Midwest Meetings | Awards/Recognition News - Midwest Meetings

“Destination Madison Awards” Celebrate Hospitality and Tourism Excellence in Dane County

7/1/2019

Dane County’s top hospitality and tourism professionals were honored at the Destination Madison Awards on Tuesday, June 25. From left to right: Julianne Lind, Carolyn Kosabucki, Aureliano Montes, Rita Kelliher, Kevin Henry (CEO of Food Fight Restaurant Group), Musab Naji, Roberta Sladky (Director of Olbrich Botanical Gardens), Deb Archer (President and CEO of Destination Madison); Photo credit: Focal Flame Photography

Destination Madison hosted more than 200 of the Dane County’s top hospitality professionals and their supporters Tuesday evening to honor the men and women whose hard work provides visitors with an outstanding Madison experience.

The American Club and Kohler Waters Spa Receive Coveted Forbes Five-Star Designation for Eighth Consecutive Year

2/25/2019

Kohler Co. is pleased to announce that The American Club and Kohler Waters Spa at Destination Kohler have been awarded five stars for the eighth consecutive year by Forbes Travel Guide – the highest honor given by the global authority in luxury travel and leisure. Located at the premier property in Kohler, Wisconsin, the historic hotel and rejuvenating spa exemplify the rating system’s gold standard in the hospitality industry, which help discerning travelers select the world’s best hotel, restaurant and spa experiences. Four- and Five-Star award designations are earned through anonymous professional inspectors from Forbes Travel Guide who evaluate up to 900 objective criteria.

The Historic American Club at the World-Renowned Destination Kohler Receives Highly Coveted AAA Five-Diamond Rating

2/4/2019

Kohler Co. is pleased to announce that The American Club has been awarded the prestigious AAA Five-Diamond designation for the 34th consecutive year. Located at the award-winning Destination Kohler in Kohler, WI, The American Club has retained the travel authority’s highest rating, which was awarded to fewer than one percent of more than 27,000 AAA inspected and approved hotels. The historic resort-hotel was one of only 121 hotels across the country to receive this accolade in 2019 as a result of its personalized service and unmatched hospitality, including luxury accommodations, extensive wellbeing offerings, elevated dining destinations and world-class golf.

GREATER MADISON CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU AND MADISON AREA SPORTS COMMISSION RECEIVE AWARDS FOR EFFORTS TO GROW WISCONSIN TOURISM INDUSTRY

11/29/2018

Members of the Greater Madison Convention & Visitors Bureau and Madison Area Sports Commission celebrate two Wisconsin Tourism Trailblazer Awards with Wisconsin Department of Tourism Secretary Stephanie Klett and Julia Hertel, WACVB Executive Director.

The Greater Madison Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB) and Madison Area Sports Commission (MASC) are being honored for their outstanding efforts to promote the greater Madison area as a tourism destination. The Wisconsin Association of CVBs (WACVB) selected the GMCVB and MASC for two Wisconsin Tourism Trailblazer awards at the 2018 Wisconsin Fall Tourism Conference in Stevens Point, WI.

The GMCVB was recognized in the Outstanding Partnerships category for the Essential Madison Experiences, a collection of brand new, only-in-Madison experiences developed with nine Dane County businesses. The hands-on experiences take visitors and residents behind-the-scenes of favorite attractions and showcase the best that the greater Madison area has to offer.

MASC was honored in the Outstanding Marketing and Communications Initiative or Campaign category for the public art phenomenon, Bucky on Parade. The project, featuring 85 Bucky Badger statues, captured the hearts of tens of thousands of visitors, generated over 11,000 public Instagram posts and netted one million dollars for charity.

Pfister named one of America’s most haunted historic hotels

10/26/2018

by Maredithe Meyer

It’s no secret that downtown Milwaukee’s 125-year-old Pfister Hotel in recent years has become a popular spot for reported ghost sightings and supernatural encounters– especially among players with visiting Major League Baseball teams.

That’s why the hotel was recently placed again at number 11 on a list of the nation’s top 25 most haunted historic hotels.

Read more at BizTimes.

Historic Hotels of America Announces 2018 Awards of Excellence Nominee Finalists

9/7/2018

Historic Hotels of America® and Historic Hotels Worldwide® are pleased to announce the nominee finalists for the 2018 Historic Hotels Awards of Excellence. The Historic Hotels Awards of Excellence recognize and celebrate the finest historic hotels and hoteliers from across the nation and from around the world.

Read more at Hotel Online News.

Midwest Meetings would like to congratulate and wish the best for the Midwest hotels who were nominated! (see below)

DoubleTree by Hilton Downtown Madison Wins Two Esteemed Performance Awards from Hilton Worldwide

5/7/2018

DoubleTree by Hilton Madison Deluxe King

The DoubleTree by Hilton in downtown Madison has been presented with two prestigious awards from Hilton Worldwide for exceptional hotel performance in 2017.

