Award Nominations: Open through July 17
The hotel industry is powered by exceptional people and leaders who create unforgettable guest experiences, drive operational excellence, and shape the future of hospitality.
The GM Awards, powered by AHLA, and Stars of the Industry Awards, powered by AHLA Foundation, recognize dedicated individuals who go above and beyond to elevate hospitality across the country.
GM Awards, powered by AHLA
The GM Awards are the industry’s most prestigious national awards program exclusively honoring GMs and their properties. Winners will be announced at The Hospitality Show on November 2-4 in Miami Beach, FL.
Each winner will be featured in an exclusive profile video produced by AHLA’s videographer and receive complimentary registration to both the GM Summit and The Hospitality Show, a travel stipend, and recognition onstage among their industry peers and throughout The Hospitality Show. Additionally, AHLA will provide dedicated media assets for winners' companies to utilize across their own marketing and communication platforms.
Categories
- General Managers of the Year: Recognizes outstanding General Managers across five distinct property categories who demonstrate exceptional leadership, operational excellence, and guest satisfaction while driving strong team culture and property performance.
- General Manager of the Year: Independent Properties – Independently operated properties not affiliated with a chain, including all non-branded hotels and select brands that are membership-based.
- General Manager of the Year: Extended Stay Properties – Properties offering long-term accommodation, typically quoting weekly rates.
- General Manager of the Year: Full-Service Properties (excluding Resort Properties) – Properties providing multiple onsite amenities and services, including full-service restaurants, laundry, security, shuttles, spa, fitness facilities, room service, and concierge.
- General Manager of the Year: Select-Service Properties (not Extended Stay Properties) – Properties with room-only operations (i.e. no food and beverage service) or offering a bedroom for the night, but very few other services and amenities.
- General Manager of the Year: Resort Properties – Full-service resort property, often of historical or geographical significance, serving as a destination for leisure and recreation through amenities, such as golf, tennis, skiing, equestrian sports, and water activities, that are primarily owner operated or controlled by the property for their guests.
- New - General Manager Rising Star Award: Recognizes a new General Manager who, within their first 24 months of their first General Manager role, has demonstrated exceptional leadership, growth, and impact through operational excellence, guest satisfaction, and a strong culture of teamwork while showing the confidence, adaptability, and vision to lead successfully in hospitality.
- New - General Manager Community Ambassador Award: Recognizes a General Manager who demonstrates exceptional commitment to building strong relationships and integrating their property within the local community through partnerships with civic organizations, nonprofits, and small businesses. Whether through sustainable local sourcing, spearheading charitable fundraisers, or creating employment outreach programs, this GM has redefined what it means to be a 'good neighbor' ensuring that the hotel is not just a place for travelers to stay, but a cornerstone of the community.
- General Manager Lifetime Achievement Award: Honors a General Manager whose career reflects exceptional leadership, lasting influence, and a lifelong commitment to excellence in hospitality. More than a successful hotel leader, this individual has served as a mentor, role model, and visionary whose impact extends beyond their property into the industry and community. Their legacy is defined by the people they inspired, the standards they elevated, and the enduring difference they made throughout their career. (Note: Requires a letter of recommendation from at least one peer.)
If you have questions, please email gmawards@ahla.com.
Stars of the Industry Awards, powered by AHLA Foundation
The Stars of the Industry Awards are the industry’s most prestigious national awards program recognizing exceptional students and hospitality professionals who drive our industry forward. Winners will be announced at the AHLA Foundation's Night of a Thousand Stars Gala in Los Angeles, CA, on January 24, 2027.
Each winner, as well as the top three North Star Award finalists, will be featured in an exclusive profile video produced by AHLA’s videographer and receive complimentary registration to the Night of a Thousand Stars Gala, a travel stipend, and recognition onstage among their industry leaders and colleagues. Additionally, the AHLA Foundation will provide dedicated media assets for winners' companies to utilize across their own marketing and communication platforms.
Categories
- North Star Award | Lodging Employee of the Year: Honors an exceptional hotel employee who goes above and beyond their daily duties to deliver outstanding guest experiences, support their team, and positively impact their community.
- Stevan Porter Emerging Hospitality Leader of the Year | Emerging Leader Under 30: Named in honor of Stevan Porter, former president of the Americas, InterContinental Hotels Group, this award recognizes a rising hospitality professional under 30 who brings fresh ideas, inspires others, and
demonstrates strong leadership potential early in their career. - AHLA Foundation Scholar of the Year Award | Recognizing Hospitality Student Achievement: Honors an outstanding hospitality student who excels academically and shows strong promise as a future leader in the hotel industry. Nominees must be enrolled in a two- or four-year hospitality program. The Scholar of the Year Award includes a $2,500 AHLA Foundation Academic Scholarship.
- Hotel Hero Award | Service Above Self in Extraordinary Circumstances: Recognizes a hotel team member who took heroic action and put others first during a difficult situation or unexpected event, creating a positive outcome.
If you have questions, please email Foundation@ahla.com.
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