Ten exhibitors received Editors’ Choice Awards during the opening ceremonies of the 96th annual International Hotel, Motel + Restaurant Show (IHMRS) and the second Boutique Design New York (BDNY), Nov. 13, 2011, at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. The awards recognize the best new products in design, equipment and supplies, guest amenities, tabletop, and technology, as well as an eco-friendly equivalent to each of these categories. From the 10 winners, the Kenneth F. Hine “Best of Show” Award also was selected.
The 2011 Editors’ Choice Award winners are:
Kenneth F. Hine “Best of Show” and Tabletop | Corkcicle (Orlando, Fla.) for the Corkcicle Wine Chiller, an innovative product that keeps white wine cold and brings room temperature red wine down to cellar temperature, eliminating the need for messy ice buckets.
Design | Royal Botania (New York, N.Y.) for Surf, a two-person hammock with semi-transparent fabric that blocks 86 percent of sun rays, made of Royal Botania’s stainless steel and mesh, and a canopy from Batyline.
Equipment & Supplies | G.A. Systems (Huntington Beach, Calif.) for Bedsledzz, a mattress dolly that allows one person to move any size mattress with ease.
Guest Amenities | Concept Amenities (Las Vegas, Nev.) for Jean-Michel Cousteau, a line of guest amenities designed with distinctive features including paraben-free liquids and soaps specially formulated with 100 percent organically certified seaweed extract.
Technology | PowerKiss (Espoo, Finland) for PowerKiss, a wire-free charging system. When the “Heart” is integrated into furniture, and the “Ring” is plugged into any phone, they meet on the desk or counter to charge wire-free.
Green Design | Emeco (Hanover, Pa.) for 111 Navy Chair, made of at least 111 recycled PET plastic Coke bottles, and developed in partnership with Coca-Cola.
Green Equipment & Supplies | CookTek Induction Systems, LLC (Chicago, Ill.) for OmeletBuster, a double burner induction cooktop that has enough power in each burner to cook a three-egg omelet in 90 seconds.
Green Guest Amenities | Cintas Corporation (Chicago, Ill.) for the Eco Cobra Jacket, an eco-friendly garment option for bellmen, doormen, and other front door hotel professionals.
Green Tabletop | Bugambilia International (Irvine, Calif.) for Bamboo Leaf Plate, a serving platter made from all-natural bamboo fiber and free of any plastic, formaldehyde, or melamine.
Green Technology | Verve Living SYSTEMS (Winston-Salem, N.C.) for the Verve Key Card Switch, which saves energy through occupancy-based control of lighting, HVAC, and miscellaneous electric loads.
Editors from leading hospitality trade publications reviewed nearly 150 submissions of the latest products for the industry, and selected winners based on innovative product design, how a product answers a particular industry need, creative use of material or construction, and development or use of a new technology.
