The GuestRevu GREAT Awards concluded with the announcement of the winners on the 23rd of November at an event that glittered with the presence of top hoteliers and leading hotel tech providers. This prestigious event, held at the iconic Good Hotel in London, showcased the best in the hospitality industry, celebrating excellence, innovation, and dedication to guest satisfaction.
The awards evening, graciously sponsored by industry-leading hospitality technology providers Cendyn and Hop, was an extraordinary celebration of these exceptional achievers. It served as a testament to the dedication and hard work of hoteliers who continuously strive to offer the very best to their guests.
The GREAT Awards, known for their unique approach to recognising outstanding hospitality, stand apart by relying solely on genuine guest feedback rather than conventional judging panels. With a mission to spotlight exceptional guest experiences, these awards consider the opinions shared on top review platforms like Google Reviews, Booking.com, and Tripadvisor. To ensure the data analysis was objective, fair, and transparent, the process was overseen by Dr Wouter Hensens, the Executive Dean of Stenden South Africa.
After meticulous analysis of over 60,000 reviews spanning hundreds of hotels across 37 countries, the GREAT Awards unveiled the champions in twelve categories:
2023 GREAT Awards Winners
GREATest Cleanliness: Hotel Verde Cape Town Airport [link]
GREATest Room Quality: Uga Jungle Beach [link]
GREATest Service: Highcliffe House [link]
GREATest Sleep Quality: Kruger Gate Hotel [link]
GREATest Value for Money: Highcliffe House [link]
GREATest <20 ROOMS: Highcliffe House [link]
GREATest 20-49 ROOMS: The Plettenberg Hotel [link]
GREATest 50-99 ROOMS: Kapama River Lodge [link]
GREATest 100+ ROOMS: LUX* South Ari Atoll [link]
GREATest GROUP: The Liz McGrath Collection [link]
GREATest in Africa: The Whale on Main B&B [link]
GREATest in Europe: Highcliffe House [link]
Find out who made the shortlist in each category
These esteemed winners have gone above and beyond to elevate guest experiences, setting a benchmark for excellence in the industry. The overall calibre of contestants in the awards was impressive, with an average overall satisfaction score of 88% for hotels that qualified to compete, and scores in the high 90s for most shortlisted hotels.
The data showed that smaller hotels tend to have better overall guest satisfaction scores, based on online reviews, and that hotels need to work hard to get a sufficient proportion of their guests to write online reviews.
These points were discussed at the event by a panel that included Chris Alexandre, CEO and Founder of GuestRevu, Niels Mekenkamp, Director of Business Solutions, EMEA at Cendyn, and Sharon Smith, Chief Operating Officer at Hop.
“It’s a wonderful event, and it’s an inaugural event, so we wish everyone involved every success for the future,” said Robert Walshe, co-owner of Highcliffe House, who walked away with awards in four categories. “I thought the panel discussion was fascinating – about the basic principles of what I call exceptional hospitality. We are truly honoured to receive this award this evening, and thank you, most of all, to our guests. We have many mystery shoppers, judging panels and adjudicators involved in other awards, but this is a real, pure example of what guests think.”
The GuestRevu GREAT Awards not only celebrate accomplishments but also inspire the industry to reach for new heights of excellence. It's a platform that acknowledges the efforts of those who go the extra mile, setting a shining example for others in the hospitality industry.
“As we celebrate the conclusion of this wonderful event, we extend our heartfelt congratulations to all the winners and express our gratitude to everyone who made the GREAT Awards a resounding success!” said Chris Alexandre.
