The HAPA Awards 2026 Series 3, Hospitality & Tourism Awards Gala Dinner was held recently at the Grand Lagoon Ballroom, Sunway Resort Hotel, bringing together 300 hospitality and tourism leaders, award nominees, judges and industry partners to recognise excellence across hotels, resorts, destinations, attractions, service and leadership.
Held in conjunction with The Hospitality Celebration 2026, the gala marked the finale of HAPA’s inaugural three-series awards programme, which began with the HAPA Entrepreneur Awards for Excellence on 8 February 2026 and continued with the HAPA F&B & Culinary Awards for Excellence on 28 April 2026. Together, the three platforms celebrated the entrepreneurs, culinary talent, establishments and professionals who shape the industry.
Excellence Begins with People
In her Founder’s Address, Adjunct Professor Jennifer Ong, Founder of HAPA Group and HAPA Awards, placed the spotlight on the people behind every memorable guest experience from front-of-house teams to housekeepers, bellmen, chefs and other often-unseen service professionals.
“Some people spend their entire careers making others feel special, without anyone ever making them feel special themselves,” Ong said, recalling the inspiration behind establishing HAPA Awards in 2002. “I wanted them to have their moment. To be seen. To be recognised.”
Ong also urged industry leaders to value the dedication of their teams and to recognise that excellence is not the absence of mistakes, but the way people respond, take responsibility and consistently deliver care. “Hospitality isn’t simply about what we do. It’s about how we make people feel,” she said.
A Commitment to Credible Recognition
Central to the HAPA Awards philosophy is the principle that recognition must be earned. Nominated establishments are evaluated through independent mystery audits and assessments conducted by two judges at different times, with a benchmark of 90 marks and above required for a HAPA Award for Excellence. The assessment process is designed not only to recognise high performance but also to help participating establishments understand their strengths and identify opportunities for improvement.
“HAPA Awards was never created to be sold. Never have we sold an award. Never will we,” Ong affirmed.
Tourism Malaysia Highlights the Visitor Experience
The Guest of Honour, Mr Mohd Akbal Setia, Deputy Director General (Promotions) and Head of Secretariat VM 2026–2027, Tourism Malaysia, attended on behalf of Mr Mohd Amirul Rizal, Director General of Tourism Malaysia.
In his address, Mr Mohd Akbal highlighted that Malaysia’s tourism appeal extends beyond its attractions, with the quality of customer service and hospitality central to visitors’ experiences. He recognised the role of platforms such as HAPA Awards in encouraging tourism operators to strengthen service standards, enhance guest experiences and showcase the warmth of Malaysian hospitality.
He also noted that Malaysia recorded 28.8 million international visitor arrivals from January to August 2026, up 1.8% from 28.2 million in the corresponding period of 2025. With Malaysia seeking to attract visitors and encourage return journeys, he emphasised the importance of consistently delivering pleasant, memorable experiences as a team.
Beyond the Awards Stage
Ong reflected on HAPA’s evolution from Hospitality Asia Magazine, established in 1994, to HAPA Awards in 2002, and subsequently into events and training through HAPA Events and HAPA Academy. She said the organisation’s ambition extends beyond celebrating excellence to helping the industry develop it through people development, stronger service standards and potential workforce partnerships.
She also recalled HAPA’s longstanding charitable initiatives, including more than RM500,000 raised for children battling cancer, alongside support for orphanages, people with disabilities and communities in need.
Looking ahead, HAPA Awards is exploring the possibility of alternating future awards-year themes between F&B and Culinary Excellence and Hospitality and Tourism Excellence, supported by showcases, experiences and talent-development opportunities. The organisation also hopes to expand its regional engagement and bring hospitality communities from across Asia together in Malaysia. These plans remain under exploration.
“Because the future of HAPA isn’t simply about recognising more excellence. It’s about helping more people achieve it,” Ong said.
The evening also acknowledged the contributions of the Sunway Resort Hotel team, participating students from Taylor’s University and Le Cordon Bleu, the independent judges, sponsors, partners and the HAPA team whose collective efforts made the celebration possible.
