Considerate Hotels of 2008 revealed
One Aldwych hotel in London and the Radisson SAS Hotel in Edinburgh have been declared joint winners of the 2008 Considerate Hotel of the Year Award.
It is the first time in the 18 year history of the awards that two hotels have shared the top accolade which Considerate Hoteliers Association secretary John Firrell said was `testimony to how closely fought the contest was this year.`
"The judges deliberated hard and long - attempting to separate the top two. Both hotels had achieved their objectives and fulfilled the criterion of the award, albeit that they arrived there from different directions," he said.
"The judges ultimately agreed that both hotels would be perfect ambassadors to carry the considerate message to others, acting as role models and setting an example of how to achieve environmental and CSR aims – without necessarily the need for considerable financial investment in these straitened times."
Other winners in the awards, held at the Cavendish Hotel in London on Monday, included Vanessa Scott, director and head chef of Norfolk boutique hotel Strattons, who was named Considerate Green Champion and staff at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in London who won the Considerate Green Team of the Year award.
Rod Needs, maintenance manager at the Crowne Plaza in Marlow won the Green Hero award for his work in encouraging fellow staff to adopt a more socially responsible attitude in the hotel and the community.
Lifetime Achievement Awards were also given to John Forte, for his support of the industry on green issues and work with the CHA and David Burner, head concierge at Crowne Plaza London for leading the hotel`s `green team` and `setting the environmental standard for other hotels to follow`.
Liam Lambert, president designate of Oberoi Hotels & Resorts and chairman of the CHA said: "It is so gratifying to know that there are a tremendous number of responsible hoteliers out there, willing to put their efforts and dedication where their beliefs lie. To the winners, we offer our most heartiest of congratulations.”
The Considerate Hotelier Awards are held each year to honour hotels that act responsibly towards the environment.
picture: joint winners l-r Gary Lohan, chief engineer at One Aldwych; Malcolm Rann, general manager and area district director, the Radisson SAS Hotel Edinburgh; and Alexandra Hammond Responsible Business Manager – UK, The Rezidor Hotel Group.
