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Criteria<br />
Service<br />
Excellence in Service is an important<br />
category, as customer service can often<br />
be responsible for having guests return<br />
year after year. We look for the hotels<br />
and tour operators that go out of their<br />
way to please their guests, those that<br />
provide a personal level of service and<br />
take the time to get to know each visitor<br />
so that they might anticipate their every<br />
need. This can be something as simple<br />
as a 24-hour concierge desk, a hotel<br />
manager who offers a personal greeting<br />
or a tour guide who is happy to create<br />
bespoke private tours – but whatever<br />
it is, we are always pleased when we<br />
encounter staff that have been trained<br />
in the art of customer satisfaction.<br />
Style & Design<br />
It is no question that style and design<br />
plays a big part in selecting our awards<br />
shortlist. A guest will form an opinion<br />
about a hotel as soon as they arrive<br />
so it is important to us that all our<br />
winners make those first impressions<br />
count. We’re certainly not partial to a<br />
particular period of architecture – but<br />
whether we’re judging a gothic castle or<br />
an environmentally friendly lodge, the<br />
criteria remains the same. We consider<br />
factors such as architectural features,<br />
use of materials, creation of spaces,<br />
décor and the overall feel. We love it<br />
when we find a hotel that tells a story<br />
though its design and construction, or<br />
offers a design that is sympathetic to<br />
the natural surroundings of its location.<br />
Local Knowledge<br />
Knowledge of the local area is essential<br />
for any organization, be it a hotel or a<br />
tour operator. The quality of services<br />
takes a great hit when the quality of this<br />
element is not up to the mark. Quite a<br />
few of our winners in this category are<br />
because they have displayed excellent<br />
knowledge about the surrounding<br />
areas. The criteria for a hotel is slightly<br />
lenient compared to a tour operator, as<br />
the latter is expected to have thorough<br />
knowledge of the area in order to<br />
provide good services.<br />
Facilities<br />
Award-winning guest rooms come in all<br />
shapes and sizes, but they all have one<br />
thing in common – a home-away-fromhome<br />
feel. The comfort of the facilities<br />
on offer are of vital importance; we look<br />
for luxurious linens, stylish bathrooms<br />
and a coordinated colour scheme that<br />
work together to create a cohesive<br />
sense of relaxation. Additional touches,<br />
such as complimentary toiletries, free<br />
wi-fi or tea and coffee making facilities<br />
are always a bonus in making us feel<br />
welcome. We’re always impressed to find<br />
hotel rooms that embrace technology<br />
and offer amenities like tablets or smart<br />
thermostat systems, but this does not<br />
always necessarily trump the traditional<br />
– four poster beds, ornate fireplaces or<br />
antique furniture can add a touch of<br />
decadence to a hotel stay.<br />
Marketing<br />
In today’s modern age, a hotel or tour<br />
operator cannot rely on word of mouth<br />
to get their message out into the world.<br />
As social media has become a vital<br />
part of everyday life, we like to see<br />
companies that go the extra mile to<br />
engage with their guests, both past<br />
and future. Attractive and informative<br />
websites and engaging and honest<br />
content are what we look for when<br />
judging a company’s use of marketing;<br />
how well they display their services, how<br />
up-to-date their content is, how well<br />
they get their brand message across,<br />
and, most importantly, how well their<br />
marketing can tempt us to go and see<br />
what they have to offer for ourselves.<br />
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