Future Hotel Leader Award 2026 presents Top 3 and opens public vote

The Future Hotel Leader Award (FHLA) has announced the Top 3 of 2026. Based on video presentations, which focused on vision, leadership and impact, the independent expert jury arrived at three finalists: Joost Abbink, Kimberly Appels EN Rémy Baben. They will enter the next phase of the process, in which the public now has an important voice.

Joost Abbink - Head Chef at The Lobby Fizeaustraat & The Lobby Nesplein

Kimberly Appels - Operations Manager, Novotel Rotterdam Brainpark

Remy Baben - F&B manager, De L'Europe Amsterdam

From today, everyone can watch their videos and vote for the favourite. Peers, partners and interested parties thus actively contribute to the final outcome. Voting is possible until Friday 30 January via https://futurehotelleaderaward.com/vote/.

In the coming period, the three finalists will take part in in-depth interviews, a jury lunch and the preparation of a practical case. This case presentation to the professional jury will form an important part in determining the winner. The last is part will be during the presentation of the top three during Hotel Leaders Network at 2 February be, where the winner of the Future Hotel Leader Award 2026 disclosed.

The expert jury had the difficult task of determining the top three based on the 10 videos.
“We are proud to once again present to the public a wonderful top three”. said organisers Jacob De Graaff and Melle Pegman.