Maya Olesen, Miss World Denmark (left) presenting The Xara Palace Relais & Chateaux Director Nicola Paris with runner-up for “Best Dining Boutique Hotel in the World” at The 2012 Boutique Hotel Awards held at the Hempel Hotel in London.
The big news from the Boutique Hotel Awards 2012 is that one of the world’s culinary capitals is closer than you might think. It’s in Mdina, Malta, where The Xara Palace Relais & Chateaux scooped the runner-up award for “Best Dining Boutique Hotel in the World”.
That’s the place to find Executive Chef Kevin Bonello from The Xara Palace Relais & Chateaux’s de Mondion Restaurant, one of the most exciting young chefs in Europe who the judges said ‘encapsulates dining hospitality’, and whose team of dedicated chefs has already amassed a record number of awards from the Salon Culinaire and various other prestige competitions.
The Boutique Hotel Awards champion hotels that possess a unique character whilst still providing world-class services and facilities.
“We looked for hotels that allow guests to connect with their location, people and culture,” said Edward Gabbai, the director of Boutique Hotel Awards. “We looked for renowned restaurants that provide exclusivity. And above all, we looked for the undeniably unique.”
The Xara Palace Relais & Chateaux was recently named one of the top 10 castle hotels in the world by Fox News. The hotel maintains an authentic historical ambiance unrivaled among Maltese hotels.
Executive Chef Kevin Bonello and his award-winning brigade of chefs serve up a range of modern Mediterranean-fusion dishes in the hotel’s de Mondion Restaurant, which also offers panoramic views of the island from its bastion terraces.
Xara Palace, www.xarapalace.com.mt