Ohakune campground makes top five in national hospitality awards

Ohakune Top 10 Holiday Park is a finalist in the 2024 Hospitality New Zealand Awards for Excellence. Photo / OHP

Ohakune’s Top 10 Holiday Park is a 2024 Hospitality NZ Award finalist.

The park has been selected as a contender for the best accommodation provider award in the non-hotel or motel category.

Park general manager Catherine Robert said the selection was a great affirmation for owner Kordula Daniel and the staff.

“We have many returning guests and some like to visit during winter and summer.

“They come for the skiing, the walking and cycling trails. Our facilities are perfect for families as we have safe grounds with activities for children and we’re also pet-friendly.”

Robert said the central, Moore St location was quiet but within walking distance of the main shopping area.

“We get a lot of compliments about the facilities and we cater to a wide range of accommodation.

“Visitors can choose to book everything from an unpowered site to a motel-style room.”

The park is one of five finalists, including the Ross Beach Top 10 Holiday Park, in the category.

The Ohakune Top 10 Holiday Park is a year-round destination. Photo / Bevan Conley

This year’s Hospitality NZ Awards finalists include several newcomers to the industry in addition to well-established favourites.

The awards are New Zealand’s longest-running and most prestigious national hospitality awards, celebrating the heart and soul of the country’s accommodation and food and beverage sectors.

Now in its 26th year, the award winners will be announced at ceremonies to be held over two nights - July 30-31 - in Christchurch.

The business awards, sponsored by Lion NZ, celebrate businesses across the hospitality industry. Categories include best destination venue, best restaurant, best café, best hotel, best motel and best accommodation.

The people awards, sponsored by Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, recognise exceptional individuals in the industry in categories including hospitality leader of the year, accommodation leader of the year, future leader of the year, chef of the year and supplier of the year.

The people’s choice award is the only publicly voted award with all other categories decided on by a panel of judges.

Hospitality NZ chief executive Steve Armitage said those judging the awards had no easy task.

“We were thrilled by the number of high-calibre entries to this year’s awards.

“I know that the judges had a tough time whittling them down to the selected finalists. Many operators and staff in the hospitality and accommodation sector go above and beyond to provide exceptional manaakitanga to their communities and customers and, while we can’t award each and every one, it’s great to be able to give recognition to those at the top of their game and celebrate the industry as a whole.”

The awards ceremonies will coincide with a two-day conference and trade show tailored specifically for the hospitality and accommodation sectors.

Liz Wylie is a multimedia journalist for the Whanganui Chronicle. She joined the editorial team in 2014 and regularly covers stories from Whanganui and the wider region. She also writes features and profile stories.