WASHINGTON, D.C.
Historic Hotels of America and Historic Hotels Worldwide announced the winners of its 2016 Awards of Excellence. Recipients were honored Nov. 3 at a ceremony and gala at The Royal Hawaiian, A Luxury Collection Resort in Honolulu.
The awards were presented before an audience of more than 290 invited media, industry leaders, Hawaii business leaders, local dignitaries, owners, senior management and representatives of the top historic hotels from across America and from around the world. Honors were given in multiple categories, ranging from Hotelier of the Year and Hotel Historian of the Year to Best Historic Resort, Historic Hotelier of the Year, Lifetime Achievement and others.
Each year, these Historic Hotels Awards of Excellence honor, encourage and recognize the most exemplary historic hotels, hoteliers and leadership practices. The Historic Hotels Awards of Excellence are presented to historic hotels and hoteliers demonstrating innovative leadership, stewardship and contribution to furthering the recognition, preservation and celebration of these preeminent historic hotels and their histories.
“We are proud to congratulate the 2016 Historic Hotels Awards of Excellence winners,” said Lawrence Horwitz, executive director of Historic Hotels of America and Historic Hotels Worldwide. “These historic hotels and hoteliers represent the pinnacle in historic hotels and their achievements. Their dedicated stewardship and innovative leadership helps ensure that these legendary historic hotels and their wonderful histories will continued to be enjoyed by future generations of travelers.”
From more than 200 nominees, the following Historic Hotels of America and Historic Hotels Worldwide hotels and hoteliers were honored with these prestigious annual awards for 2016:
Historic Hotels of America New Member of the Year: White Stallion Ranch (1900), Tucson, Ariz.
Best Social Media of a Historic Hotel: The Jefferson, Washington, DC (1923), Washington, D.C.
Historic Hotels of America Sustainability Champion: The Boar’s Head (1834), Charlottesville, Va.
Best Small Historic Inn/Hotel (Under 75 Guestrooms): Inn at the Presidio (1903), San Francisco
Best Historic Hotel (201-400 Guestrooms): Mission Inn Hotel & Spa (1876) Riverside, Calif.
Best Historic Hotel (Over 400 Guestrooms): Palace Hotel, A Luxury Collection Hotel (1875), San Francisco, Calif.
Best City Center Historic Hotel: The Mayflower Hotel, Autograph Collection (1925), Washington, D.C.
Best Historic Resort: The Omni Homestead Resort (1766), Hot Springs, Va.
2016 Historic Hotels of America Hotel Historian of the Year Award: Lora Gallagher, Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort (1955), Honolulu
Best Historic Restaurant in Conjunction with a Historic Hotel: Circa 1886 at Wentworth Mansion (1886), Charleston, S.C.
Legendary Family Historic Hoteliers of the Year: The Genzlinger family, The Settlers Inn at Bingham Park (1927), Hawley, Pa.
Historic Hotels of America Ambassador of the Year (Quarter Century Service): Ken Price, Palmer House, A Hilton Hotel (1871), Chicago
2016 Historian of the Year Award: Jamie Ford, The New York Timesbest-selling author
Best Historic Hotels Worldwide hotel in Europe: Hotel Schweizerhof Luzern (1845), Lucerne, Switzerland
Best Historic Hotels Worldwide hotel in Asia/Pacific: Hotel New Grand (1927), Yokohama, Japan
Best Historic Hotels Worldwide hotel in the Americas: Hacienda Xcanatun (1789), Merida, Mexico
2016 Historic Hotelier of the Year: Doug Browne, The Peabody Memphis (1869), Memphis, Tenn.
2016 Lifetime Achievement Award: Takamasa Osano and Kyo-ya Hotels & Resorts
