIA, New York; W Bogota, Colombia
BEST NIGHTCLUB/LOUNGE
AB Concept, Hong Kong; W/Lounge, W Beijing-Chang’An
Blue Sky Hospitality, London; Razzmatazz Cocktail Bar & Lounge, JW Marriott Hotel Absheron, Baku, Azerbaijan
Studio Munge, Toronto; Prohibition, Rosewood Hotel Georgia, Vancouver, B.C., Canada
nemaworkshop, New York; P.O.V. & Altitude, W Washington, D.C.
BEST NEW HOTEL BRAND OR SOFT BRAND CONCEPT
1 Hotels, New York
AZIMUT Hotels Co., Moscow
The Wayfarer, Santa Barbara, Calif.
BEST RESORT
BAMO, San Francisco; Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach
EoA Inc., Coral Gables, Fla.; Amara Cay Resort, Islamorada, Fla.
Hard Rock International In-house Design Studio, Orlando, and Jeffery Beers International, New York; Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya, Cancun
BEST RESTAURANT CASUAL DINING
BASILE Studio, San Diego, Calif.; Ironside Fish & Oyster Bar, San Diego, Calif.
concrete, Amsterdam; Pressroom, INK Hotel Amsterdam – MGallery Collection, Amsterdam
Stonehill & Taylor Architects, New York; The NoMad Bar, New York
BEST RESTAURANT FINE DINING
Gabellini Sheppard Associates, New York; The Rainbow Room, New York
HBA/Hirsch Bedner Associates, Singapore; Jia, NUO Hotel Beijing
Studio Munge , Toronto; Lago by Julian Seranno, Bellagio Resort & Casino Las Vegas
Sant Francesc Hotel Singular in-house design team, Palma de Mallorca and MJC Arquitectura, Barcelona; Quadrat, Sant Francesc Hotel Singular, Palma de Mallorca, Spain
JUDGES’ SO COOL
Glen & Company Architecture, New York; Empellón al Pastor, New York
Hard Rock International In-house Design Studio, Orlando, and Jeffery Beers Intl., New York; Heaven Lobby at Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya, Cancun
+tongtong, Toronto; Her Majesty’s Pleasure, Toronto
Historic Hospitality, Lake Geneva, Wis.; Maxwell Mansion, Lake Geneva, Wis.
Fox Browne Creative, Johannesburg; Michaelis Boyd Associates, London; Nicholas Plewman Architects, Johannesburg; Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge, Okovango Delta, Botswana
BEST HOTEL BUDGET/FOCUSED SERVICE
DesignAgency, Toronto; Generator London
DesignAgency, Toronto ; Generator Paris
Pacifica Design Group, Santa Barbara, Calif.; The Wayfarer, Santa Barbara, Calif.
BEST HOTEL MIDSCALE
Deborah Berke Partners, New York; 21c Museum Hotel Durham, N.C.
+tongtong, Toronto; Drake Devonshire Inn, Wellington, Ont., Canada
Stylt Trampoli, Gothenburg, Sweden; U & ME Hotel, Umeå, Sweden
BEST HOTEL UPSCALE
Roman and Williams, New York; Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture, Chicago, Illinois; Chicago Athletic Association Hotel
CCD / Cheng Chung Design (HK) Ltd., Hong Kong; The Westin Chonqing Liberation Square, China
concrete, Amsterdam; INK Hotel Amsterdam – MGallery Collection , Amsterdam
Gabellini Sheppard Associates, New York; The Knickerbocker Hotel, New York
Rockwell Group Europe, Madrid; Paola Navone; Virgin Hotels Chicago
Studio GAIA, New York; W Bogota, Colombia
BEST HOTEL LUXURY
Varró Design, Budapest; Aria Hotel Budapest
Gilles & Boissier, Paris; Baccarat New York
HBA/Hirsch Bedner Associates, Singapore; NUO Hotel Beijing
Sant Francesc Hotel Singular in-house design team, Palma de Mallorca and MJC Arquitectura, Barcelona; Quadrat, Sant Francesc Hotel Singular, Palma de Mallorca, Spain
Judges* for the 2015 Gold Key Awards were:
Stacey L. Greene, Vice President – Design and Construction, Chesapeake Lodging Trust
Kemper Hyers, Senior Vice President Design, Starwood Capital Group
Ted Jacobs, Vice President of Global Design, Starwood Hotels & Resorts
Helen Jorgensen, Vice President Design & Procurement, Host Hotels & Resorts
Raul Leal, CEO, Virgin Hotels
John D. McMullen, Senior Vice President of Construction, Highgate Hotels
Christine M. Shanahan, Managing Director of Design, HVS Design
Erik Warner, Co-Founder, Eagle Point Hotel Partners
Finalists were selected based on excellence in: concept, execution, innovation and “wow factor.”
The 35th Gold Key Awards coincide with the sixth annual Boutique Design New York (BDNY) trade fair, serving hospitality design professionals, and HX: The Hotel Experience (formerly IHMRS), celebrating its 100 year anniversary, held concurrently at New York’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.
Tickets for the Gold Key Awards Gala (cocktail reception and dinner) are available now for $450 and can be purchased as part of HX/BDNY trade fair registration or as an event ticket only. More Gold Key information is available at bdny.com and thehotelexperience.us.