Above, from top: The Rees Hotel Queenstown’s Executive Lake View Penthouse. The Barceló Bavaro Grand Resort. Church Road Winery winemaker Chris Scott.
Church Road Winery winemaker Chris Scott, whom Lucire had the pleasure to meet earlier this year as he introduced his Tom vintages, has been named New Zealand Winemaker of the Year 2016 by Winestate magazine. Scott also won the title in 2013. Winestate also awarded Scott’s Church Road McDonald Series Syrah 2014 with the Syrah/Shiraz of the Year trophy and New Zealand Wine of the Year trophy.
The Winestate New Zealand Winemaker of the Year award is given to the individual who achieves the highest score from the top 10 different wines judged throughout the year.
Another international win was scored by the Rees Hotel Queenstown, which was judged Best New Zealand Ski Hotel at the 2016 World Ski Awards in Kitzbühel, Tirol, Austria. The awards are considered ski tourism’s most coveted prizes. The Rees Hotel is within easy reach of Coronet Peak, the Remarkables, Treble Cone and Cardona, while its complimentary ski concierge services cater to the most demanding of skiers. The Rees team can help with arranging skiing or snowboarding packages, gear hire, lessons and heli-skiing.
Barceló Hotel Group will create new brands to complement the parent one: Royal Hideaway Luxury Hotels & Resorts, Occidental Hotels & Resorts, and Allegro Hotels. After acquiring Occidental, which brought the Spanish-HQed company into Aruba and Colombia, Barceló has had to rethink its structure. Royal Hideaway (seven per cent of its portfolio) is the top brand, with luxury resorts; Barceló Hotels and Resorts represents affordable but upscale resorts, with U-Spa Health and Wellness Centres, and includes its flagship Barceló Emperatriz; Occidental Hotels & Resorts is for families, friends and couples with adventure inclusions; and Allegro Hotels (five per cent) is aimed at budget travellers.
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