The managers of One88 on Commerce are stoked to have a new accolade to their names after being chosen as a finalist in a national hospitality competition.

This is the third time in five years that moteliers Liz Yeldham and Malcolm Glen have been finalists in Hospitality New Zealand’s Lion Hospitality Business Awards.

They will find out Wednesday night if they have been successful in taking out top spot.

The 22-suite motel is up against stiff competition in the form of Whangaparaoa Lodge and Radfords on the Lake – two previous winners – and relative newcomer Tussock Peak Lodge in the best motel category.

Top notch customer service and some unique, high-quality suites helped to set One88 on Commerce apart from the competition, Mr Glen said.

Guests are not simply handed their keys and told where to find their room upon check-in.

They are taken to their room and given a two-minute tour, which covers the Wi-Fi, heat pump, blackout curtains, double glazing and how to operate the spa bath if their room comes with one.

“We do things differently here,” Mr Glen said.

The rooms feature framed photos taken by a local, and the kitchens have “all the cooking equipment you could ever wish to ignore.”

Mr Glen said the motel had spacious two-bedroom suites that were perfect for travelling families, but they went unused much of the year because families did not travel year-round.

So, Mr Glen and Ms Yeldham closed off the doors to the second bedroom and began charging the double room as a single for corporate clients.

“All of a sudden, we took the occupancy rate through the roof, because we’re opening up six, two-bedroom apartments for corporates Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday.

“It just makes common sense.”

Mr Glen has been running the motel on his own for the past few months while Ms Yeldham is in Australia taking care of family, but he said she deserved all the credit.

“Everything that goes into qualifying for the finals is her. It's her touch,” he said.

“I take people to the room, I meet and greet, I do the laundry and the maintenance. She has put this place together and put systems in place that make it easy for even me to run.”

Those systems include a full manual that, once he started reading it, had all the answers he could ever need.

Their care extends beyond the guests, too.

Mr Glen said they celebrated their all-local staff on their birthdays and worked to make them feel appreciated year-round.

The pair have been in the motel managing game for more than two decades and have run One88 on Commerce for about eight-and-a-half years.

They have been integral in helping owners convert and set up other motels around the North Island, and offer continued support as consultants, but Mr Glen said the recognition by Hospitality New Zealand still meant a lot.

“We came from the guest side of things, and we brought what we would like to see to hospitality.

“It just proves that what we are doing is right. Getting there three times in five years is not bad.”

Hospitality New Zealand chief executive Steve Armitage said the calibre of this year’s finalists spoke volumes about the talent and tenacity driving the industry.

“Each one reflects the energy, care, and creativity that hospitality in Aotearoa is known for. The Awards for Excellence are our opportunity to acknowledge those individuals and businesses who are raising the bar through their commitment to excellence, and we’re proud to recognise their impact and celebrate their success.”