Surf Coast hotels up for top awards

MANTRA Lorne and RACV Torquay Resort have both been named as finalists in multiple categories in this year’s Victorian Accommodation Awards for Excellence.

Presented by Accommodation Australia, the awards recognise the breadth and diversity of Victoria’s accommodation offerings and acknowledge the venues that excel in delivering top-tier service and providing an exceptional customer experience.

Mantra Lorne, known for its beachfront location and for housing Victoria’s largest regional conference centre, is up for the Best Meeting and Events Space of the Year award.

 

 

General manager Edwin Erftemeyer celebrated the recognition which helps to put the hotel “on the map as a destination to visit” and said the hotel’s ability to host conferences and events was unique in that it can facilitate small groups of just 10 people through to gatherings of more than 500 individuals.

A range of meeting rooms, a heritage-listed ballroom and 12 acres of beachfront land are among the events spaces the hotel has on offer, helping to bolster the township’s economy throughout the year and attract visitors.

“No space is the same and we are flexible to ensure every event is successfully delivered,” Mr Erftemeyer said.

Mantra Lorne’s restaurant The Larder is also a finalist in the Regional Hotel Restaurant of the Year award category.

Mr Erftemeyer said the restaurant had undergone a minor transformation over the past 12 months, shifting towards a more modern seafood cuisine that spotlights local flavours and product.

 

 

“Executive chef Nic Martigny is very passionate about giving customers what they want and the high attention to detail and personal service, led by our food and beverage manager Chirag Madan, ensures the service matches the menu.”

Meanwhile, RACV Torquay Resort, which is set on an expansive golf course at the start of the Great Ocean Road, is one of six hotels vying to be crowned the 2024 Resort Style Accommodation of the Year.

The resort’s extensive conference and function space has also earned it recognition as a finalist in the Best Meeting and Events Space of the Year award category, while One Spa, the resort’s spa retreat nested above Bells Beach, is up for the Hotel Spa of the Year award.

The winners of this year’s Victorian Accommodation Awards for Excellence will be announced on Thursday, August 15 at a gala event in Melbourne.