Winners and finalists in 18 categories to be recognized at the 35th Gold Key Awards Gala, Monday, Nov. 9, at the Waldorf Astoria New York

CINCINNATI, OH, September 11, 2015 – The finalists for the 35th Gold Key Award for Excellence in Hospitality Design, the industry’s most prestigious honor, have been announced by HX: The Hotel Experience (formerly IHMRS).

A panel of eight prominent judges considered more than 350 entries for these coveted awards, which recognize outstanding design worldwide for hospitality projects that were completed or renovated from April 1, 2014 through May 30, 2015.

“It was a thrill to set a new record for the number of entries. It’s a testament to the health of the hospitality industry but also to the powerful role design plays in its success,” says Mary Scoviak, executive editor of Boutique Design. “But, equally importantly, this year’s entries set a new record for creativity and innovation. Projects from around the world, in every segment of the market, are pushing the definition of what ‘excellence’ means for hospitality design.”

Michelle Finn, president of Hospitality Media Group said of the competition, “We are thrilled to recognize the accomplishments of this years’ Gold Key finalists; our industry’s thought leaders and up and coming talent, who are breaking down boundaries, exploring new directions and raising the bar on hospitality design…and are excited to announce the winners during our Gold Key Award for Excellence in Hospitality Design Gala.”

“We’re seeing designers who aren’t afraid to step out of the box,” says Stacey Greene, vice president, design and construction, Chesapeake Lodging Trust and 2015 Gold Key judge. “They’re not just putting a desk into a guest room because that’s the expectation. They’re asking what the customer really wants, and they’re willing to do something different to meet that expectation.”

Finalists will be recognized and winners will be revealed in each of this year’s 18 categories at the Gold Key Awards Gala, cocktail reception and dinner, on Monday, Nov. 9, at the Waldorf Astoria New York. The ceremony will culminate with the presentation of the Designer of the Year.

The 35th Gold Key Award finalists are:

BEST ECO CONSCIOUS OR SOCIALLY CONSCIOUS HOTEL

Meyer Davis, New York; 1 Hotel South Beach, Miami Beach

Fox Browne Creative, Johannesburg; Michaelis Boyd Associates, London; Nicholas Plewman Architects, Johannesburg; Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge, Okovango Delta, Botswana

BEST LOBBY MIDSCALE/BUDGET/FOCUSED SERVICE

EoA Inc., Coral Gables, Fla; Amara Cay Resort, Islamorada, Fla.

Gene Kaufman Architect PC, New York; CAMBRiA hotel & suites New York – Chelsea

+tongtong, Toronto; Drake Devonshire Inn, Wellington, Ont., Canada

BEST LOBBY UPSCALE

CCD / Cheng Chung Design (HK) Ltd., Hong Kong; The Westin Chongqing Liberation Square, China

The Gettys Group, Chicago; Renaissance Chicago Downtown Hotel

NICOLEHOLLIS, San Francisco; The Palladian Hotel, a Kimpton Hotel, Seattle

Studio GAIA, New York; W Bogota, Colombia

BEST LOBBY LUXURY

Meyer Davis Studio, New York; 1 Hotel South Beach, Miami Beach, Fla.

Varró Design, Budapest; Aria Hotel Budapest

BAR Studio, Melbourne; Rosewood Beijing

HBA/Hirsch Bedner Associates, Santa Monica, Calif.; The Castle Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Dalian, China

BEST GUEST ROOM MIDSCALE/BUDGET/FOCUSED SERVICE

+tongtong, Toronto; Drake Devonshire Inn, Wellington, Ont., Canada

PAL Design Consultants, Hong Kong; DusitD2 Hotel Constance Pasadena, Calif.

Stylt Trampoli, Gothenburg, Sweden; U & ME Hotel, Umeå, Sweden

BEST GUEST ROOM UPSCALE

CCD / Cheng Chung Design (HK) Ltd., Hong Kong; The Westin Chongqing Liberation Square, China

NICOLEHOLLIS, San Francisco; The Palladian Hotel, a Kimpton Hotel, Seattle

Studio GAIA, New York; W Bogota, Colombia

BEST GUEST ROOM LUXURY

Meyer Davis Studio, New York; 1 Hotel South Beach, Miami Beach, Fla.

Varró Design, Budapest; Aria Hotel Budapest

HBA/Hirsch Bedner Associates, Singapore; NUO Hotel Beijing

BEST SUITE

Josh Held Design, New York; GuestHouse at Dream Downtown, New York

Wimberly Interiors, New York; Bentley Suite at The St. Regis Istanbul

Studio GAIA, New York; W Bogota, Colombia

BEST NIGHTCLUB/LOUNGE

AB Concept, Hong Kong; W/Lounge, W Beijing-Chang’An

Blue Sky Hospitality, London; Razzmatazz Cocktail Bar & Lounge, JW Marriott Hotel Absheron, Baku, Azerbaijan

Studio Munge, Toronto; Prohibition, Rosewood Hotel Georgia, Vancouver, B.C., Canada

nemaworkshop, New York; P.O.V. & Altitude, W Washington, D.C.

