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AHEAD Americas 2023
19 October 2023
2023 Awards
Each year, AHEAD - the leading Awards for Hospitality Experience and Design - comprises four regional annual awards programmes, celebrating the achievements of those shaping the hospitality industry across the Americas, the Middle East & Africa (MEA), Asia, and Europe.
The winners of AHEAD Americas 2023 were announced at a ceremony Weylin, Brooklyn on 19 October.
Once all of this year's regional winners have been announced, the very first AHEAD 100 list will be unveiled; our new annual list showcasing the best new hotels in the world. A judging panel - comprising architects, interior designers, hoteliers, and industry commentators from across the globe - will then decide the final 10 best-of-the-best, before selecting the winner of the Ultimate Accolade, announced on 20 November.
To hear when entries for our 2024 series open, sign up to our mailing list.
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RH
Global Headline SponsorRH Contract provides a business-to-business partnership like no other in the industry. With our multi-category product assortment, unparalleled product design and curation capabilities, uniquely integrated interior design approach, the benefits of RH’s purchasing power, and our global supply chain and logistics scale, RH Contract has proven to be a unique, valuable project partner.
Visit siteSleeper
Organised ByLasvit
Trophy SponsorThe brand Lasvit, founded in 2007 by Leon Jakimič, sheds new light on Bohemian glass and takes it into the next millennium. Lasvit combines the authenticity of glass craft with innovative technologies and creative craftsmanship. In a few short years, Lasvit has established itself as the authority delivering bespoke lighting sculptures and art installations made from hand-blown glass.
Collaborations with renowned designers and artists produce also unique glass collections. Nendo, Ross Lovegrove, Daniel Libeskind, Maarten Baas, Czech legends René Roubíček and Bořek Šípek are among those who choose Lasvit in order to embody their unconventional artistic vision, endow it with the precision and mastery of our glassmakers, and produce impressive creative oeuvre. This is a manifesto of Lasvit’s uncompromising mission: To transform glass into breathtaking light and design experiences.
Visit siteTop Hotel Projects
Powered ByTOPHOTELPROJECTS is the heart of a global community of suppliers and decision-makers which initiates and supports the communication relating to building, design, furnishing, and operation of hotels.
We are a German research firm covering global hotel constructions, that over a decade branched out into hospitality events, media, and hotel design.
No other company comes close in supporting the hotel industry by efficiently combining different business areas into one integrated solution.
Ever since the hotel industry veteran Rolf W. Schmidt founded the company in 2009, our core activity is building the world’s most comprehensive directory of:
We took the complex, ever-evolving global hospitality industry and introduced it to our German sense of efficiency and sheer hard work.
Our research team of some 25 experienced professionals spends 1,800 hours a month researching hotel projects around the world.
Our database has been 10 years in the making, during which we gathered information on over 24,000 hotel projects and 120,000 related companies. Currently, our database has information on more than 6,500 ongoing hotel projects worldwide – important details included.
TOPHOTELPROJECTS today represents an exhaustive, ever-growing network of professionals from all major sectors of the hospitality industry: owners, developers, investors, brands, operators, architects, designers, and suppliers.
In 2019, TOPHOTELPROJECTS and Sleeper Media signed a strategic partnership with mutual co-investment. This partnership combines digital expertise and in-depth data of TOPHOTELPROJECTS with Sleeper Media’s leading hospitality offerings. It is all about synergy and a win for all sectors of the industry.
Visit siteKaldewei
Global SponsorKALDEWEI – your worldwide partner for iconic bathroom solutions shaped from superior steel enamel. KALDEWEI’s extensive range of bathtubs, shower surfaces, and washbasins are ideally suited to the demands of the hospitality industry delivering an increased level of health and wellbeing awareness for your hotel. The smooth, non-porous glass surface not only gives you security against germs and dirt but is also the material of the future. KALDEWEI steel enamel is made of 100% natural materials and is 100% recyclable, so it’s good for your guests and the planet too.
