Three UK winners among Mr & Mrs Smith Hotel Awards
Three UK hotels were named winners at last night's Smith Hotel Awards 2014, run by boutique guide and booking agent Mr & Mrs Smith.
The event, held at Bankside Vaults in London, celebrated the most remarkable boutique hotels in the world. It pitted more than 950 properties in the Mr & Mrs Smith collection, head-to-head in 12 categories.
The British victors were: Hartnett, Holder & Co at Lime Wood, for Best Hotel Restaurant; House Spa at Dormy House, Cotswolds, for Best Spa Hotel; and Ham Yard Hotel, London, for Best Newcomer. Meanwhile, there were three British runners: Shoreditch Rooms for Hottest Hotel Bar; No 131 for Above and Beyond; and The Pig - on the Beach, for Best Newcomer.
More than 20,000 members of the public voted for their favourite stays throughout September. Shortlists were then put to a panel of three judges in each category, including writer and presenter Mariella Frostrup, chef Marcus Wareing, presenter and writer Anna Richardson 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 past 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," commented James Lohan, co-founder, Mr & Mrs Smith.
This is the second year that the awards have been held. The full list of winners and runners-up are:
* Best-Dressed Hotel
Winner: Riad El Fenn, Morocco
Runners-up: Portrait Firenze, Florence; Saffire, Australia
* Sexiest Bedroom in the World
Winner: Water Villa 5 at Six Senses Ninh Van Bay, Vietnam
Runners-up: Suite 58 at Viceroy New York; The Roccia Suite at Bellevue Syrene, Italy
* Hottest Hotel Bar
Winner: The NoMad hotel, USA
Runners-up: Ohla Hotel, Spain; Shoreditch Rooms, UK
* Best Hotel Restaurant
Winner: Hartnett, Holder & Co at Lime Wood, UK
Runners-up: Lake House, Australia; La Bastide de Moustiers, France
* Best Spa Hotel
Winner: House Spa at Dormy House, Cotswolds
Runners-up: Como Shambhala Estate, Bali; Fusion Maia Resort, Vietnam
* The Eco Award
Winner: Sal Salis, Australia
Runners-up: Sextantio Albergo Diffuso, Italy; Cuixmala, Mexico
* Best for Families
Winner: Emirates Wolgan Valley, Australia
Runners-up: Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort, Fiji; Castiglion del Bosco, Italy
* Best Budget Hotel
Winner: 1888 Hotel, Sydney, Australia
Runners-up: Brody House, Hungary; Ekies All Senses Resort, Greece
* Best Hotel Pool
Winner: Monastero Santa Rosa, Italy
Runners-up: Eagles Nest, New Zealand; Cap Estel, France
* Above & Beyond
Winner: Southern Ocean Lodge, Australia
Runners-up: No 131, UK; One&Only The Palm, UAE
* Best Newcomer
Winner: Ham Yard Hotel, London (pictured)
Runners-up: The Pig - on the Beach, UK; Ace Hotel Downtown Los Angeles, USA
* Best Smith Hotel 2014
Winner: Uxua Casa Hotel & Spa Bahia, Brazil
Runners-up: Qualia, Australia; Alila Villas Uluwatu, Bali
