The HOTEL judging process and judges
The judging process has been transformed to ensure we have the most authoritative process possible, with these key stages:
Research Judges must be selected from former general managers and top travel journalists and:
June to November each property selects the categories in which they wish to be judged; and Round 1 takes place when The Research Judge DBB visit is undertaken
December 14: Round 1 Judging recommendations reviewed by the National Judging Panel
Regional Winners must be judged by category specialists who visit the top scoring shortlist
January: Regional Winners announced in 32 categories at 9 regional presentations
Mid-January to mid-March: Round 2: Specialist Judges visit the Regional Winners
Regional Winners must also be judged by peer judges, who visit the category top scorers
Mid-January to mid-March: Round 3: Peer Judges visit the Regional Winners
Specialist & Peer Judge recommendations presented to Judging Panel to select National Winners
23 March: The National Judging Panel meets to review the Specialist and Peer Judge conclusions to select National Winners in each of 29 categories, with the Hotel of the Year selected from the 32 National Winners. They also select the Grand Award winners during this judging day.
April 22, 2018; Awards Presentation Dinner at which the 32 National Winners are presented
The PEOPLE judging process and judges
The people awards now have their own dedicated judging process:
August and November: each property may nominate up to 5 staff from 24 categories
September and December: People of Excellence certificates issued to nominated staff
December 13: Round 1 Judging recommendations reviewed by the National Judging Panel
January: Regional Winners are announced in 24 categories at 9 regional presentations
Mid-January to mid-March:
Questionnaires issued to all properties with regional winner People of Excellence
Questionnaires issued to all properties with shortlisted Gold Laurels, Hotel Manager (Small), Hotel Manager (Large), Independent Hotelier
23 March: The National Judging Panel meets to review the questionnaires and to select National Winners and Grand Award winners.
April 29, 2018; Awards Presentation Dinner
Establishment Awards
Properties may be nominated by guests, judges or properties themselves by 1 December. In the first week of January judges finalise in which categories each property will be judged. All judging visits are then mystery, and at the end of March the Regional Winners in each category are announced as the shortlist.
There are 32 Establishment categories:
New for 2018
Each with up to 9 Regional Winners:
From these winners the judges select the National Winner in each category, and then from these National Winners the top award of Hotel of the Year is selected.
People of Excellence Awards
The People Awards are selected from the People of Excellence finalists awarded throughout the year, along with those identified during the judging process, whose shortlist is announced from 17 to 20 January at regional presentations throughout Scotland.
Categories
Business & Management Awards
New for 2018
Service Awards
New for 2018
Chef Awards
New for 2018
Events & Spa Awards
Food & Beverage
New for 2018
Grand Awards
These awards are selected by the senior judging panel and are not subject to an entry process.