By CAROLINE STRAINIG
A PORT Macquarie hotel is in the running for an international award.
The Observatory Hotel on Town Beach has been shortlisted in the sustainability category of the 2014 World Boutique Hotel Awards.
Hotel directors Chris and Trish Denny were notified they had been shortlisted after an interview last week.
Judges will visit the shortlisted hotels – which include hotels in Australasia, the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia – and assess nominated hotels on attributes such as location, design and facilities as well as for their flair, character and uniqueness. The winners will then be announced at a ceremony in London in November.
The Observatory is already one of Australia’s most awarded hotels for its innovation and service quality, and the Dennys were invited to enter the world awards by the London-based organisers because of their hotel’s reputation.
They are understandably delighted that the Observatory might be recognised on the world stage.
“It’s a welcome recognition of our philosophy of green awareness and caring for the environment as well as a wonderful tribute to our staff for their quality of service,” Mr Denny said.
“We’re thrilled to be chosen to compete on the same stage as some amazing quality properties from around the world.”
The Observatory has a number of environmental and energy-saving achievements which have already won it kudos nationally and numerous awards, including best deluxe hotel in NSW and best ‘green’ hotel for environmental excellence.
One of Dennys’ latest environmentally-friendly moves was to install 234 solar panels on the rooftop 10 months ago, when engineers estimated the power generated by the panels would meet the energy requirements of around 100 visitors to Port Macquarie every week.
Coincidentally, the nomination for the World Boutique Hotel Awards comes at the same time as the hotel is celebrating its 10th anniversary – and the arrival this week of the 5000th guest whose energy requirements will be entirely supported by solar power.
Mr Denny is a past president and the current vice-president of the Greater Port Macquarie Tourism Association and said any award would also help promote Port Macquarie as a desirable and quality tourism destination.
As the name of the awards would suggest, they are restricted to boutique hotels, which are considered a contrast to the big-name chains and to offer a distinct style and individuality compared with more common, standardised, accommodation.
