2017 Australian Hotel Guide Awards night

QT Melbourne

The 2017 Australian Hotel Guide Awards, where the very best in the nation’s travel industry are recognised, was hosted by Gourmet Traveller at QT Melbourne, with support from Nespresso.

Photograph by Les Hallack.

Gourmet Traveller Australian Hotel Guide Awards

Gourmet Traveller editor Sarah Oakes; Bauer Media general manager homes and food, Cornelia Schulze; Jackalope Hotels group general manager Tracy Atherton.

Photograph by Marcel Aucar

The arrival

Guests were greeted with Champagne and Nespresso cocktails.

Photograph by Marcel Aucar

Sarah Oakes and Catriona Rowntree

Gourmet Traveller editor Sarah Oakes; awards MC and television presenter Catriona Rowntree.

Photograph by Marcel Aucar.

Ocean trout tartare

Guests nibbled on canapés including ocean trout tartare, goat’s cheese tarts and mushroom arancini before the ceremony.

Photograph by Marcal Aucar.

Mushroom arancini

Guests nibbled on canapés including ocean trout tartare, goat’s cheese tarts and mushroom arancini before the ceremony.

Photograph by Marcel Aucar.

The Silk Road Nespresso cocktail

The Nespresso cocktails, fresh from the shaker, with Sailor Jerry spiced rum, Fernet-Branca Menta, Mozart Dark Cacao liqueur, Nespresso shot and vanilla Demerara sugar syrup.

Photograph by Marcel Aucar.

The fun begins

The Olsen general manager Lee Davey; Yarra Valley Lodge general manager Carl Forrest; The Lancemore Group CEO Julian Clark.

Photograph by Marcel Aucar.

Pascale Bar and Grill

QT Melbourne’s Pascale Bar and Grill was the backdrop to the night’s proceedings.

Photograph by Marcel Aucar.

Goat’s cheese tarts

Guests nibbled on canapés including ocean trout tartare, goat’s cheese tarts and mushroom arancini before the ceremony.

Photograph by Marcel Aucar.

Autumn colours

The room was filled with fresh flowers and foliage in autumnal hues, even decorating the vintage coffee machines from Nespresso.

Photograph by Marcel Aucar.

Guests arrive

Genna Nibaldi and Deanna Christian of Carlton & United Breweries; Bauer Media key account director Kate Steven.

Photograph by Marcel Aucar.

Guests arrive

The Langham Melbourne PR manager Tara Bishop; Jackalope Hotels group general manager Tracy Atherton.

Photograph by Marcel Aucar.

Tuna with kimchi and seaweed crackers

The entrée was chopped tuna and quick pickled carrot served with seaweed crackers, kimchi, sesame oil and bonito flakes.

Photograph by Marcal Aucar.

Best Minibar Award

Como The Treasury general manager Anneke Brown accepts the award for Best Minibar 2017 from Gourmet Traveller editor Sarah Oakes.

Photograph by Marcel Aucar.

Robbins Island wagyu

The ‘tomahawk’ – a dry rubbed, bone-in cut of wagyu from Robbins Island – was wood-roasted in a Josper oven and served with Nespresso roasted parsnips.

Photograph by Marcel Aucar.

Best Service Award

The award for Best Service went to Halcyon House for the second year, thanks in large part to general manager Mauro De Riso, pictured here with Gourmet Traveller editor Sarah Oakes.

Photograph by Marcel Aucar.

Cornelia Schulze and Stephen Mahoney

Bauer Media general manager homes and food, Cornelia Schulze and Stephen Mahoney, Etihad senior manager corporate communications, Australia.

Photograph by Marcel Aucar.

QT Melbourne wins two awards

Troy Cuthbertson, general manager, QT Melbourne accepts the award for Large Hotel of the Year. The latest in QT’s stable of hotels in Australia and New Zealand, QT Melbourne also won the award for Best Bar.

Photograph by Marcel Aucar.

The sides

Sides included roasted pumpkin with quinoa, coriander and spring onion, charred Brussels sprouts with bacon vinaigrette and beef-fat roasted potatoes.

Photograph by Marcel Aucar.

Boutique Hotel of the Year

Timo Bures, general manager, The Old Clare Hotel accepts the award for Boutique Hotel of the Year 2017.

Photograph by Marcel Aucar.

Night of nights

Leading lights of the hotel industry take the chance to have a night off.

Photograph by Marcel Aucar.

Dessert is served

Napoléon’s Blanky, a raspberry mille feuille, is presented beneath a ‘blanket’ of raspberry set with agar-agar.

Photograph by Marcel Aucar.

And the winner is

Mornington Peninsula newcomer Jackalope won a trifecta of awards: Regional Hotel of the Year, New Hotel of the Year and the coveted Hotel of the Year.

Jackalope Hotels group general manager Tracy Atherton; Jackalope owner Louis Li; Jackalope Group general manager Emily Makiv.

Photograph by Marcel Aucar.

On the stage

Bauer Media general manager homes and food, Cornelia Schulze; Gourmet Traveller editor Sarah Oakes; Jackalope Hotels group general manager Tracy Atherton; Loic Réthoré, General Manager, Nespresso Australia and Oceania.

Photograph by Marcel Aucar.

Siobhan and Elisha Bickle

Halcyon House owners Siobhan and Elisha Bickle.

Photograph by Marcel Aucar.