Editorial: Great service in town

There's many reasons I love living in Rotorua.

For starters, believe it or not, it's warmer than where I come from - Timaru.

It's also jam-packed with greatness, from its people to its sights and surrounds, and is only a stone's throw to other great cities and towns (not that you'd ever want to leave Rotorua).

When my mother comes to stay, we find it difficult to fit everything in because there's so much to do here.

One of her highlights is going out and experiencing Rotorua's amazing hospitality - it's not just the fabulous food we serve here, but the service you get with it.

Being locals, we probably don't appreciate it as much as we should but Rotorua punches above its weight when it comes to amazing bars, cafes and restaurants.

Last night, those high achievers were acknowledged.

The Rotorua Hospitality Awards is only in its second year, but already it's becoming the "must attend" gala function of the local social calendar. It's a time when we step back and acknowledge the great work our local hospitality workers put in to making the city the brilliant destination it is. Last night's awards acknowledged one of the finest in the industry, Joe Horvath from Joe's Diner.

This takeaway bar has recently closed after more than 60 years in business, and Rotorua doesn't seem the same to many without rounding off your night on the town with "a feed at Joe's".

He is just one of the many who have made, and continue to make, Rotorua a hospitality hub.

Congratulations to the organisers for getting this occasion off the ground and hosting such a successful event - and here's to the Rotorua Hospitality Awards growing even bigger next year.