HAPA® AWARDS 2026 SERIES 3 WINNERS LIST
HAPA Tourism Destinations & Tourist Attractions Categories
HAPA Top Spa & Wellness
- Hammam Spa Isetan
- Herbaline Facial Spa, Malaysia
- Kechmara Spa & Wellness, Bertam Resort
- Rock Spa, Hard Rock Hotel Penang
HAPA Top MICE Venue
- AICB Centre of Excellence – MICE Venue
- Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC) – MICE Venue
HAPA Top Theme Parks
- Genting SkyWorlds Theme Park – Theme Park & Themed Entertainment
- Lost World of Tambun – Theme Park
- Sunway Lagoon Theme Park – Themed Attraction
HAPA Top Attractions
- Sutera Sanctuary Lodges @ Manukan Island, Kota Kinabalu – Island Hopping & Discovery
- Sutera Sanctuary Lodges @ Poring Hot Spring, Kota Kinabalu – Mountain Climbing & Hiking
- Carousel & Co. Kuala Lumpur – Competitive Socialising
- Sutera Sanctuary Lodges @ Kinabalu Park, Kota Kinabalu – Mountain Climbing & Hiking
- Sutera Sanctuary Lodges @ Laban Rata, Kota Kinabalu – Mountain Climbing & Hiking
- Siikat Head Spa, Setia Alam
HAPA Top Golf Clubs
- Kota Permai Golf & Country Club – Golf
- Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club – Golf
- Tasik Puteri Golf & Country Club – Golf
- Tropicana Golf & Country Resort – Golf
HAPA Hospitality Personalities Awards Categories
HAPA Top Leadership Impact Award
- Ar. Pratheep Nair Sinnasamy, Wings by Croske Resort Langkawi
- Donovan Funk, Sutera Sanctuary Lodges @ Kinabalu Park, Kota Kinabalu
- Eva Echague, Sutera Sanctuary Lodges @ Manukan Island, Kota Kinabalu
- Suhaimi Danin, Sutera Sanctuary Lodges @ Laban Rata, Kota Kinabalu
- Suheini Binti Jalimin, Sutera Sanctuary Lodges @ Poring Hot Spring, Kota Kinabalu
HAPA Top Dynamic Leadership Award
- Tew Liang Tze, Executive Director, Zenith Hotel Putrajaya
HAPA Top Strategic Leadership Award
- Daphne Yuan, Chief Operating Officer, Hotel Royal Signature
- Michael van Ommen, Group Chief Operating Officer, Trinidad Hospitality
HAPA Top General Manager of the Year
- Adam Christopher Calvern, Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club
- Daniel Burstein, The Westin Kuala Lumpur
- Melvin Ooi, The Prestige Hotel Penang
- Michael Smeeton, Rock Spa @ Hard Rock Hotel Penang
- Michael Grimmer, Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral
- Michael Hanratty, G Hotel Gurney, Penang
- Paul Cunningham, Kimpton Naluria Kuala Lumpur
- Sonal Malik, Le Méridien Putrajaya
- Sundra Kulendra, Sama-Sama Hotel KL International Airport
- Till Martin, Hyatt Regency Kuala Lumpur at KL Midtown
HAPA Top Director of the Year
- Kelvin Hiew Vun Fon, Managing Director, Luma Hotel Kota Kinabalu
- Greg Pearn, Head of New Concepts, Carousel & Co., Malaysia
- Shahrill Bin Abdul Salam, Executive Director, Tropicana Golf & Country Resort
HAPA COO of the Year
- Abdul Sail Jamaludin, COO, Borneo Rainforest Lodge
HAPA CEO of the Year
- Alex Castaldi, CEO, Sunway Hospitality Group
HAPA Top Hotels & Resorts Awards Categories
HAPA Top 10 Hotels (2-tie scores)
- Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur – 5-Star
- Hyatt Regency Kuala Lumpur at KL Midtown – MICE
- Iconic Marjorie Hotel, Penang – 5-Star
- Imperial Lexis Kuala Lumpur – 5-Star
- Kimpton Naluria Kuala Lumpur – Luxury
- Penang Marriott Hotel – 5-Star
- Putrajaya Marriott Hotel – MICE
- Sama-Sama Hotel, Kuala Lumpur International Airport – 5-Star
- The Prestige Hotel, Penang – 5-Star
- Traders Hotel Kuala Lumpur – 5-Star
- W Hotel Kuala Lumpur – 5-Star
HAPA Top 10 Resorts
- Berjaya Langkawi Resort – Family & Recreational
- Bertam Wellness Spa & Villas – Villa
- Borneo Rainforest Lodge – Eco/Green
- Crockford’s Hotel, Resorts World Genting – 5-Star
- Dash Resort Langkawi – 4-Star
- Hard Rock Hotel Desaru Coast, Johor – 5-Star
- Lexis Hibiscus Port Dickson – Family & Recreational
- Resorts World Awana – Eco/Nature
- Sunway Resort Hotel – 5-Star Resort
- The Danna Langkawi Resort & Beach Villas – 5-Star
HAPA Recommended Hotels & Resorts
- Aloft by Marriott Kuala Lumpur Sentral – MICE Hotel
- Aloft by Marriott Langkawi Pantai Tengah – 4-Star Hotel
- Bertam Resort & Water Park Penang – 5-Star Resort
- G Hotel Gurney, Penang – 5-Star Hotel
- Le Méridien Putrajaya – 5-Star Hotel
- Palm Garden Hotel, Putrajaya – 5-Star Hotel
- The Westin Kuala Lumpur – 5-Star Hotel
- The Lisbon Melaka, Trademark Collection by Wyndham
- Wolo Kuala Lumpur – Boutique Hotel
HAPA Special Awards Categories
HAPA Special Resort Award – Mandai Rainforest Resort by Banyan Tree, Singapore
- HAPA Special Spa Award – Banyan Tree Spa at Mandai Rainforest Resort by Banyan Tree, Singapore
- HAPA Iconic Hotel Design Award – The Luma Hotel, Kota Kinabalu
- HAPA Iconic Heritage Hotel Award – Baba House Melaka
- HAPA Outstanding Industry Contribution Award – YY Circle Sdn Bhd
- HAPA Culinary Education Excellence Award – Sunway Le Cordon Bleu
- HAPA Culinary Education Excellence Award – Taylor’s Culinary Institute, Taylor’s University
- Lifetime Achievement Award – Datuk Dr. Redzuawan Bin Ismail (Chef Wan)
HAPA Awards for Excellence – Full Winners List
- Berjaya Langkawi Resort – Family & Recreational
- Borneo Rainforest Lodge – Eco/Green Resort
- Crockford’s Hotel, Resorts World Genting – 5-Star Resort
- Iconic Marjorie Hotel, Penang – 5-Star Hotel
- Imperial Lexis Kuala Lumpur – 5-Star
- Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club – Golf Club
- Sutera Sanctuary Lodges @ Manukan Island, Kota Kinabalu – Island Hopping & Discovery
- Sunway Resort Hotel – 5-Star Resort
- The Prestige Hotel Penang – 5-Star Hotel
- The Danna Langkawi Resort & Beach Villas – 5-Star Resort