To learn more visit KALDEWEI.com
Visit siteLaufen
Global SponsorFounded in 1892 in Switzerland, LAUFEN has become one of the world's leading companies for sanitary ceramics. Today LAUFEN Bathrooms provided integrated bathroom concepts with high-quality products, ranging from sanitary ceramics to bathtubs and shower trays, furniture, faucets, and accessories.
Visit siteVilleroy&Boch
Global SponsorVilleroy & Boch, formed in 1748, is a leading ceramics manufacturer steeped in European culture and history, and one of the biggest international premium brands in the areas of bathrooms and wellness.
Villeroy & Boch offers the finest and most innovative bathroom products and furnishing concepts for both private customers and property developers. The company is a pioneer in the realm of ceramic product design and innovation. Villeroy & Boch beautiful, high-quality products are hallmarks of French design flair and German engineering efficiency.
Visit siteRoca
Global SponsorDesigning and manufacturing everything in bathrooms.
Roca began life as a family business manufacturing cast iron radiators at a factory in Gavà, near Barcelona in 1917. Over the years, the portfolio gradually expanded and by 1929, Roca entered the bathroom environment for the first time. With an attentive focus on social changes, Roca has since been pioneering when tackling issues surrounding sustainability, design, and technology, and remains at the forefront of these innovations today. Today, Roca reaches over 170 countries, supplied by 76 production plants with more than 20,000 employees worldwide. After one hundred years, Roca is still proud to call itself a family business.
Visit siteAkula
Global SponsorAkula, a leading manufacturer of marine-grade outdoor furniture has established itself as a trusted partner for the world’s leading hospitality and cruise operators, offering an extensive range of solutions designed to meet the unique needs of these demanding environments.
With a unique dual focus on custom manufacturing and quick-ship capabilities, Akula stands out. This approach allows them to provide personalised solutions that cater to specific design and functionality requirements while running a quick-ship program that ensures timely delivery to meet tight project timelines. This makes Akula a preferred choice for clients who require bespoke designs and efficiency.
Engineered to withstand the rigors of outdoor environments, Akula's products are built to last. Every piece is manufactured to endure extreme conditions, including UV exposure, seawater, chlorinated water, and fluctuating temperatures, with minimal maintenance required. This commitment to durability ensures that Akula’s furniture not only enhances outdoor spaces but also offers long-term value.
Akula's global footprint, with offices in the UK, USA, UAE, and Hong Kong, underscores its worldwide reach and ability to serve clients across the globe. This international presence facilitates a deep understanding of market needs and ensures that Akula is not just a name but a global standard in outdoor furniture.
Akula’s success is rooted in its dedication to quality, innovation, and customer service. By continuously pushing the boundaries of design and technology, Akula remains at the forefront of the outdoor furniture industry, delivering solutions that are as robust as they are elegant.
Visit siteDesign Hotels
PartnerLE Miami
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Music ConsultantPreciosa
Event SponsorPreciosa Lighting elevates the heritage of Bohemian crystal through contemporary lighting designs since 1724. The company is built on centuries of tradition and the unique art of master glassmakers from Crystal Valley. We honour this heritage and craftsmanship by creating innovative lighting products that stand the test of time.
Our lighting styles range from individual luxury lighting to dynamic and interactive installations. As a global company, Preciosa cooperates with designers worldwide to create exclusive lights that reflect our spirit. Our historic chandeliers and contemporary projects can be found in hotels, resorts, fine restaurants, luxury residences, cultural institutions and on board yachts and cruise ships in locations as varied as New York, Hong Kong, Singapore, Dubai, Moscow or London.
Preciosa Lighting can create unrivaled emotional experiences by combining the traditional art form of chandelier craftsmanship with cutting-edge technology. This knowledge is what drives our intention to unveil the symbolic as well as the aesthetic power of decorative lighting. It led us to create Preciosa’s Signature Designs which are highlighted by countless customization possibilities to perfectly fit the owner’s desires.
