We're Stella Award winners!

etc.venues are proud to be a winner of the prestigious 2nd Annual Stella Awards from Northstar Meetings Group. We won in the category of 'Best Conference Centre' in the International & U.S Territories category with etc.venues County Hall.

We’re thrilled to be a winner, as being acknowledged with a Stella Award is a seal of excellence, signifying that we help deliver an exceptional meetings experience. And its a double win in some ways, as our partner company Benchmark Resorts & Hotels also picked up the win for 'Best Overall Boutique/Lifestyle Hotel Brand' award.

The Stella Awards honour excellence in the meetings industry on an annual basis. They recognise suppliers from around the globe that consistently deliver quality service and innovation to meeting and event professionals. Winners include the very best hotels, convention centres, conference centres, convention and visitor bureaus, destination marketing organisations, destination management companies, airlines and cruise lines.

Winners were recognised for achieving overall excellence, superb food and beverage, professionalism of staff, technology innovations, and other critical aspects of the meetings and event experience.

This year, nearly 10,000 votes were cast from around the world for the 532 destinations, hotels and service providers nominated in 18 categories in six regions in the United States and worldwide. There were a total of 294 total winners and finalists for 2018.

After nominations closed in April 2018, finalists in each category were determined by meeting planners during an open voting period during which nearly 10,000 unique votes were tallied. Winners were then selected by an expert panel of judges overseen by the editors of Northstar Meetings Group’s leading brands, Meetings & Conventions and Successful Meetings.

“A Stella Award is the finest symbol of excellence for suppliers in the meetings industry,” said Lori Cioffi, Senior Vice President & Chief Content Director for the Northstar Meetings Group. “Meeting planning is a methodical process, and attention to detail is a critical factor for success. We’ve brought that ethic to the Stella Awards. It’s a competitive, year-long nomination and evaluation process to identify and honour excellence in the meetings industry. This year’s winners are a stellar class.”

”Kudos go to the winners for being recognised by such a broad community of planners,” said David Blansfield, Executive Vice President & Group Publisher for Northstar Meetings Group. “The real value of the Stellas, though, is not just to those who are being recognised for their excellence, but to the tens of thousands of other planners who look to their peers for recommendations and advice. If you want to go with the best, the Stellas truly provide an objective, curated and credible majority view.”

Discover this year’s Stella Award winners. In addition, all Stella Award winners and finalists are featured in a special supplement in the November 2018 issues of Meetings & Conventions and Successful Meetings.