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AHEAD Asia reveals region's best hotels for 2020

Dezeen promotion: a wabi-sabi-inspired hotel in a remote Chinese village and a luxury yacht that sails the seas of Indonesia are among the projects to be celebrated in the 2020 edition of the AHEAD Asia awards.

The AHEAD awards spotlight outstanding hospitality projects from four different regions of the world: Asia, the Americas, Europe, and the Middle East and Africa (MEA).

This year's winners from the Asia region were announced via an online presentation, following the cancellation of the physical ceremony due to the global coronavirus outbreak.

AHEAD Asia awards 2020 winners
Sunyata Hotel Meili, which lies in a remote part of China, won the Hotel Conversion category

China is home to several of AHEAD Asia's winning projects. Among them is Sunyata Hotel Meili, which came first in the Hotel Conversion category.

It takes over one of the 23 households that populate the remote village of Wunongding, and features earth-tone interiors that draw upon the ancient philosophy of wabi-sabi.

AHEAD Asia awards 2020 winners
China's Grand Hyatt Xi'an was given the Guestrooms award

Other first-place Chinese projects include the Capella Sanya hotel, which scooped the Landscaping & Outdoor spaces award, and Grand Hyatt Xi'an, which won the Guestrooms category.

Champions from elsewhere in the Asia region include The Lindis, which topped the Lodges, Cabins & Tented Camps category.

The five-bedroom boutique hotel hides amongst the mountains of New Zealand's Ahuriri Valley and was commended by judges for its off-grid energy solutions.

AHEAD Asia awards 2020 winners
The undulating roof of The Lindis, which topped the Lodges, Cabins & Tented Camps category

Rosewood Bangkok's Nan Bei eatery came first in the Restaurant category.

Judges were impressed with the number of decadent decor details that have been incorporated in the venue, which includes a seven-metre-high light installation and blue-lacquered ceilings.

AHEAD Asia awards 2020 winners
The luxurious aesthetic of Rosewood Bangkok's Nan Bei earned it first place in the Restaurant category

The Bar, Club or Lounge category was also won by Rosewood Bangkok's Lennon's – a speakeasy-like watering hole where guests are encouraged to bring their own vinyl records to be played by the in-house DJ.

The award for the Transport category was also given to The Oracle – a custom 35-metre-long yacht that traverses the seas of Indonesia.

AHEAD Asia awards 2020 winners
Custom-built yacht The Oracle was the winner of the Transport category

The physical ceremony for the AHEAD Asia awards will now take place 7 September at the Andaz Singapore, where the Hotel of the Year will be announced.

Last year, the prestigious title was won by Amanyangyun Shanghai – a contemporary hotel that occupies a pair of Ming and Qing dynasty buildings in China.

See below for the full list of winners:


Bar, Club or Lounge
Lennon's at Rosewood Bangkok, Thailand

Event Spaces
Grand Ballroom and Junior Ballroom at Rosewood Hong Kong, China

Guestroom
Grand Hyatt Xi'an, China

Hotel Conversion
Sunyata Hotel Meili, China

Hotel Newbuild
Rosewood Hong Kong, China

Hotel Renovation & Restoration
Raffles Singapore

Landscaping & Outdoor Spaces
Capella Sanya, China

Lobby & Public Spaces
Grand Hyatt Xi'an, China

Lodges, Cabins & Tented Camps
The Lindis Ahuriri Valley, North Otago, New Zealand

Resort
Six Senses Bhutan

Restaurant
Nan Bei at Rosewood Bangkok, Thailand

Spa & Wellness
Hôtel de la Coupole, Vietnam

Suite
Grand Harbour Corner Suite at Rosewood Hong Kong, China

Transport
The Oracle

Visual Identity
Moss Hotel, Australia

New Concept
Hanare, Tokyo

Partnership content

This article was written by Dezeen for AHEAD as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.