On Friday, June 17th, the luxurious, beachside Alaia Hotel in San Pedro Town, the first Marriott property in Belize, recognized the excellent work of their staff with an award ceremony at their seafront restaurant, The Deck. The awards recognized different employees for their extraordinary performance in the first quarter of this year within the sections/categories of Front of House Associate of the Month, Back of House Associate of the Month, Most Mentions on Trip Advisor, Manager for 1st Quarter, and Supervisor for 1st Quarter of the year.
The event started shortly after 11AM, with Alaia’s General Manager Anthony Johnson welcoming everyone in attendance and explaining the importance of the recognition. He reminded those present that their hard work maintains their brand’s promise to every guest, and their teamwork was rewarded.
Johnson, who is from Barbados and has been in Belize for about a month and a half, shared that the activity presented the opportunity to highlight the staff’s efforts to deliver extraordinary service. He said to achieve success in the hospitality industry; Johnson relies on three pillars. According to him, first is the ‘People,’ then the ‘Product,’ and the ‘Profit.’ “Here today we are recognizing the first pillar, which is the people,” said Johnson. “We want to ensure that they know we appreciate all their hard work and that they are doing an amazing job.” Johnson wants all of Belize to know that at Alaia, they are taking care of their employees. “If they are happy, our customers will be happy as well,” said Johnson.
Some of the staff stated that they appreciate the recognition and the treatment from the new management. According to them, such incentives make them comfortable, and working at this beach hotel is an opportunity they are grateful for.
The Awards and Awardees
The process of selecting the awardees included a selection among several nominees. Each nominee was recognized with a certificate, but only one could receive the award. The winners per category and month were given a trophy and a gift certificate. Some winners were not present, but those present cheerfully received their prizes. Below are the names of all the awardees:
Front of House Associate of the Month
1. January – Blanca Castillo (Food & Beverage Dept) – Server
2. February – Heber Miranda (Housekeeping Dept) – Houseman
3. March – Gian Melgar (Front Desk) – Porter
4. April- Vanessa Waight (Food & Beverage Dept) – Server
5. May – Gilmer Estrada (Food & Beverage Dept) – Server
Back of House Associate of the Month
1. January – Jaime Ramirez (Maintenance Dept) – A/C Technician
2. February – Haraldo Mesh (Culinary Dept) – Steward
3. March – Shaylon Coleman (Culinary Dept) – Cook 3
4. April- Aaron Babb (Security Dept) – Security Guard
5. May – Elvis Amezdro (Purchasing Dept) – Purchasing Clerk
Most Mentions on Trip Advisor – Eric Mendez
Manager for 1st Quarter – Kenroy Humes
Supervisor for 1st Quarter – Miriam Bijil
Alaia is already planning the event to continue highlighting the great work their staff delivers. The management hinted that future activity would be bigger and better.
