FAQ's
Everything venues need to know about nominating for the AHA (Vic) State Awards for Excellence - from key dates and fees to judging and the gala night.
Key dates
| Milestone |
Date |
| Nominations open |
Monday, 26 October 2026 |
| Nominations close |
Monday, 30 November 2026 |
| Written submissions and supporting documents due |
Monday, 14 December 2026 |
| Judging period |
Monday, 11 January – Friday, 5 March 2027 |
| People’s Choice Award – public voting |
Monday, 1 February – Monday, 1 March 2027 |
| Finalists announced |
Week beginning Monday, 5 April 2027 |
| Tickets on sale |
Week beginning Monday, 5 April 2027 |
| Ticket sales close |
Friday, 30 April 2027, or earlier if sold out |
| Awards ceremony |
Monday, 24 May 2027 |
The awards night
When and where is the awards night?
The AHA (Vic) State Awards for Excellence will be held on Monday, 24 May 2027, from 6:00 pm until late at Palladium at Crown, Level 1 Crown Towers, Crown Melbourne, 8 Whiteman Street, Southbank VIC 3006.
The dress code is cocktail.
Entering the awards
Who can enter the AHA (Vic) State Awards for Excellence?
The awards are open to all current financial members of AHA (Vic). Each category has its own eligibility rules, so check the relevant category page before nominating.
Can I enter multiple categories?
Yes. You can nominate in as many categories as you wish, provided your hotel meets the specific judging criteria for each category. The criteria are available on the relevant category pages.
How do I nominate?
- Check which categories suit your venue. Contact AHA (Vic) if you are unsure.
- Create a new account on the 2027 website. Previous usernames and passwords no longer work.
- Choose the login that suits your business: Single Hotel/Business Account for one venue, or Multiple Hotel Account for groups operating two or more venues. The multiple-hotel account lets you nominate each venue individually while keeping them linked to the same group.
- Under Manage Nominations, select your categories and complete each form.
- Under Manage Files, upload your logo, photos and submissions.
- Review your details in Current Nominations, then pay your fees.
How do I know if my hotel is metropolitan or regional?
AHA (Vic) uses the VGCCC definition of metropolitan and regional hotels. Refer to the metropolitan/regional list linked on the awards website.
What photos and logos do I need to upload?
Dining, General and Accommodation nominations must provide three photos per category, plus a venue logo.
- Photos should be landscape, high-resolution JPEGs at 1920 × 1080 px. Show the category you have entered and include at least one external photo. Photos featuring people can work better on screen than empty venues.
- Logos should be supplied as a high-resolution EPS file, or a packaged AI or PSD file.
What do Performance Award entries need?
Performance Awards require a written submission of no more than 1,000 words, supported by relevant documents and images, uploaded as a single PDF by Monday, 14 December 2026. Best Function & Event Space entrants should provide their Function and Events Pack as a PDF.
Can I withdraw my entry?
Yes. Send written notice to the Events team at events@ahavic.com.au and include your name, contact details and entry title. To receive a refund of the nomination fee, notify the team before the judging period starts. No refund applies once judging for that nomination is complete.
Fees and judging reimbursements
Nomination fees include GST and are charged per nomination.
| Award category |
Nomination fee |
| Individual Employee Awards |
$200 |
| Dining Awards |
$260 |
| General Awards |
$210 |
| Best Function & Event Space |
$280 |
| Parma of the Year |
$100 |
| Accommodation Awards |
$270 |
| Gaming and Wagering |
$210 |
| Performance Awards |
$200 |
What are judging reimbursements?
Venues that have nominated in Dining, General, Accommodation, Gaming and Wagering categories are invoiced for the actual cost of the anonymous visit. This is in addition to the nomination fee. Costs may include:
| Category |
Potential judging cost |
| Dining |
Two courses and two beverages for one person |
| Family Dining |
Two courses and two beverages for two people, plus one kids’ meal |
| General |
One meal and two beverages for one person |
| Accommodation |
One night in a standard room, one meal, two beverages, breakfast for one and parking if applicable |
| Gaming and Wagering |
Two beverages and one $10 wager |
| Best Live Entertainment Venue |
May also include the cost of tickets |
When do I have to pay?
Invoices are due within 14 days of the invoice date. Pay by Visa or Mastercard through the website, or select “Pay via EFT” to receive an invoice by email. Any venue with an unpaid nomination invoice by Friday, 8 January 2027 will not be judged. Venues with any unpaid invoices, including reimbursements or tickets, after Friday, 14 May 2027 are ineligible to receive an award.
Judging
Who judges the awards?
Independent third-party organisation with no affiliation to AHA (Vic) judges every category.
How are categories judged?
- Dining, General, Accommodation, Gaming and Wagering: anonymous property visit.
- Best Function & Event Space: anonymous visit, with the judge posing as a prospective client requesting a venue tour.
- Performance Awards: written submission only.
- Employee Awards: written submission and a Zoom interview. AHA (Vic) will email each nominee before judging to arrange the interview.