Signature Designs are authentic, timeless, and celebrate design. We are inspired by the allure of crystal combined with light. Creative craftsmanship is evident through the versatility of each light; customizable for space and its uses. Preciosa’s advanced use of technology is seen in every element of the design. They present contemporary styles with a timeless quality.
Visit siteS'N'S
Event SponsorSaatchi Art
Event SponsorFounded in 2011, Saatchi Art is a gallery and art consultancy that has disrupted the art-buying process by making art widely accessible to all kinds of buyers – from collectors to designers.
We strive to support historically excluded groups of artists and provide them with a platform to showcase their work. Since we started our gallery over 50% of sales each year are by women.
Saatchi Art represents artists in over 100 countries, providing our clients with an unparalleled selection of paintings, photography, sculpture, and works on paper, enabling us to support projects with both local and international artists. We also work with design studios and artisans internationally to create unique pieces, from ceramics to bas reliefs and woven textiles.
Our art advisory services are offered free of charge, and we curate bespoke art packages for hospitality, multifamily and residential, commercial, and healthcare projects. Currently, we are working on projects in the US, UK, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
We have recently curated art collections for Four Seasons New Orleans (Bill Rooney Studio), tommie Hollywood and tommie Austin (Studio Collective), Hotel Barriere Fouquet’s New York (Martin Brudnizki Design Studio), The Boca Raton (Rockwell Group), Dream Doha (Meyer Davis), Thompson Hollywood (Tara Bernerd & Partners), 1 Hotel Toronto (Rockwell Group and SH Hotels & Resorts), and Aria MGM (Rottet Studio).
Our team of art advisors is dedicated to contemporary art and design, and to working with the finest designers in the world to create elevated, sophisticated, and memorable experiences.
We look forward to working with you!
Rebecca Wilson
Chief Curator & VP, Art Advisory
rebecca@saatchiart.com
FOH
Event SponsorEstablished in 2002, FOH® is a women-owned global foodservice and hospitality company that manufactures smart, savvy, commercial-grade products including plateware, drinkware, flatware, hotel amenities, and more. Driven by innovation, FOH® is dedicated to delivering that WOW experience that restaurants and hotels crave, all while maintaining a competitive price. All products are fully customizable, and many are also created using sustainable, eco-friendly materials, such as straws and plates made from biodegradable paper and wood and BPA-free drinkware. FOH® has two established brands: Front of the House®, focused on tabletop and buffet solutions, and room360®, which offers hotel products. Check out our collections today at
Visit siteAXOR
Event SponsorWith its brands hansgrohe and AXOR, the Hansgrohe Group, based in Germany, enjoys a reputation as a leader in innovation, design and quality within the bath and kitchen industry. The 120-year plus history of the company is marked by innovations, such as the first hand-held shower with multiple spray types, the first pull-out kitchen faucet, and the first wall bar to hold a hand-held shower. Hansgrohe stands for long-lasting quality products and for responsibility towards people and the environment. Hansgrohe is a reliable partner to its customers worldwide, where countless projects show how hansgrohe showers turn the hotel bathroom into an oasis of wellness or how AXOR bathroom collections created in collaboration with international designers, complete the furnishing of a luxurious hotel, villa or high-end residential home. AXOR brand inspires, constructs and produces taps, showerheads and accessories for luxurious bathrooms and kitchens to perfection. While hansgrohe brand offers premium assortments in showers, faucets, washbasins, furniture and accessories. The company, its brands and products have collectively won more than 600 awards since 1974. Hansgrohe will continue to develop ground-breaking solutions that not only shape the flow of water but also enhance user’s daily interaction with it.
