Greater China’s most exceptional hoteliers over the past year were honoured with prestigious Stelliers Awards at The Parisian Macao.
The region’s leading hoteliers converged from all across China for the hotel industry’s most important annual recognition of professional excellence.
The glittering awards ceremony also celebrated the milestone 10th anniversary of the Stelliers Awards, which uniquely pay tribute to inspiring hoteliers from across all departments.
As the region’s hotel industry surges back to vibrant business post pandemic, this year’s awards once again featured an ‘unsung hero’ category acknowledging the valuable but often overlooked contributions of staff working behind the scenes.
“Stelliers prides itself on providing true recognition of talented and hardworking professionals that breathe life into a hotel, while also inspiring the younger generation to join this ever-growing and important industry,” said Stephane de Montgros, Co-Founder of Stelliers.
A total of 103 finalists in 21 categories proceeded to the grand awards ceremony in Macao.
In a highly anticipated moment, eight distinguished finalists contested the competitive General Manager of the Year award – Dany Lützel (Hotel Éclat Beijing), Davis Zhegang Rao (The Universal Studios Grand Hotel), Kristina Snaith-Lense (The Upper House and Pacific Place Apartments), Melissa Tang (Six Senses Qing Cheng Mountain), Richard Langonné (Mandarin Oriental Wangfujing, Beijing), Chris Roberts (DoubleTree by Hilton Guangzhou), Neige Yuan (Hilton Taizhou) and Robert Cousins (Niccolo Suzhou).
From this stellar line-up, and in an uplifting moment of celebration, Richard Langonné, General Manager of the Mandarin Oriental Wangfujing, Beijing, was proudly presented his award by Stelliers Gold Partner, evian.
“This means a lot to me, and it means a lot to the team behind me. Of course, we don’t gain this kind of award without a lot of hard work from a dedicated team, so they will be very happy to receive this on my return to Beijing. Thank you to my beautiful brand, Mandarin Oriental, and to my great owners who are a fantastic support, Hong Kong Land.” says Richard Langonné.
In the spirited competition for Corporate Hotelier of the Year was a three-way tussle between Susan Lee, Director of People & Culture – Team Experience at Swire Hotels in Hong Kong; Wai Yee Alice Au, Group Director of Digital Marketing at Wharf Hotels Management Limited in Hong Kong, and Yong Tang, General Manager of JinMao Corporate.
Met with enthusiastic applause, the winner awarded was Yong Tang.
Celebrating excellence in various categories, other notable winners recognised for their contribution to the industry and remarkable achievements included:
- Ugo Rinaldo of The PuLi Hotel and Spa as Chef of the Year;
- Richard Ekkebus of The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong as Green & CSR Hotelier of the Year;
- Anas Bencheqroun of The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong as Hotel Manager of the Year;
- Wendy Yu of MGM China as Human Resources Hotelier of the Year;
- Stella Wang of The Temple House as Marketing and Communications Hotelier of the Year, amongst many others.
Additionally, attracting rousing applause, Kim Ching Ma, Executive Manager of Wardrobe Design & Development at Galaxy Macau, was honoured with the title of Unsung Hero of the Year, with the award presented by Nespresso.
This year’s judges were Marriott International’s former Greater China Vice President for Luxury Rainer Burkle, Condé Nast Traveler China’s Editor-in-Chief Shawn Ong, CITS American Express Global Business Travel Vice President and General Manager Kevin Tan, renowned M Restaurant Group Founder Michelle Garnaut, and Oracle Hospitality’s Greater China General Manager Kitty Huang.
With insightful knowledge of the travel industry and over 20 years of experience as a media professional, Judge Shawn Ong, Editor in Chief, Condé Nast Traveler China (CNT), said: “While judging this year’s Stelliers awards, I’ve been deeply moved by the compelling narratives of triumph and dedication within the hospitality realm. The stories of these industry professionals showcase a commitment to excellence that transcends the ordinary, creating a tapestry of inspiration. Stelliers doesn’t just recognise talent; it amplifies the untold stories that breathe life into the hospitality experience.”
A full list of all Stelliers 2023 winners can be seen here: https://stelliers.com/winners-and-finalists
Partners supporting the Stelliers Awards this year include Danone’s premium beverage brand evian, silver partner Moët Hennessy Diageo, and hospitality specialist PR agency GHCAsia.
Looking ahead, Stelliers is thrilled to also be relaunching Stelliers Asia. Opening applications on January 8th, 2024, Stelliers Asia will be welcoming applications from hoteliers based in the following locations: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam.
