Choice Hotels Canada: 2021 National APEX Award Winners

Choice Hotels Canada recently announced the national winners of its celebrated annual APEX Awards: Awards for Property Excellence. Twelve awards recognized outstanding hotels and individuals who have demonstrated stellar performance, ongoing commitment to guest service and operational excellence.

“It has been a very long 20 months for our franchisees, but despite that, our award-winning properties have continued not only to persevere but to excel,” says Brian Leon, president, Choice Hotels Canada. “Operating a hotel has never been more challenging and these properties have over-delivered in every way when it comes to demonstrating hospitality excellence.”

The 2021 national APEX winners include:

• Highest Guest Satisfaction (Top LTR): Quality Hotel & Conference Centre, Edmundston, NB
  • This award recognizes the property that achieved the highest Likelihood to Recommend (LTR) score in Choice Hotels’ guest survey results over the last year.
• Marketing Star Award: Justin Barker, general manager, Comfort Inn, Windsor, ON
  • This award, new in 2021, recognizes a hotel that stands out from the crowd when it comes to local marketing. The winner will have shown an eagerness to engage with Choice Hotels Canada’s marketing team and leverage the digital resources available to increase the effectiveness of its local marketing efforts.
• Choice Privileges Ambassador of the Year: Dharmesh Patel, general manager, Quality Inn, Leamington, ON
  • This award, new in 2021, recognizes a Choice Privileges Ambassador who helps to foster a strong Choice Privileges culture at the hotel and consistently motivates the on-property team and fellow Ambassador community.
• Sales Excellence Award: Natalie Cherry, general manager, Sleep Inn, Regina East, SK
  • This national award recognizes an individual who demonstrated outstanding sales efforts. The winner will have been quick to respond to local opportunities or those from Choice to capture incremental room nights, leverage tools and resources as well as engage with Choice’s sales team.
    
• Renovation of the Year Award: Comfort Inn Airport, Winnipeg, MB
  • This award recognizes achievements in outstanding on-brand renovations that drove guest satisfaction increases.
• Leader of the Year Award: Nimfa Bautista, general manager, Comfort Hotel Bayer's Lake, Halifax, NS
  • This peer-based award recognizes an individual, whose achievements include outstanding operational practices or team building.
• Developer of the Year Award: VIMA Hospitality Group, which operates two Choice hotels in Montreal, QC the Quality Inn Downtown and the Econo Lodge.
• Best New Entry – New Build Mid-Market Brands: Quality Hotel & Conference Centre, Edmundston, NB
• Best New Entry – Conversion Mid-Market Brands: Quality Inn, Quebec City, QC
• Best New Entry – Economy Brands: Econo Lodge Inn & Suites, Kelowna, BC
• Best New Entry – Ascend Hotel Collection (conversion): The Fort Garry Hotel, Spa & Conference Centre in Winnipeg, MB
• Best New Entry – Ascend Hotel Collection (new build): The Hue Hotel, Kamloops, BC