Cariblue Hotel -- Ultimate Service Award

About the Ultimate Service Award:

The Ultimate Service Award is the first global award to recognize and reward outstanding service in the hotel industry and received over 2,500 nominations from travelers in over 157 countries across the world. These hotels winners were presented with a unique crystal sculpture created by Villeroy and Boch at the International Hotels Investment Forum in Berlin.

Analysis of the nominations shows that ‘staff attitude and customer service’ were the main reasons for nominating this hotel.

Stuart Scher, Chairman, Taylor Nelson Sofres Leisure and Hospitality commented:

“It is clear that in order to meet and exceed customer expectations hotels must put time and effort into employing, developing and retaining good, service-focused staff. And this means ensuring employees are given a sense of security in tough economic times. We’ve always known that it’s not enough just to provide excellent facilities or a comfortable atmosphere, but now we have thousands of consumers confirming this.”

Recipients of the Ultimate Service Award in each of the nine regions are:

Africa: Sheraton Hotel, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Asia: Ritz-Carlton, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Isles: Sheraton Four Points, Sydney, Australia

Europe: Marriott Courtyard Hotel, Kassel

Indian Sub-Continent and Ocean: Kandalama Hotel, Dambulla, Sri Lanka

Middle East: Ritz Carlton, Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt

North America: Double Tree, Minneapolis, USA

South America: Hotel Sofitel, Bogota, Columbia

Central America & Caribbean: Joint Top Ranked Hotel: Hotel Cariblue - Location: Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica - Joint Top Ranked Hotel: JW Marriott

Hans Lindh, Director of Lodging Industry at American Express commented: "Hotels have always existed in a service orientated culture and as the recipients of this year's Awards have clearly demonstrated, success is achieved when a hotel's employees focus on the detail that makes a customer's stay an ultimate experience.”

Philip Lawrie, Director, Hotel and Commercial Distribution, CNN International, said: “Service is a vital element of a hotel’s commercial success regardless of its size, standing or location.”
The Award is an independent initiative in partnership with CNN Partner Hotels, American Express and Taylor Nelson Sofres Hospitality and Leisure. It is backed by a supervisory panel of the world’s top global hoteliers.

The Ultimate Service Award has been set up by a distinguished planning committee, which genuinely cares about service delivery. The launch committee comprised Stuart Scher, Taylor Nelson Sofres Hospitality and Leisure; Richard Garland, Richmond International and the RGA; Mary Gostelow, writer; Gordon Campbell Gray, owner of One Aldwych Hotel, London; Trent Walsh, director of GAP and Leading Quality Assurance. Their work would not have been possible without the continuing support and guidance of representatives of partners: CNN, American Express, Taylor Nelson Sofres and Villeroy and Boch and Jonathan Worsley, Co-Chairman of the International Hotels Investment Forum, Berlin.Many top associations, including the World Travel & Tourism council, also support the award.