Nominees Announced for the 2025 Hospitality Awards

Hospitality heroes across the Southampton region are being recognised by their peers, with 113 nominations received for the 2025 Hospitality Awards. These individuals, nominated by fellow members of the Southampton Region Hoteliers Association, have demonstrated exceptional commitment to their work over the past 12 months, with some individuals being nominated multiple times.

Category sponsors now have the challenging task of selecting just three finalists from the impressive pool of nominees. The anticipation will build until the final winners are revealed at the awards ceremony on 28th February 2025.

Nominees for each of the categories are:

Outstanding Achievement of the Year Award – sponsored by Headline Sponsor, Radio Taxis

• Carly Jackson – Holiday Inn Eastleigh
• Charlotte Gibson – Hilton Southampton – Utilita Bowl
• Fredrica Keys – New Place Hotel
• Freya von Claire – room2 Southampton
• Lily Farminer – Town or Country 
• Lisa Oxford – room2 Southampton
• Maia Langham – Hilton Southampton – Utilita Bowl
• Ollie Sandy – Solent Hotel & Spa
• Roger Cassell – Holiday Inn Eastleigh

Manager of the Year Award – sponsored by Fire Group

• Aleksandra Kuzba – Southampton Harbour Hotel
• Angela Willmore – Chilworth Manor Hotel
• Brian Prescott – Novotel Southampton
• Bryony Pragnell – New Place Hotel
• Emily Houghton – Hilton Southampton – Utilita Bowl
• Freya Von-Claire – room2 Southampton
• Iwona Kowalczyk – Novotel & Ibis Southampton
• Jamie Gahan – Southampton Harbour Hotel
• Jeff Foster – Holiday Inn Southampton
• Maisie King – Hilton Southampton – Utilita Bowl
• Matt Beaney – Holiday Inn Eastleigh
• Nick Dobromylski – room2 Southampton
• Nicole Bailey – Meon Valley Hotel & Country Club
• Patina Farnham – Novotel & Ibis Southampton
• Samuel Beynon – Hilton Southampton – Utilita Bowl
• Victoria Danks – Town or Country

Sales and Revenue of the Year Award – sponsored by arrangeMY

• GC&E Team – Hilton Southampton – Utilita Bowl
• Jacinta Wingate – New Place Hotel
• James Mahaffey – Holiday Inn Eastleigh
• Jeannine Prescott – Holiday Inn Southampton
• Laura Sayburn – Holiday Inn Southampton
• Sales and reservation Team – Novotel and Ibis Southampton
• Sarah Banks – Leonardo Hotel Southampton

Top Team of the Year Award – sponsored by Alliance Disposables

• BEEFY’S Kitchen Team – Hilton Southampton – Utilita Bowl
• Eforea Spa Team – Hilton Southampton – Utilita Bowl
• Front Office Team – Hilton Southampton – Utilita Bowl
• Housekeeping & Front of House Team – room2 Southampton
• Sales & Events Team – Meon Valley Hotel, Golf & Country Club
• Sales & Events Team – Meon Valley Hotel Golf & Country Club
• Sales Team – Chilworth Manor Hotel
• Solent Hotel and Spa Breakfast Team – Solent Hotel & Spa
• The Ibis Southampton Team
• The Maintenance Team – New Place Hotel
• The Maintenance Team – room2 Southampton
• The Whole Team – Holiday Inn Fareham Solent
• The Whole Hotel Team – Holiday Inn Southampton Eastleigh M3 Jct 13
• The Whole Moxy Crew – Moxy Southampton
• The Whole Team – room2 Southampton

Operational Excellence of the Year Award – sponsored by Yuzu Training

• Alex McCann – New Place Hotel
• Daniel Rogers – Hilton Southampton – Utilita Bowl
• Grace Welton – Holiday Inn Fareham Solent
• James Hulme – Novotel Southampton
• Simmi Kumari – Holiday In Southampton
• The Maintenance Team – Holiday Inn Eastleigh
• The Moxy Crew – Moxy Hotel
• The whole team at the Holiday Inn Express Southampton M27
• Twinslee Fernandes – Ibis Southampton

Rising Star of the Year Award – sponsored by Harvest Fine Foods

• Andy Lainson – room2 Southampton
• Bobby Davis – Hilton Southampton – Utilita Bowl
• Cerys Davies – Holiday Inn Fareham-Solent
• Dan Uphill – Town or Country
• Ellie Harding – Southampton Harbour Hotel
• Ellie Harding – Southampton Harbour Hotel
• Emma Boxall- Holiday Inn Eastleigh
• Faye Graham – Ibis Southampton
• Georgia Guppy – Chilworth Manor Hotel
• Georgina Shephard – DoubleTree by Hilton Southampton
• Grace McCluskey – Solent Hotel and Spa
• Lilly Salter – Hilton Southampton – Utilita Bowl
• Millie Lewis – Chilworth Manor Hotel
• Ollie Sandy – Solent Hotel & Spa
• Ollie Sandy – Solent Hotel and spa
• Oscar Buckley – Hilton Southampton – Utilita Bowl
• Owen Tregear-Allen – Hilton Southampton – Utilita Bowl
• Poppy Oldham – New Place hotel
• Sophie Tavender – Hilton Southampton – Utilita Bowl

Chef of the Year Award – sponsored by Chefs and Events Staffing

• Abby Jones – room2 Southampton
• Adam Saunders – Hilton Southampton – Utilita Bowl
• Connor Allan – Holiday Inn Eastleigh
• George Allman – Solent Hotel and Spa
• Ivor Henderson – Novotel Southampton
• Rehman Saifi –  Novotel Southampton
• Simon Hartnett – New Place Hotel

Community Award

• Business: Hilton Southampton – Utilita Bowl
• Business: Town or Country
• Business: Spirit Health Club – Holiday Inn Eastleigh
• Individual: Karen Barker –  Hilton Southampton – Utilita Bowl

Lifetime Achievement Award – sponsored by Brakes

• Abigail Cull – New Place Hotel
• Ian Little – Town or Country
• Jamie Holmes – Hilton Southampton – Utilita Bowl
• John Fisher – New Place Hotel
• Jon Eggett – Holiday Inn Eastleigh
• Krystyna Zielinska – Chilworth Manor Hotel
• Richard Wilson – Novotel Southampton

Mario Martinisi, Chair of the Southampton Region Hoteliers Association said, “The high number of nominations demonstrates the unwavering commitment to excellence within the region’s hospitality industry. This dedication not only elevates our venues but also significantly enhances the experiences of our valued visitors.”

Finalists will be announced in December and the winners declared at the Awards ceremony at the end of February 2025.