Hotels association names award winners across Victoria

Some of Melbourne’s best hotels have been recognised at prestigious state awards, with gongs for best parma, best family dining and more. Did your local make the list?

The Malvern Hotel won best metropolitan pub restaurant at the awards. Pictured are bar tender Jack Bines and part-owner Ken Price. Picture: Andy Brownbill

Some of the best hotels across Melbourne have won gongs at the state hotel awards, with multiple winners in the suburbs.

While St Kilda’s Hotel Esplanade took out the major award of metropolitan hotel of the year, as well as best specialty bar and best live entertainment venue, while the Malvern Hotel was named best pub restaurant.

Botanical Hotel bar manager Tim Penter celebrates its best pub bar win. Picture: Andy Brownbill

South Yarra’s Temperance Hotel won the coveted ‘best parma’ award, beating out the likes of Auburn Hotel, Murphys in Geelong and the Western Hotel in Ballarat, while Mr McCracken in Essendon Fields was named best metropolitan casual dining.

Owner Matt Dawson said winning the award “truly represents just how much hard work has gone in to providing the best dining experience we can for our customers”.

Is this Temperance Hotel parma the best in Victoria? Tell us what you think. Picture: Andy Brownbill

The Wheelers Hill Hotel claimed best family dining, while the Notting Hill Hotel beer garden was recognised with best outdoor space and the best pub bar was split between Botanical Hotel in South Yarra and St Andrews Hotel in Fitzroy.

Mr McCracken in Essendon Fields won best metropolitan casual dining. Pictured are (from left) Mohamed Abdul Azeez, Jarryd Claruis, Adam Bayghan, Jordan Splendido and Niwetta Daniele. Picture: Ellen Smith

But possibly the proudest winner was Kelly’s Motor Club Hotel in Cranbourne.

Winning the heart of the community award for a second year in a row, manager Michael Goldie said it was something the business was “extremely proud of … as it reflects positively on Cranbourne, something we don’t seem to have much of at the moment”.

Notting Hill Hotel manager Kris Chapman with bar staff Simon Cook and Jarryd Raffa celebrate after winning best outdoor experience. Picture: George Salpigtidis

Kelly’s Hotel has been operated by the same family for 100 years and, as a local business, has been supporting groups throughout the community.

A focus of that support has been on welfare and education, for which now the hotel gives 12 $5000 scholarships to local families, to help parents with their children’s transition to high school.

Kelly’s Motor Club Hotel in Cranbourne won the heart of the community award. Pictured are employee and scholarship recipient Jake Richards, owner Paul Stocks and award-winning head chef Damien Quinn — all Cranbourne locals. Picture: Norm Oorloff

One such recipient was Jake Richards, who now works at Kelly’s.

“As a hotel, everyone that works here, we are one big family,” he said.

“All the staff, we treat each other like family and our customers too.”

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David Gearing at Zagame’s Boronia Club Hotel was rewarded for excellence in service, while Geelong hotels took out many of the regional awards, with the Grovedale Hotel taking out the hotel of the year gong.

For a full list of winners, go to the Australian Hotels Association (Victoria) website.