The Hospitality Award of Excellence and the Housekeeping Award of Excellence are two of the highest honors awarded to DoubleTree hotels worldwide.

Read more at PR Web.

Marcus® Hotels & Resorts Celebrates Award-Winning Properties

3/15/2018

Marcus® Hotels & Resorts, a nationally recognized hotel management company and division of The Marcus Corporation (NYSE: MCS), today announced that four of its owned and managed properties have again received the esteemed AAA Four Diamond Award® in 2018. These awards follow a year of numerous accolades for Marcus Hotels & Resorts’ properties across the nation.

U.S. News & World Report Ranks The American Club in the Top 10 Percent of its Prestigious Best Hotels in the USA List

2/12/2018

U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in rankings and consumer advice, today announced its eighth annual Best Hotels award, with the iconic American Club hotel earning the esteemed Gold badge within two categories: Best Hotels in Wisconsin (#1) and Best Hotels in the USA (#48). Located at the award-winning Destination Kohler, The American Club’s rankings were based on thousands of independent reviews from individuals and professional travel experts worldwide, which evaluated the overall guest experience and amenities offered. More than 2,100 luxury properties were considered within the country, with 17 in Wisconsin.

MONONA TERRACE 2017 AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS

12/27/2017

MONONA TERRACE

MONONA TERRACE

Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center is proud to announce its awards and recognitions received in 2017 both regionally and nationally:

In Business Magazine Executive Choice Award winner for Best Venue for Business Meetings/Events, as selected by members of the IB Executive Register.
The 2017 Prime Site Award by Facilities & Destinations magazine, a national publication. This was the fifteenth straight year Monona Terrace has received this award.
The 2017 People Love Us on Yelp award for the positive ratings and reviews received in the past year on Yelp.com.
TripAdvisor 2017 Certificate of Excellence for the consistent achievement of high ratings from travelers.
2017 Certificate of Environmental Leadership from 3Degrees for lowering the carbon footprint by supporting 6,480,000 KWH of renewable energy and 1,180 metric tons of carbon offsets.

The American Club resort-hotel Receives Top Honors in Condé Nast Traveler’s 2017 Readers’ Choice Awards

10/19/2017

The American Club

Photo courtesy of The American Club

The American Club at Destination Kohler, the Midwest’s only Forbes Five-Star and AAA Five-Diamond resort-hotel, has been selected by Condé Nast Traveler as the #1 resort in the Midwest in the renowned publication’s 30th annual Readers’ Choice Awards. The Inn on Woodlake was also voted #18 in the top 25 hotels in the Midwest.

“We are thrilled and honored that The American Club and Inn on Woodlake are acknowledged by the loyal readers of Condé Nast Traveler,” says Christine Loose, group director of lodging for Kohler Co. Hospitality & Real Estate. “Condé Nast Traveler is the pinnacle travel publication and being recognized by its audience is a testament to our staff’s dedication and hard work in providing guests with memorable experiences.”

Marcus® Hotels & Resorts Properties and Restaurants Recognized with TripAdvisor® 2017 Certificate of Excellence

8/10/2017

Marcus® Hotels & Resorts, a nationally recognized hotel owner and management company and division of The Marcus Corporation (NYSE: MCS), today announced that 23 of its hotels and restaurants have received the TripAdvisor® 2017 Certificate of Excellence. The recognition honors top-rated accommodation businesses, restaurants and attractions, as reviewed by travelers on the world’s largest travel site.

Four Marcus Restaurant Properties Awarded Wine Spectator Recognition

7/20/2017

Marcus® Restaurant Group announced today that four of its premier properties – Mason Street Grill and Milwaukee ChopHouse in Milwaukee; Capitol ChopHouse in Madison, Wis.; and Grey Rock at the Heidel House Resort & Spa in Green Lake, Wis. – have earned a 2017 Wine Spectator award to recognize their respective wine programs.

Mason Street Grill has received the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence five years in a row, while Grey Rock has earned the award for its 15th year. In 2017, Capitol ChopHouse and Milwaukee ChopHouse are both receiving the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence for the first time.

Des Moines Named Finalist for Greatest Midwest Food Town

5/1/2017

Catch Des Moines is proud to announce that Des Moines has been named a finalist for Midwest Living’s Greatest Midwest Town 2017, Food Edition. Des Moines was selected by editors of the magazine as one of the twelve finalists because of the wide-range of food festivals and events that are offered as well as the addition of food trucks, the new Hy-Vee grocerant downtown, and long-list of outstanding restaurants.