BEST NEW HOTEL BRAND OR SOFT BRAND CONCEPT

1 Hotels, New York

AZIMUT Hotels Co., Moscow

The Wayfarer, Santa Barbara, Calif.

BEST RESORT

BAMO, San Francisco; Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach

EoA Inc., Coral Gables, Fla.; Amara Cay Resort, Islamorada, Fla.

Hard Rock International In-house Design Studio, Orlando, and Jeffery Beers International, New York; Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya, Cancun

BEST RESTAURANT CASUAL DINING

BASILE Studio, San Diego, Calif.; Ironside Fish & Oyster Bar, San Diego, Calif.

concrete, Amsterdam; Pressroom, INK Hotel Amsterdam – MGallery Collection, Amsterdam

Stonehill & Taylor Architects, New York; The NoMad Bar, New York

BEST RESTAURANT FINE DINING

Gabellini Sheppard Associates, New York; The Rainbow Room, New York

HBA/Hirsch Bedner Associates, Singapore; Jia, NUO Hotel Beijing

Studio Munge , Toronto; Lago by Julian Seranno, Bellagio Resort & Casino Las Vegas

Sant Francesc Hotel Singular in-house design team, Palma de Mallorca and MJC Arquitectura, Barcelona; Quadrat, Sant Francesc Hotel Singular, Palma de Mallorca, Spain

JUDGES’ SO COOL

Glen & Company Architecture, New York; Empellón al Pastor, New York

Hard Rock International In-house Design Studio, Orlando, and Jeffery Beers Intl., New York; Heaven Lobby at Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya, Cancun

+tongtong, Toronto; Her Majesty’s Pleasure, Toronto

Historic Hospitality, Lake Geneva, Wis.; Maxwell Mansion, Lake Geneva, Wis.

Fox Browne Creative, Johannesburg; Michaelis Boyd Associates, London; Nicholas Plewman Architects, Johannesburg; Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge, Okovango Delta, Botswana

BEST HOTEL BUDGET/FOCUSED SERVICE

DesignAgency, Toronto; Generator London

DesignAgency, Toronto ; Generator Paris

Pacifica Design Group, Santa Barbara, Calif.; The Wayfarer, Santa Barbara, Calif.

BEST HOTEL MIDSCALE

Deborah Berke Partners, New York; 21c Museum Hotel Durham, N.C.

+tongtong, Toronto; Drake Devonshire Inn, Wellington, Ont., Canada

Stylt Trampoli, Gothenburg, Sweden; U & ME Hotel, Umeå, Sweden

BEST HOTEL UPSCALE

Roman and Williams, New York; Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture, Chicago, Illinois; Chicago Athletic Association Hotel

CCD / Cheng Chung Design (HK) Ltd., Hong Kong; The Westin Chonqing Liberation Square, China

concrete, Amsterdam; INK Hotel Amsterdam – MGallery Collection , Amsterdam

Gabellini Sheppard Associates, New York; The Knickerbocker Hotel, New York

Rockwell Group Europe, Madrid; Paola Navone; Virgin Hotels Chicago

Studio GAIA, New York; W Bogota, Colombia

BEST HOTEL LUXURY

Varró Design, Budapest; Aria Hotel Budapest

Gilles & Boissier, Paris; Baccarat New York

HBA/Hirsch Bedner Associates, Singapore; NUO Hotel Beijing

Sant Francesc Hotel Singular in-house design team, Palma de Mallorca and MJC Arquitectura, Barcelona; Quadrat, Sant Francesc Hotel Singular, Palma de Mallorca, Spain

Judges* for the 2015 Gold Key Awards were:

Stacey L. Greene, Vice President – Design and Construction, Chesapeake Lodging Trust

Kemper Hyers, Senior Vice President Design, Starwood Capital Group

Ted Jacobs, Vice President of Global Design, Starwood Hotels & Resorts

Helen Jorgensen, Vice President Design & Procurement, Host Hotels & Resorts

Raul Leal, CEO, Virgin Hotels

John D. McMullen, Senior Vice President of Construction, Highgate Hotels

Christine M. Shanahan, Managing Director of Design, HVS Design

Erik Warner, Co-Founder, Eagle Point Hotel Partners

Finalists were selected based on excellence in: concept, execution, innovation and “wow factor.”

The 35th Gold Key Awards coincide with the sixth annual Boutique Design New York (BDNY) trade fair, serving hospitality design professionals, and HX: The Hotel Experience (formerly IHMRS), celebrating its 100 year anniversary, held concurrently at New York’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.

Tickets for the Gold Key Awards Gala (cocktail reception and dinner) are available now for $450 and can be purchased as part of HX/BDNY trade fair registration or as an event ticket only. More Gold Key information is available at bdny.com and thehotelexperience.us.

*Judges recused themselves in judging entries that would have represented a conflict of interest.