Criteria
Region Clarifications
For the sake of the award nomination process, a hotel will be regarded as part of the ‘Accommodation Division’ if it has a minimum of twenty (20) mid-range room facilities. Accommodation Division venues must enter all categories within this division rather than of the General Division. For the sake of Bistro Casual Dining there will be a geographical separation as follows;
- Inner Metro
The region contained within a parameter south of Regency Rd to the north-west of Portrush Rd, Hamstead Rd and Ascot Ave to the east. North of Cross Rd to the south and east of Marion Rd, Holbrooks Rd, East Ave and David Tce to the west. - Outer Metro
Any area beyond this parameter up to 35km from CBD including Gawler in the north, Mt Barker in the southeast and Seaford in the south. A map to define this area is available upon request. - Country
Defined as areas beyond 35km from the Adelaide CBD and beyond Gawler to the north, Mt Barker to the southeast and Seaford in the south.
Overall Criteria
If you wish to enter the Awards for Excellence, then you must be a full 2023 financial member of the AHA|SA at time of nomination.
- Associate Members are not eligible to enter.
- All nominations are considered finalists unless you are contacted and advised otherwise.
- Metropolitan hotels are regarded as within 35km of Adelaide CBD including Mt Barker and Gawler.
Hall of Fame
‘Hall of Fame’ honours will be awarded to those hotels who win a state category over four (4) consecutive years and also win in that category (or similar) at a national level. Recipients of ‘Hall of Fame’ recognition are ineligible to nominate in that specific category for one (1) year following.
National Awards
Winners in selected South Australian categories will qualify as finalists for the 2023 AHA National Awards held in November. Please refer to the clause on the nomination entry page. You must indicate at the time of nomination that, if you are successful at a state level, you commit to participating in the AHA National Awards with an associated nomination charge of $230 per category.
Star Ratings
In terms of hotel star ratings, the AHA|SA will honour Accredited Star Ratings and self-rating systems.
Judging
State judging is conducted by a panel of industry peers appointed by the AHA|SA and comprises a cross-section of hospitality industry experts. Judges are selected for their knowledge, experience and dedication to the integrity of the awards process. The identity of these persons will be kept anonymous. Judges will be supplied with the award nominations, submissions and photographs for their specific judging category. They will visit each venue at least once and assess the entire category amongst its peers.
The judging period will fall between 17 July – 15 September 2023. The date and time of visit will not be disclosed to the venue. In consultation with the judges, the AHA|SA reserves the right to remove an award category either due to insufficient entries or nominations not being of a required standard.
Submission
- An accompanying submission is compulsory for each category entered. Submissions are scored according to the established criteria. The underlying consideration is how the hotel strives to achieve excellence in a specific category.
- Submissions must address the specific criteria as outlined for each category (i.e. a paragraph covering each section). An example is available upon request.
- The submission will provide supporting information for judge/s who will visit the venue and assess accordingly.
- Submissions must be A4 format over multiple pages. It is suggested a 4-6 page submission is sufficient. You are encouraged to include documents and evidence to support your information included in your submission, e.g. photos, videos.
Photos and Videos
Photographs must be included for each award submission. These must be in high resolution format up to 30MB (total), with at least one hero shot of the exterior of the hotel.
These photographs and videos will be used for the main presentation on the evening of the awards ceremony and must be of high quality. The AHA|SA does not hold any responsibility for the selection of photos or videos displayed on the evening. The AHA|SA also reserves the right to use the photos and videos provided for ongoing promotional material.