Marcus® Hotels & Resorts Recognized with Governor’s Tourism Award for Service Excellence

4/6/2017

Marcus® Hotels & Resorts, a nationally recognized hotel owner and management company and division of The Marcus Corporation (NYSE: MCS), was presented the Service Excellence Award by Governor Scott Walker at the Wisconsin Governor’s Conference on Tourism, which took place March 12-14, 2017 in Milwaukee, Wis.

Sponsored by the Governor’s Council on Tourism, the Governor’s Tourism Awards recognize individuals, organizations and businesses for their excellence, dedication and impact on Wisconsin’s travel and hospitality industry.

DoubleTree by Hilton Madison Wins Two Coveted Performance Awards

4/4/2017

The DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Downtown Madison was recently honored with two prestigious awards from Hilton Worldwide for outstanding hotel performance in 2016. The CARE Cup and Pride Awards are two of the top accolades that were presented to the hotel in March.

Winning the coveted CARE Cup is a goal that is at the top of the hotel's agenda each year. The DoubleTree has a CARE Committee, which is comprised of over 20 team members that volunteer and work to make a difference in the local community.

The Ridge Hotel Garners Business Innovation Award

12/9/2016

Demonstrating a commitment to innovation with its recent multi-million-dollar redesign, Lake Geneva, Wisconsin’s Ridge Hotel was awarded the Business Innovation Award from the Walworth County Economic Development Alliance (WCEDA) at the organization’s November 10th annual meeting.

“The Ridge Hotel’s extensive renovation was an intentional approach to appeal to millennial travelers and locals who want to live and work in the area,” said WCEDA’s Executive Director Derek D’Auria during the award presentation. “The Lake Geneva area already has an upscale brand. The Ridge is now opening this brand to the millennials and will help our area tap this enormous target segment.”

THE RIDGE HOTEL RECEIVES HOSPITALITY IMPACT AWARD

10/7/2016

Dave Hills, Todd Baior, and Darien Schaefer

Lake Geneva, Wisconsin’s newly renovated Ridge Hotel took home the coveted Hospitality Impact Award from VISIT Lake Geneva, the city’s Chamber of Commerce, at its September 29 annual dinner. Competing with a record number of nominees this year, The Ridge Hotel topped the list of those that invoked a positive influence on tourism in Southeastern Wisconsin’s Lake Geneva area in 2016.

Noted for demonstrating vision and leadership, Paloma Resort Properties, which manages The Ridge Hotel, received accolades for creating a new lodging experience in Lake Geneva with the reinvention of Geneva Ridge Resort as The Ridge Hotel.

Christine Loose appointed Group Director of Lodging for Kohler Co.

4/5/2016

KOHLER, Wis. – April 4, 2016 – Herb Kohler, Executive Chairman of Kohler Co., announced today the promotion of Christine Loose to Group Director of Lodging, Hospitality & Real Estate.

Christine will be responsible for The American Club and the Inn on Woodlake in Kohler, Wis.; The Old Course Hotel in St. Andrews Scotland; and Lodge Kohler adjacent to Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin which will break ground this week; and all Food & Beverage outlets in Destination Kohler.

Loose comes to this new position having led The American Club and Inn on Woodlake to record levels of performance. She has been in Kohler Hospitality for seven years and before that was Manager of KOHLER Customer Service & CRM in Kitchen & Bath Americas.

Wilderness Resort Honors Four Employees For Exemplary Customer Service

1/20/2016

(L-R) Joe Stoughter, Bethany Cooke, Joe Eck (General Manager of Wilderness Resort) Josh Olson, and Paul Christensen

WISCONSIN DELLS, Wis. — The owners of Wilderness Resort recently honored four resort employees for providing outstanding customers service.

According to Joe Eck, general manager for Wilderness Resort, “There is no doubt that our guests love the Wilderness’ amenities but if they don’t receive the customer service they expect, you can be sure they won’t be returning for a second visit. This is why we have established two different customer service incentive programs to encourage our employees to perform at their best all of the time. We recognize outstanding employees monthly, quarterly and annually.”

The Wilderness recently named Joe Stoughtenger its “2015 Manager of the Year” and Bethany Cooke “2015 Employee of the Year” for their outstanding work and commitment to the resort.

Iron Horse Hotel Awarded TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence for Fifth Consecutive Year

8/4/2015

The Iron Horse Hotel (500 W. Florida St., Milwaukee, WI) announced that it has been recognized as a TripAdvisor® Certificate of Excellence Hall of Fame winner. The award celebrates excellence in hospitality and is given only to establishments that consistently achieve great traveler reviews on TripAdvisor. The ‘Hall of Fame’ was created to honor those businesses that have earned a Certificate of Excellence for five consecutive years. Winners include accommodations, eateries and attractions located all over the world that have continually delivered a superior customer experience.