1 The European Hotel Awards annually honor outstanding personal and professional achievement in hospitality, gastronomy, luxury tourism and other eligible domains as provided in these rules and validated by the
Board of European Hotel Awards.
2 The European Hotel Awards are presented at annual ceremonies held in different European capitals to foster recognition and intercultural exchange.
3 Awards are given to 4-star, 5-star and Palace-category hotels, as well as to hotel restaurants, gourmet restaurants, hotel spas, or individually, to women and men with a recognized function in these establishments. All must be located in European territory for the main awards.
4 After selection by the Board (see Rule 7), the future winners are officially informed. To validate the award, they must confirm their acceptance and guarantee their attendance at the ceremony.
IMPORTANT: Presence at the award ceremony is a key condition for receiving the award. In case of non-attendance, the award may be cancelled or postponed to a future edition. However, in exceptional and justified cases, the Board reserves the right to uphold the award at its discretion.
5 No entry fee or financial contribution is required to participate in the selection process or to receive an award. However, a fixed administrative contribution may be requested from confirmed winners to cover technical and logistical costs of the event. This contribution is non-commercial, non-profit and has no influence on the selection process. Accommodation for one night is offered at a preferential rate negotiated with the official partner hotel.
6 The European Hotel Awards, in the form of prestigious and honorary recognitions, are granted each year in the following categories:
Check main Awards section
7 The selection of winners is made in two ways: by the
Board of the European Hotel Awards and by reviewing applications received before June 30 of the current year.
8 Compliance with these rules is mandatory. Any request for participation must be sincere and reflect the actual merits of the individuals or establishments involved. Only applications fully justified by their quality and relevance to the eligible categories will be considered.
See full list of categories here.
European Hotel Awards for hotels, restaurants and spas.
• Hotel of the Year
• Historic Hotel of the Year
• Boutique Hotel of the Year*
• Green Award – Contribution to Sustainable Development*
• Hotel Restaurant of the Year
• Spa Hotel of the Year*
• Awards Special Art of Hospitality*
• Front Office Manager*
European Hotel Awards awarded on a personal basis.
• Hotel General Manager
• Hotel Manager*
• F&B Manager*
• Executive Chef of the Hotel Restaurant
• General Hotel Housekeeper*
• Millenium Recognition Award – Lifetime Achievement*
9 Other special categories may be granted* to recognize contributors of excellence in hospitality, gastronomy, tourism or related fields. These awards are granted by internal decision of the Board of the European Hotel Awards.
* Not all categories are awarded each year.
Application for participation in the European Hotel Awards
To participate in the next selection in one of the categories of the European Hotel Awards, please send your request using our contact page. We will send you a registration form. Don’t forget to mention the name of your hotel, restaurant or spa, along with all contact details.
Use our online contact page: Online Contact
N.B: The organization of the European Hotel Awards by References is, at present, completely independent from any public institution or government-related body. It does not solicit or receive any funding from European or national authorities. The European Hotel Awards are strictly non-profit, honorary recognitions with no commercial counterpart. Any administrative contribution collected is exclusively used to cover technical costs related to the ceremony (venue, logistics, trophies). The selection process remains entirely independent and based on merit. European Hotel Awards by References is a registered trademark ®. All rights reserved ©. Copying or using these rules, in whole or in part, is strictly forbidden.
Hotel Partners & hoteliers participants since 2018