Tripadvisor Accolades Confirm Lancemore Group as Australia's Most Awarded Hoteliers
- Written by Amara Speechley
Winning best-of-the-best awards are what many hotel companies dream of. Winning Tripadvisor and Luxury Travel Gold List Awards are considered by many in Australia's luxury sector as the Holy Grail, as they are both awards voted for by the customer. In the past 12 months, Lancemore Group has scooped both and is now undisputedly the most awarded hotel group in Australia.
Yesterday, Lancemore was thrilled to learn that two of its iconic hotels were voted by Australian hotel customers as being in the top 25 hotels in the land, with Alamanda Palm Cove by Lancemore securing the #5 spot and Mansion Hotel & Spa by Lancemore coming in at #22. Both properties are boutique hotels, renowned for their stunning natural scenery, stylish guest rooms, award-winning restaurants and supported by the famed Lancemore Group service delivery.
Heading into its sixth year, the Trip Advisor awards aim to distinguish, reward and celebrate excellence in the accommodation industry. Taking heed from those whose opinions matter the most, the guests themselves, the awards are generated based on sustained, outstanding traveller reviews. With Trip Advisor being the most popular travel site in the world, taking home a coveted spot in the Top 25 equates to being among the upper 1% of hotels on the site, positioning the Lancemore Group properties alongside some of the world's most iconic and distinguished hotels. Lancemore Group CEO Julian Clark was unreservedly elated at the news, remarking that: “with a portfolio of just six hotels, to find two within this top echelon, and amongst such great company at that, is both wonderful and humbling.”
Upon hearing the news, Clark was beaming with genuine excitement: “We have been in this industry for nearly 30 years and are a family owned business with family values. We don't aim to be the biggest hotel group in Australia, but we do try to be the best. We take pride in the hotels that we run. They are not cookie-cutter hotels, nor bed factories; rather they are special, living places. Indeed, all the hotels under the Lancemore brand are individual, boutique hotels that share a passion for delivering a brilliant guest experience. We believe that is what sets us apart and it is why these Tripadvsior awards are recognition of what we hold dearest – the recognition from, and the delight of, our customers.”
The reason for the recent spate of awards and success, Clark believes, comes down to a few factors. The first is the Group's passion for sincere hospitality, as Clark explains “for decades in hotels, genuine hospitality has been unfashionable with big hoteliers, who have been more preoccupied with efficiency than guest satisfaction. We have always been different. We are passionate about making our guests' lives feel perfect while they are with us. We love making our guests happy – it's why all of us at Lancemore are in the hospitality business.”
The second success factor strongly correlates with the first – Lancemore's people. Clark continues, “To deliver a brilliant guest experience in boutique hotels, every team member has to do their part – from guest relations to housekeeping to the General Manager – we are lucky to have some welcoming, thoughtful, committed, guest centric people in our teams. Without them such awards would not be possible and this recognition means the world to them. As a company Lancemore couldn't be more proud of, nor grateful to, our team members for delivering such great guest experiences.”
The third ingredient is of course the properties themselves. Lancemore hotels are truly special places, with bragworthy selfie-shots around every corner. Alamanda is situated in Tropical North Queensland's jewel, the idyllic Palm Cove. Here guests wake to nothing but beaming sunshine (almost all 365 days of the year), palm fringed beaches and enjoy luxe spa treatments with the lulling sound of crashing waves in the background. Guests start and finish their day dining overlooking the ocean at NuNu restaurant, one of Australia's most awarded regional restaurants, and their day can be filled with anything from exploring the Reef to island hopping, or just unwinding by the pools.
Likewise, at the Mansion Hotel & Spa at Werribee Park, it is impossible not to be impressed by the 19th century historic mansion and phenomenally beautiful grounds surrounding the hotel. Wandering through the historically rich Mansion and its 10 acres of perfectly curated gardens is otherworldly; guests are then further wowed by the award-winning renovation of its adjacent seminary, which transformed the space into one of Australia's most iconic hotels. The experience of decadence and extravagance continues with a treatment in the world-class Spa, followed by an intimate dinner in the critically acclaimed Josephs Restaurant. Lancemore's other four hotels are equally special, housing 5* vineyards and boasting more beautiful hotels, grounds and food & beverage experiences within some of Australia's most desired locales. Clark sums it up, “Boutique hotels are our passion and we are truly fortunate to welcome guests into our special properties and try to help them leave with their lives refreshed and their year enhanced just that little bit.”
Not one to rest on its laurels, Lancemore Group has some big plans for 2016. With renovations for Larmont Sydney by Lancemore, Lindenwarrah at Milawa and Lindenderry at Red Hill around the corner and a new brand expected to be announced at some stage as well, the group anticipates these latest awards to spearhead great things for the year. However, most importantly, Lancemore's main goal is to continue to deliver the exceptional boutique hotel experiences that it has become famous for. Indeed, Clark finishes by paying homage to Lancemore's guests, who he declares are at the center of everything that the company does: “I would like to say a big thank you to everyone who posted a Tripadvsior review. We hope that writing about and remembering the great experiences they have had at our hotels puts a smile on their faces as much as it does ours. These customers truly are the reason for our success – we never forget that and we would like to thank them for that.”