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AHEAD, the Awards for Hospitality Experience and Design, has revealed its winners in a glittering ceremony at W Al Habtoor City, Dubai.
Celebrating the most ambitious and innovative hotels across the Middle East and Africa, winners include a luxury urban resort in Dubai and a secluded lodge retreat in Botswana’s Okavango Delta.
Following a welcome reception at the Wet Deck, The Great Room at W Al Habtoor City was transformed with light, sound and live performance to create a spectacular backdrop for the 300 hospitality professionals in attendance.
The triumphant projects were subject to a rigorous judging process by a panel chaired by Marc Dardenne, Group Chief Operating Officer of Jumeirah Group. Each entry was assessed on its aesthetic excellence, guest experience and commercial viability.
Please see below for event images.
Published six times per year, Sleeper features unrivalled coverage of the latest projects, products, practices and people shaping the industry. Its core circulation encompasses all those involved in the creation of new hotels, from owners, operators, developers and investors to interior designers, architects, procurement companies and hotel groups.
Our portfolio comprises a beautifully presented magazine, an affiliated website and regular email newsletters, as well as industry-leading events including AHEAD, the awards for hospitality experience and design. Sleeper is also the organiser of Sleepover, a networking event for hotel innovators hosted in a different city each year, and has recently launched a sister publication – Supper– focusing on global hotel F&B.
Sleeper is the only media brand to reach all the individuals and disciplines throughout the supply chain involved in the delivery of new hotel projects worldwide. As such, it is the perfect partner for brands looking to target the multi-billion pound hotel sector with design-led products and services.
Visit siteGROHE products can be found in iconic hotel developments all over the world. Thanks to unique versatility in design and functionality, innovative technology and endless possible applications, GROHE products are perfectly placed to meet the rigorous demands of the hospitality sector.
We want guests to feel at home. When they visit a hotel, they expect a standard beyond that of a normal domestic bathroom. They want to be inspired. This is what we do.
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An industry leader in design-driven furnishings for more than 35 years, JANUS et Cie serves hospitality, contract and residential clients with a dedicated focus on outstanding quality, superior craftsmanship and unparalleled service. In the years since the company's founding in 1978, CEO Janice Feldman and her exceptional team have transformed JANUS et Cie from a single showroom in Los Angeles to a comprehensive global design resource with sixteen flagship showrooms throughout North America and in Singapore and Sydney, as well as field offices and select dealers throughout the world.
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Visit siteAs a leading international manufacturer of high-quality shower surfaces, bathtubs and washbasins made of superior steel enamel, Kaldewei is represented in more than 80 countries including 12 subsidiaries in Austria, China, Czech Republic, France, Italy, Poland, Russia, Spain, Southeast Asia, Spain, the UK and the USA. Project decision-makers and private builders throughout the world appreciate the many advantages offered by superior Kaldewei steel enamel which is used in numerous top-class hotels.
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Visit siteVilleroy & Boch is one of the world's leading premium brands for ceramic products. The family business, which was founded in 1748 and is headquartered in Mettlach/Germany, stands for innovation, tradition and exceptional style. As a renowned lifestyle brand, Villeroy & Boch offers products from the sectors Bathroom and Wellness and Tableware, and is active in 125 countries.
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Visit siteDezeen’s mission is simple: to bring a carefully edited selection of the best architecture, design and interiors projects and news from around the world. Dezeen was launched at the end of November 2006 and has grown rapidly ever since. Its audience has grown each year and by February 2017 it reached 2.5 million unique visitors per month, making it one of the 5,000 most popular websites on the planet according to Alexa, as well as the most popular website about architecture and design.
Visit siteDubai Design Week is the largest creative festival in the Middle East, reflecting Dubai’s position as the regional capital of design. The six-day programme is made up of 200+ events covering design across a range of disciplines including architecture, product, furniture, interior and graphic design.
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Visit siteHypnos, the fifth generation, family-run British company, has been manufacturing luxury handmade beds using time-honoured methods for over 100 years. Combining traditional skills with constant innovation, and using the finest natural and sustainable materials, Hypnos has a reputation for making the most comfortable beds in the world.
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Visit siteKalisher is a team of more than 100 artists, eccentrics, and engineers who create, commission and manufacture comprehensive art collections for properties worldwide. For over 15 years, we have been privileged to partner with brands, designers, owners and communities to make art visions reality. We’re renowned in the world of Hospitality Art for our commitment to collaboration and our dedication to providing engaging art at any budget.
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Parquet by Dian was founded by Anatoli Efros nearly 40 years ago with the goal of producing the finest wood floors in the world. Taking his extensive knowledge of woodworking and forestry, he developed a revolutionary wood floor construction, which is superior to any wood flooring made to date. Eliminating the tongue and groove, as well as numerous trade secrets and patents, allows Parquet By Dian to manufacture floors that have no limitations in design and provides clients with a floor that is stable year round and is able to withstand extreme moisture conditions.
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Visit siteRadical Innovation welcomes big ideas for the guest experience – from inside and outside of hospitality, from any country, and from professionals and students alike. Our criteria? Show us what the hotel environment can be. Wow us with creativity and feasibility. Finalists are selected by a jury and flown to New York City to compete on the Radical Innovation stage.
Visit siteOperating from offices throughout the world, S&T strives to be a global leader in construction services and products for the new build, refurbishment and joinery sectors. The group is respected within the industry for its innovative and fresh thinking approach, while delivering engineering excellence.
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Visit siteAs a global manufacturer of sanitary products and installation systems, “close to you” is our promise. We have been operating as an independent, family-run business in close proximity to people and the markets for over 30 years.
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