For the second consecutive year, the Hotel Martinez was once again honored by Joseph D. Cinque, president of the AAHC [[Founded in 1949 and based in New York, “The American Academy of Hospitality Science” positions itself as a pivotal institution in luxury tourism. Its representatives travel to destinations around the world in search of excellence in hotels, restaurants, spas, golf courses, cruises… and each year “Star Diamond” locations are honored.]], with the 2009 Five Star Diamond Award. This prestigious and emblematic distinction particularly rewards the quality of service of the hotel and the efforts made by the teams to strive for excellence. Many luxury hotels hope to obtain this recognition, but only a minority succeed: only 110 are listed as Five Star Diamond Award recipients worldwide, and 44 in Europe.
A second award recognized the work of Richard Schilling, General Manager of Hotel Martinez, distinguishing him as one of the best hoteliers. Only six hoteliers were honored from an exhaustive list of very prestigious hotels worldwide [[Honorees included: Peter French (Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong), François Delahaye (Dorchester Collection), Michel Galopin (Grand Hotel du Cap Ferrat), Christian Hassing (Mandarin Oriental Tokyo), Dino Van Eeckhaut (Sofitel El Gezirah).]].
The restaurant “La Palme d’Or” has also entered the exclusive circle of restaurants honored by the “Five Star Diamond Award” and Christian Sinicropi, Head Chef (2 Michelin stars – 17/20 GaultMillau), received a personal distinction.
During the ceremony, about a hundred VIPs, mainly from the Luxury Hotel sector, were invited to the “La Palme d’Or” restaurant… Three-star chefs Marc Haeberlin (L’Auberge de l’Ill – France), Harald Wohlfahrt (Hotel Traube Tonbach – Germany), and Heinz Beck (La Pergola, Hotel Cavalieri Hilton – Italy) joined Christian Sinicropi in the kitchen to prepare a sumptuous gala dinner.
The tone is set for 2009! An especially important year for Martinez, which celebrates its 80th anniversary…
