Officials of the IH/M&RS announced the award in conjunction with their annual naming of finalists for the organization’s coveted Gold Key Awards for Excellence in Hospitality Design, an honor bestowed to designers of the most innovative and captivating hospitality properties completed or renovated within the past 18 months.  Finalists were selected from more than 150 projects in 17 countries and territories, and were judged by a panel of notable industry experts.  

HBA/Hirsch Bedner Associates and the Gold Key Award finalists and winners will be honored at the Gold Key Awards Breakfast on Monday, November 12, 2007, 7:30 – 9:30 a.m., at New York City’s Mandarin Oriental Hotel.  The ceremony coincides with the 92nd annual IH/M&RS, taking place November 10-13, 2007, at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.

Gold Key Awards sponsors HOTELS Magazine and Interior Design Magazine will formally present the award to representatives of HBA during the awards ceremony.

In naming HBA its top designer, Christian Falkenberg, IH/M&RS show manager, said that the 43-year-old Santa Monica hospitality design firm was selected “for its attention to the needs and trends of today’s sophisticated world traveler.  The firm combines a detailed knowledge of design with a depth of experience that enables its associates to identify interior design trends at the source, make predictions about new directions and innovations and influence design standards at a global level.”

 “We are extremely honored to be the recipient of this award,” said Michael Bedner, CEO of HBA.  “It is especially gratifying because it has come from our peers in the industry and reflects our entire body of work around the globe.”

“For nearly half a century, our design professionals have been guided by the HBA philosophy of creating a ‘sense of place,’ a well-designed and integrated package of fantasy, drama and creature comfort.” Bedner noted.  “In every project we undertake, we aim to add value, raise the standards and enhance the brand equity of a project’s owner and operator.  Location, architecture and client vision all come together in our work to create what we consider a unique and functional art form that continues to evolve.”               

With 12 offices and 450 employees worldwide, HBA/Hirsch Bedner Associates ranks 10th on Interior Design Magazine’s list of the Top 100 firms in the country. The firm holds the #1 spot on the “Top 10 in Hospitality Design” list and the #2 spot on the “Top 10 With Foreign Projects” list.

HBA’s creative energy and design influence can be seen in hundreds of the finest hotels throughout the world, including: The Beverly Hills Hotel and the Beverly Hilton Hotel, Beverly Hills, California; the Park Hotel Chennai in India; The Fullerton in Singapore; the Mandarin Oriental, New York, Miami and Florida; the St. Regis Hotel, Shanghai; and the Ritz-Carlton Millenia, Singapore, and Ritz-Carlton Beijing, among others.

In addition to receiving the coveted “Designer of the Year” award, HBA was named a Gold Key finalist in three different categories, Best Hotel Design (for the Ritz-Carlton Beijing, Financial Street ,Beijing, China), Lobby/ Reception (for the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Aruba) and Spa (for The Resort at Singer Island, Singer Island, FL).
 

The International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show is sponsored by the American Hotel & Lodging Association, the Hotel Association of New York City, Inc., and the New York State Hospitality & Tourism Association; and is managed by George Little Management, LLC (GLM®).