THE sixth annual MENA Travel Awards took place during the Arabian Travel Market 2009 at the Al Bustan Hotel where 68 winners ran off with prizes.
The awards were presented to the MENA travel industry’s top players which included airlines, hotels, golf clubs, car rental firms, duty free shops, spas and restaurants.
“It is very important to recognise real talent and superior service in our industry to stimulate even higher standards and to applaud the effort made by so many,” said Dr Sam Saker, president of Consultants of Hospitality Administrators (CHA), organisers of the annual awards.
And the winners were…
Best Golf Club: Palmeraie Golf Palace, Marrakesh, Morocco (silver); Maritim Jolie Ville Golf & Resort, Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt (gold); JW Marriott, Cairo, Egypt (platinum)
Best Spa: Le Meridien Abu Dhabi, UAE (silver); Beach Rotana Abu Dhabi, UAE (silver); Banyan Tree Al Areen, Bahrain (gold); Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort & Spa, Dubai, UAE (platinum); Crowne Plaza Mutiara Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (platinum).
Best Duty Free: Bahrain Duty Free, Bahrain (platinum)
Best Car Rental: Local Brand: Al Muftah Rent A Car, Doha, Qatar (silver); Al Tala’a Int’l Transportation (HANCO), Saudi Arabia (gold); Diamondlease, Dubai, UAE (platinum).
Best Conference / Convention Centre: Movenpick Hotel Cairo, Media City, Egypt (platinum).
Best Tourism Project: Glossary of Tourism, Travels & Leisure Terms & Acronyms, Lagos, Nigeria (silver); El Gouna, Red Sea, Egypt (gold); Taba Heights, Sinai, Egypt (platinum).
Best 5 Star Leisure Hotel: Fujairah Rotana Resort & Spa, UAE (silver); Sheraton Ma’aret Sednaya, Damascus, Syria (silver);
Shangri-La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa, Muscat, Oman (silver); Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort, UAE (gold); Grand Rotana Resort & Spa, Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt (gold); Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort & Spa Dubai, UAE (platinum);
Best Car Rental - International Brand: Budget Rent a Car, Saudi Arabia (gold); Europcar, Doha, Qatar (platinum).
Best 4 Star Business / Corporate Hotel: Holiday Inn - Al Qasr, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (silver); Arjaan Dubai, UAE (silver); Traders Hotel, Dubai, UAE (gold); Four Points by Sheraton Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, UAE (gold); Villa Rotana Dubai, UAE (platinum);
Radisson SAS Hotel Dubai Media City, UAE (platinum).
Best Price Value Hotel: Holiday Inn Express Dubai Internet City, UAE (silver); Golden Tulip Suites Dubai, UAE (gold); Holiday Inn Express Dubai, Safa Park, UAE (gold); Jumeira Rotana Dubai, UAE (platinum); Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort, UAE (platinum).
Best 5 Star New Hotel for the Year 2008: Raffles Dubai, UAE (gold); Media Rotana Dubai, UAE (gold); Grand Millennium Dubai, UAE (platinum).
Best Fine Dining Restaurant: Zaika at Al Murooj Rotana Dubai, UAE (sliver); Senses on the Edge at Six Senses Hideaway Zighy Bay, Oman (silver); Toshi restaurant at Grand Millennium Dubai, UAE (gold); JW Steakhouse at JW Marriott Cairo, Egypt (gold); Maya Restaurant at Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort & Spa Dubai, UAE (platinum); Rodeo Grill Restaurant & Bar at Al Bustan Rotana Dubai, UAE (platinum).
Best Environmental Hotel: Moevenpick Resort El Qusier, Egypt (silver); Millennium Hotel Abu Dhabi, UAE (silver); Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort, UAE (gold); Six Senses Hideaway Zighy Bay, Oman (gold); Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort & Spa Dubai, UAE (platinum); Sheraton Miramar Resort - El Gouna, Egypt (platinum).
Best 4 Star New Hotel For The Year 2008: Copthorne Hotel Dubai, UAE (silver); Four Points by Sheraton Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, UAE (gold); Arjaan Hotel Dubai Media City, UAE (platinum).
Best Conference / Convention Hotel: Al Murooj Rotana Dubai, UAE (silver); Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort, UAE (silver);
Hilton Alexandria Green Plaza, Egypt (gold); Al Bustan Rotana Dubai, UAE (gold); Riyadh Marriott Hotel, Saidi Arabia (platinum), Beach Rotana Abu Dhabi, UAE (platinum).
Best 4 Star Leisure Hotel: Golden Tulip Resort Khasab, Muscat (silver); Majestic Hotel Tower, Dubai, UAE (silver); Novotel Al Dana Resort, Manama, Bahrain (gold); Hilton Sharks Bay Resort, Sharm El Shiekh, Egypt (platinum).
Best 5 Star Business / Corporate Hotel: Sheraton Club des Pins, Algeria (silver); Millennium Hotel Doha, Qatar (silver); JW Marriott Cairo, Egypt (gold); Beach Rotana Abu Dhabi, UAE (gold); Grosvenor House Dubai, UAE (platinum); Sofitel Cairo El Gezirah, Cairo, Egypt (platinum).