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Stelliers has named the winning hoteliers of the year from Asia and South Asia. The annual Hotelier Awards ceremony held its sixth edition during a lavish gala at the iconic Marina Bay Sands on 28 May 2019.   

Stelliers, formerly known as The Hotelier Awards, has become a recognised symbol of excellence as well as a powerful establishment for inspiring the younger generation to enter the hospitality industry.  The evening celebration brought together over 300 hoteliers, industry professionals, their friends and families as they commemorated the announcement of the 2019 Asia & South Asia Hoteliers of the Year.

In 2019, Stelliers welcomed applications from over 100 properties across 19 different countries.  For each category, the winner was decided by an expert judging panel over the course of the year.  The two-round judging process was based on a combination of facts presented in the applications, interviews and testimonials, which ensured that the winners were truly deserving.

The celebration successfully recognised the professional excellence of outstanding hoteliers across two competitions under Asia and South Asia.  To shine the spotlight on as many hoteliers as possible, earlier this year Stelliers proudly announced its expansion into India, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and Pakistan, opening up the opportunity to a greater number of hotelier heroes.  Awards were presented for each competition throughout the evening, resulting in a total of 34 hotelier winners being honoured with a ‘Stellier Award’.

The platform boasts a panel of renowned professionals who judge the applications, each holding a significant amount of industry-specific expertise and knowledge.  This high-profile jury includes Julia MonkSenior Principal & Director of Hospitality Design, HOKChristine GamarraSenior Operations Lead for LRA by Deloitte, Jenny SooRegional Director & Head of Workplace Experience Corporate Solutions Asia Pacific at JLL – Jones Lang LaSalleChristophe Laurent Values Ambassador at Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL) and Guy HeywoodFormer Chief Operating Officer Asia of Two Roads Hospitality Regional Office.

Co-Founder, Stephane de Montgros, opened the evening’s festivities with a warm and inspiring speech, “Since we started, our mission has not changed, which was to give appreciation to the most hard-working and talented hoteliers out there. These hoteliers are here tonight, seated around you, our 2019 finalists!  You are not only the leadership of the industry today, but most importantly, you are the leadership of tomorrow! ”

Markus Engel from Urban Resort Concepts was presented with a Stellier Award after he was honoured as the “Corporate Hotelier of the Year” 2019 for Asia Pacific.  Taking home the highly anticipated “General Manager of the Year” Award for South Asia was Nitesh Gandhi of JW Marriott New Dehli Aerocity and for Asia, the General Manager of the Year Award went to William Haandrikman of Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi.

For the second consecutive year, Singapore is the host country for this stellar event.  Marina Bay Sands welcomed guests for a glamorous evening of recognition and honour.  From the cocktail reception through to the exquisite fine dining menu created by Marina Bay Sand’s Executive Chef, Shaun Candon, paired with fine wines by Australian Vintage Limited, every element of the event was perfectly executed.  Partners supporting the platform this year are RH Contract, Lavazza Group, SanPellegrino S.p.A., GHC Asia, EventBank, Winnow, EHL, Champagne Collet, Labbrand, and Singapore Tourism Board.

Stelliers pride themselves on providing true recognition to the most talented and hardworking professionals that breathe life into a hotel, whilst also inspiring the younger generation to join this ever-growing industry.  The Awards will continue to draw attention to these exceptional professionals in years to come, giving them the recognition and praise that they deserve. Hoteliers from around Asia are kindly invited to participate in next year’s exciting Awards. Visit www.stelliers.com for information on application openings for 2020.