Gourmet Traveller Australian Hotel Guide Awards

Gourmet Traveller Australian Hotel Guide Awards

The club sandwich is a hotel room-service staple for travellers around the world and tonight Australia has just crowned the best in the country at the third annual Gourmet Traveller Australian Hotel Guide Awards announced at the stunning new Primus Hotel Sydney.

QT Sydney was awarded the nation's Best Club Sandwich. QT Hotels and Resorts were also awarded in the Best Minibars category.

In the guide's short history, the Best Club Sandwich Award has become one of the most sought after accolades. At QT Sydney, there are no tepid triangles, instead the club comes as three long planks of barley malt bread, delivered in a black wooden box, layered with turkey, crisp, shattery prosciutto, melting Swiss cheese, aioli and a perfectly soft-boiled egg. As club sandwiches go, it's one out of the box.

Perth's Como The Treasury, a knockout revival of three colonial-era buildings by renowned Perth architect Kerry Hill, took out the top two accolades – Hotel of the Year and New Hotel of the Year – for bringing lavish new life to Perth's State Buildings. Halcyon House, the stylish newcomer at Cabarita Beach on the New South Wales north coast, was named Regional Hotel of the Year as well as being recognised with the accolade for Best Service.

The awards, presented by journalist and television personality Chris Bath before an audience of Australia's leading hoteliers and travel industry experts, coincide with the release of the 2016 Gourmet Traveller Australian Hotel Guide – published with the June edition of Gourmet Traveller (on sale 26 May).

Anthea Loucas Bosha, editor in chief of Australian Gourmet Traveller, offered her warmest congratulations to all the featured properties and award winners in Australia's only national hotel guide.

'It's so gratifying to see, three years after launching our guide, that Australia's hotel industry is experiencing such a resurgence," she said. 'No fewer than 11 of our top 50 hotels are new entries for 2016."

The 124-page guide, compiled annually by reviewers from Australia's most authoritative travel magazine, is an indispensable guide to the country's top 50 hotels. It also profiles dozens more properties including memorable Australian resorts and lodges, unique properties, spas and budget lodgings.

The awards are decided by Gourmet Traveller's reviewing team after they have stayed anonymously at the country's top hotels. The awards recognise the cornerstones of any great hotel stay, from the best hotel pool to the best club sandwich in the land.

Hotel Palisade in Sydney took out the Best Bar award and The Old Clare Hotel, also in Sydney, was named Boutique Hotel of the Year.

The hotel guide has been produced in association with Nespresso, whose coffee machines enhance the guest experience at many of Australia's best addresses.

'Every year I am astonished at the depth and breadth of quality hotels, lodges, resorts and spas included in this guide, and 2016 is no different," said Loïc Réthoré, general manager of Nespresso Australia & Oceania. 'From Perth to Port Douglas, Brisbane to Hobart, there are gems to be discovered across the country."

In addition to the top 50 hotels, the guide also lists:

Australia's Leading Lodges and Resorts

Unique Places to Stay

The Most Sumptuous Hotel Spas

Best Long-Stay Accommodation

Best Budget Hotels

Upcoming Hotel Openings in Australia

2016 Gourmet Traveller Australian Hotel Guide Award Winners

Hotel of the Year: Como The Treasury, Perth, WA 

New Hotel of the Year: Como The Treasury, Perth, WA

Large Hotel of the Year: Crown Towers, Melbourne, Vic 

Boutique Hotel of the Year: The Old Clare Hotel, Sydney, NSW 

Regional Hotel of the Year: Halcyon House, Cabarita Beach, NSW 

Best Service: Halcyon House, Cabarita Beach, NSW

Best Breakfast: Grand Hyatt Melbourne, Vic 

Best Pool: Crown Metropol, Melbourne, Vic 

Best Bar: Hotel Palisade, Sydney, NSW 

Best Club Sandwich: QT Sydney, NSW

Best Minibar: QT Hotels & Resorts 

Engage with the guide and awards on social media, #gthotelguide