Cue Friday night drinks, the Telegraph Hotel has been named the state's best rooftop experience for the second year in a row.
The winners of the 2022 Australian Hotels Association, Victoria (AHA Vic) State Awards for Excellence were announced at Crown Palladium this week, with a bunch of favourites taking out the top honours.
Held annually, the awards recognise hotels and pubs in Victoria – both metropolitan and regional – that demonstrate excellence across a range of categories, from excellence in service, best chef and best family dining, to the best outdoor experience, best innovative retail space and even best gaming venue. There’s even a best parma category, arguably the most coveted title of the lot.
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Joining a swathe of worthy winners, Geelong West’s Telegraph Hotel was one of the success stories of the night taking out gold in the Best Rooftop Experience, beating out fellow rooftops in Richmond, South Melbourne, and Echuca, as well as Geelong’s own Murphys for the second year in a row.
Sitting pretty right at the top of Pakington Street, the Telegraph Hotel has long been dubbed ‘the perfect place to meet’ for families, friends, couples and colleagues since opening in 2006. With an unmistakable and iconic Art Deco façade, the Tele is renowned for its a la carte dining, comfortable spaces with full service and a seasonal modern Australian menu. Open for lunch and dinner from Wednesday to Sunday, you’ll find everything from grazing boards, salads and cheese, to beef cheeks, housemade gnocchi, burnt basque cheesecake and even crème brulee.
Rightfully crowned the winner, the award-winning Rooftop Terrace has been a drawcard for the venue since arriving, boasting the perfect spot for a few cocktails with your pals. We spy a cocktail list with espresso martini, telegraph tiramisu, and a berrylicious mojito.
And while drinking on a rooftop is at least 20 per cent more fun than drinking at street level, this rooftop bar and terrace has a lot more going for it with heaters to keep you toasty if there’s a nip in the air, skyline views, beautiful decking, stacks of trees and plants, a retractable roof and festoon lights, all further elevated by the sophisticated monochrome colour palette, live music and various seating options – from dining tables to enjoy a feed to couches to slink into as the sun goes down.
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Joining the Telegraph in the gold category, local favourite The Grovedale Hotel won the Best Gaming Venue with 51 machines or more for regional Vic, while the Queenscliff Brewhouse won the award for Best Innovative Retail Space. The Halls Gap Hotel was the winner of the Best Family Dining.
The Telegraph Hotel is located at 2 Pakington Street, Geelong West. Swing by and check out the award-winning rooftop yourself.
Check out the full list of winners here.