Visit siteHansgrohe
Event SponsorWith its brands hansgrohe and AXOR, the Hansgrohe Group, based in Germany, enjoys a reputation as a leader in innovation, design and quality within the bath and kitchen industry. The 120-year plus history of the company is marked by innovations, such as the first hand-held shower with multiple spray types, the first pull-out kitchen faucet, and the first wall bar to hold a hand-held shower. Hansgrohe stands for long-lasting quality products and for responsibility towards people and the environment. Hansgrohe is a reliable partner to its customers worldwide, where countless projects show how hansgrohe showers turn the hotel bathroom into an oasis of wellness or how AXOR bathroom collections created in collaboration with international designers, complete the furnishing of a luxurious hotel, villa or high-end residential home. AXOR brand inspires, constructs and produces taps, showerheads and accessories for luxurious bathrooms and kitchens to perfection. While hansgrohe brand offers premium assortments in showers, faucets, washbasins, furniture and accessories. The company, its brands and products have collectively won more than 600 awards since 1974. Hansgrohe will continue to develop ground-breaking solutions that not only shape the flow of water but also enhance user’s daily interaction with it.
Visit siteBellino Fine Linens
Event SponsorWelcome to Bellino!
We have provided exquisite linens for the bed, bath and table for over 30 years and are one of the most distinguished luxury brands in the industry
We offer an extensive product range to suit the needs of the most sophisticated buyer: from 200 to 600 TC percale and sateen, elegant jacquards, prints, cotton terry, matelasse’, cashmere blends
Our approach to hospitality is very dynamic and our mission is to supply the most exclusive luxury and boutique hotels, restaurants and cruise ships of North America with the finest quality products stocked in the US for quick deliveries at the most competitive prices
We recently launched our most sustainable product: COMO Cotton/Tencel bed linen blend
In addition to being very silky and soft, Tencel has an environmentally responsible, closed loop production process which transforms wood pulp into fibers with low ecological impact. 99% of the water and solvents used in the production are recycled, the fibers are USDA certified as compostable and biodegradable and can fully revert back to nature
Our technologically advanced and mills around the world allow us great flexibility and to offer a wide range of customizations and luxurious and durable fabrics especially manufactured for commercial use
We are proud to be sponsors of Ahead Awards, one of the top hospitality events in the world
Visit siteGessi
Event SponsorFor 30 years Gessi has been designing and creating concepts to enhance the use and benefits of water with the commitment to realise the aspirations of style, personalisation, physical and mental wellbeing of individuals in the most private of living spaces. Creating a new sector, the Private Wellness sector, Gessi has transformed places that were previously utilitarian into environments capable of exciting and regenerating those who live in them on a daily basis.
Created in a zero impact green park, the company's creations bring a message of beauty, love of nature, attention and safety for the user into the homes of those who choose them. The serenity and passion with which they are made, engraved in each object, give a positive vibration to whoever uses and enjoys them.
A global reference for lifestyle, innovation, design and sustainability, the Gessi collections furnish the world's most beautiful hotels, public spaces, yachts and private homes.
Visit siteBlue Badge Access Awards
Supporting PartnerThe Awards were first launched at the House of Lords in 2016 to recognise, celebrate and reward accessibility across hotels, restaurants and other public venues worldwide.
The judges focus on style, thoughtful design, innovation and liberty that delivers exceptional accessibility. The aim is to encourage hospitality industry bosses, architects and designers worldwide to consider ways in which they can address the current and future needs of disabled guests.
Visit siteMadera
Event SponsorMADERA is a design firm that utilizes the medium of wood for innovation and creative expression. We design and make the highest quality wood floors, millwork, and furniture with the intention to inspire and engage a modern audience. The MADERA aesthetic is rooted in contemporary design and seeks to highlight the beauty of natural materials. We aim for simple beauty in our products, and believe that clean, pure design can lead us to a greater understanding of the natural world and our relationship to it.
MADERA was born in Brooklyn, New York in 2012. In the years since, we have grown from local to global, executing projects all over the world, and opened our second showroom in Los Angeles in 2019. Along the way, we have collaborated on some truly inspiring projects and designs; from Restoration Hardware and Cartier to 1 Hotel and The Park Avenue Armory where we worked with Herzog & de Meuron to replace the entire space with historically accurate Reclaimed Heart Pine from the 1870s. We have always pushed the limits of wood in design. We balance moxie with hard work and have found that if you surround yourself with talent and passion, anything is possible. Quite simply, we love wood and channel this passion through thoughtful design, curiosity and craftsmanship.
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