IRHA Gala Celebration

Celebrate the International Restaurant & Hotel Awards 2008 Honorees & GRAND AWARD RECIPIENTS

Lifetime Achievement

Nina and Tim Zagat

Visionary of the Year

Costas Christ

Travel/Dining Publication of the Year

Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel

Designer of the Year

Philippe Starck

Spotlight On New Orleans - Humanitarian of the Year

The Cvitanovich Family & Drago's Foundation

Tickets, Premier & VIP Tables can be reserved online at

Awards Program & Grand Awards

The International Restaurant and Hotel Awards™ is juried by a board of esteemed hospitality industry professionals with extensive experience in each category field. The Jury includes representatives from the Food Network, Travel Channel, UKTV, BBC Food, CBS Radio, Zagat Survey, Cool Restaurants, Cool Hotels, Citysearch, Fodor's Travel Guides, Hungry? City Guides and more. A full list of jurors is available at .

IRHA received submissions from over 50 countries around the world in the 2007 awards season. The Jury reviews submissions from bed & breakfasts, top restaurants, chains, six-star luxury hotels, boutique hotels and independent restaurants and hotels. Top chains and hotel groups participating include The Ritz-Carlton, Marriott International, Accor Hotels, The Peninsula Hotels, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Hotels, Kor Hotel Group, Starwood Hotels and a host of others.

IRHA Grand Award Hotels and Restaurants receive two tickets to the International Restaurant and Hotel Awards Gala on November 16th, 2008, in Beverly Hills, California, Irha statues, certificates of achievement and maximum exposure for a year to the hospitality industry and public through the IRHA website, at the gala, in promotional material and in the IRHA Book. The following coveted titles will be awarded at the gala ceremony:

International Value Hotel of the Year

International Moderate Hotel of the Year
International Luxury Hotel of the Year
International Value Restaurant of the Year
International Moderate Restaurant of the Year
International Luxury Restaurant of the Year

Best New Value Hotel of the Year

Best New Moderate Hotel of the Year
Best New Luxury Hotel of the Year
Best New Value Restaurant of the Year
Best New Moderate Restaurant of the Year
Best New Luxury Restaurant of the Year

The following subcategory recipients will also receive exposure during the gala: Green Award (Eco Building), Best Wine List, Best Spa & Most Organic/Sustainable

Categories

Selected first, second, and third place hotels and restaurants from all subcategories receive certificates of achievement, exposure on for a year and in the high quality, full color, hardcover IRHA Book. The International Restaurant & Hotel Awards has six main categories determined by value, moderate, and luxury rates and multiple subcategories for restaurants and hotels.

Hotels: Best Design, Endless Amenities, Breathtaking Views, Green Award (Eco Bulding), Best Suite, Family Friendly, Best Bed & Breakfast, Best Water Feature (Pool, Beach or Jacuzzi), Best Spa, Best Lobby, Best New Hotel of the Year, International Hotel of the Year

Restaurants: Best Design, Best Brunch, Best Views, Best Citywide/Regional Cuisine*, Best Specialty Item, Best Ethnic Cuisine*, Most Organic/Sustainable, Best Wine List, Best Dessert, Best New Restaurant of the Year, International Restaurant of the Year

*The categories of Best Citywide/Regional Cuisine & Best Ethnic Cuisine will be awarded in multiple cities and regions. Judges will also award certificates of honorable mention and recipients in separate regions and countries as they see fit.

Best Of City, Region & Country

The top scoring restaurants and hotels in each city are recognized and move onto regional and countrywide consideration. Top countrywide recipients will be considered with first place hotels and restaurants from all subcategories for the prestigious worldwide IRHA Grand Awards, presented at the gala ceremony. In addition all Best of City, Region and Country recipients will be listed in the online IRHA Directory.

The IRHA Book

In addition, the first, second, and third place subcategory award recipients, Best of Country recipients and IRHA Grand Award hotels and restaurants will be published in a high-quality, full color, hardcover annual International Restaurant and Hotel Awards Book distributed to industry leaders & stars and through-out the hospitality & travel communities. The top submissions in each subcategory will also receive listing in the IRHA Directory online and in the IRHA Book.

Celebrity Rated

Each year, established industry stars will select 15 restaurants and hotels from the pools of first, second and third place hotels and restaurants in all subcategories to be exhibited on . Celebrity Rated pages will be linked to top websites in the travel & dining industries for maximum exposure.

Expert Jury Panel

IRHA is judged by a board of esteemed Hospitality Industry professionals with extensive experience in IRHA subcategory fields. Click to view IRHA Judges

IRHA Advisory Board

The IRHA Advisory Board is an International network of experts who have agreed to provide meaningful guidance in different areas including design, service, culinary trends, green building, regional tastes, nutrition and exciting industry developments. The board has no voting power in the judging process but will advise IRHA in awards structure and subcategory judgment guides.

Sponsors

Michelin Maps and Guides, Villeroy & Boch, Fodor’s Travel Guides, The Chocolate Traveler, L’Occitane, Essence of Vali, Illume, Don Francisco’s Specialty Coffee, Wordlock, Crystal Files & Gifts and Epicuren. Media Partners, Media Sponsors, Advertising Partners & Association Sponsors include Hsyndicate, Hospitalitynet, ARTRAVEL Magazine, Hotel Management International, New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau Winestate, Pastry Art & Design, Boutique Design, Hospitality Magazine, The Tasting Panel, Green Lodging News, Chocolatier, Quarterly Review of Wines and more. A Full list is available at

IRHA is a division of International Hospitality Awards, Inc. and co-produced by the Farmani Group. Established in 1987, the Farmani Group has founded many charities, businesses and organizations, including the award-winning VUE magazine, The Lucie Awards (the “Oscars” of photography), International Photography Awards, London International Creative Competition, Px3-PRIX DE LA PHOTOGRAPHIE PARIS, FotoFolio, Focus On AIDS, Hollywood Film Festival, Art For New York, Farmani Gallery, aNet Communications, Fontographics and FYIdesign.

For Additional Information on the International Restaurant & Hotel Awards please visit or contact Denise Jones 310-285-3808x2 | [email protected]

Event Venue

The Beverly Hilton, Beverly Hills, California

For more information please contact Toni Bakal
+1-310-285-3808