What if a category doesn’t get enough entries?
A category needs at least three entrants for nominees to progress to judging.
Will I get feedback?
Yes. Every entrant receives feedback on how they or their property performed relative to the winners. Non-finalists receive feedback after finalists and non-finalists are announced. Finalists receive feedback after the awards ceremony.
Parma of the Year
How does Parma of the Year work in 2027?
Parma of the Year has a two stage process. Venues nominate for $100, including a photo of their parma and a statement of 50 words or less.
All nominated venues then enter a statewide People’s Choice vote, running from Monday, 1 February to Monday, 1 March 2027. The top three venues from each of Victoria’s four Legislative Council regions - Eastern Victoria, Northern Victoria, Western Victoria and Metropolitan Victoria - progress to the final, giving 12 finalists. The same mystery shopper then visits every finalist during the judging period from 11 January to 5 March 2027.
The winner is announced at the awards night.
Categories and eligibility
Which categories can I enter?
| Category group |
Awards |
| Individual Employee |
Apprentice of the Year; Chef of the Year; Emerging Leader of the Year; Excellence in Service; Local Legend Award; Venue Manager of the Year |
| Dining |
Best Pub Restaurant; Best Casual Dining; Best Family Dining |
| General |
Best Pub Bar; Best Specialty Bar; Best Presented Beer; Best Live Entertainment Venue; Best Sports Bar; Best Retail Liquor Outlet; Best Outdoor Experience; Best Rooftop Experience; Cocktail Menu of the Year; Best Function & Event Space; Parma of the Year |
| Accommodation |
Best Hotel Accommodation |
| Gaming and Wagering |
Best PubTAB; Best Gaming Venue |
| Performance |
Best Hotel Group Operator; Best Marketed Hotel; Best Refurbished Venue Space; Best Redeveloped Hotel; Bush Pub of the Year; Heart of the Community; Outstanding Achievement in Training |
The following categories are split into regional and metropolitan awards: Pub Restaurant, Casual Dining, Pub Bar, Sports Bar, Outdoor Experience, Function & Event Space, PubTAB and Gaming Venue.
What are the rules for employee awards?
Venues nominate their employee and submit the nominee’s written submission and a headshot (white backdrop or work environment) at entry. The nominee must be available for a Zoom interview.
- Chef of the Year and Excellence in Service: employed by the nominating hotel for at least six months and nominated by their employer.
- Emerging Leader of the Year: employed for at least six months, nominated by their employer and aged 30 or under in May 2027.
- Venue Manager of the Year: must be the current Venue Manager and employed for at least six months. Assistant Managers, Duty Managers and Supervisors are not eligible.
- Apprentice of the Year: enrolled in an accredited apprenticeship or traineeship at nomination, with a completion date after May 2027.
- Local Legend Award: written submission of up to 1,000 words, a headshot and a Zoom interview.
What are the rules for refurbishment and redevelopment awards?
The work must have been completed between 30 November 2025 and 30 November 2026. Best Refurbished Venue Space covers an individual area of the hotel; Best Redeveloped Hotel covers the whole hotel or more than one area. Both require before-and-after photos and evidence of completion, in a submission of up to 1,000 words.
Who can enter Best Hotel Group Operator?
AHA (Vic) hotel groups operating at least three properties.
Who can enter Heart of the Community, Best Marketed Hotel or Outstanding Achievement in Training?
These categories are open to all venues, except group hotels entering as one group.
Who qualifies for Bush Pub of the Year?
The hotel must be in a town of 1,750 people or fewer, according to the 2021 Census, at least 200 km from Melbourne CBD, and be the only pub in town. Coastal and offshore island hotels are eligible. Judging is by written submission only.
Tickets and event information
When can I buy tickets?
Tickets go on sale the week beginning Monday, 5 April 2027. Sales close Friday, 30 April 2027, or earlier if sold out. Tickets can be paid for through your dashboard.
Can I get a refund, change a name or add dietary requirements?
- Refunds are only offered if the event is cancelled. If the event is rescheduled, your ticket transfers to the new date.
- Dietary requests are accepted until 12 pm, five standard business days before the event.
- Attendee substitutions can be made until the event starts.
How will photos and logos be used?
AHA (Vic) uses photos and logos to promote finalists and the awards night, including event marketing, finalist announcements, the on-the-night presentation and post-event media releases. Images taken at the event may also be used for ongoing promotion.
After the awards
Can winners enter the AHA National Awards?
Category winners may be eligible for the 2027 AHA National Awards. By confirming your precommitment to enter, you accept an invoice of $350 per category, issued after the State winners are announced. Accommodation categories that require an overnight stay for judging may also be invoiced for one night and breakfast.
How is my personal information handled?
SAFE follows the Privacy Act 1988. Information is collected for event registration, administration and promotion, and is not sold or distributed to third parties for direct marketing or statistical analysis.
Need more information?
For any other questions, contact the AHA (Vic) Events team at events@ahavic.com.au.
