Jamaican hotels score travel awards glory
Published:Friday | October 8, 2021 | 10:32 AM
WESTERN BUREAU:
Jamaican hotels ranked among the Conde Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Awards' top 10 in the Caribbean and 12 of the island's resorts among the 40 best in the region.
The travel industry awards list was released earlier this week.
Approximately 800,000 readers across the globe select the winners annually.
Portland's Kanopi and Geejam complement Montego Bay's S Hotel topping the 2021 hotel category, while Sandals Montego Bay ranked 10th and Sandals Royal Caribbean, 12th, made history by being named for the first time in the resort category.
The Half Moon, Jake's Hotel, Treasure Beach, Round Hill Hotel and Villas, Rockhouse, Couples Negril, Couples Tower Isle, Couples Sans Souci, Couples Swept Away, Jamaica Inn, and Tensing Pen, Negril, were responsible for the island's placing in the upper tier.
Kanopi and S Hotel ranked fourth and fifth, respectively, outpacing Grenada's Calabash, San Juan's Candado Vanderbilt, O:LV Fifty Five, and Hotel El Convention.
Geejam, which recently added some of the most fabulous rooms, while paying tribute to some of the island's musical giants, made number 10 on the hotel list.
“We are most humbled to have been selected in this august company by the readers of such a prestigious organisation as Conde Nast,” said Carl Beviere, general manager of Sandals Montego Bay. “And it is most fitting that we are in the top 10 since Sandals is celebrating its 40th anniversary and we were pioneers of the brand.”
Sandals was one of the first resorts to reopen its doors on June 15, 2020, when Jamaica restarted inbound travel by tourists.
The S Hotel, which did not actually close throughout the pandemic, is no stranger to the award.
Newly minted general manager, John Miles, elated by the accolades, said management and staff at the hotel were grateful to the guests who recognised the property.
“Despite the challenges of the pandemic, our team members have done their best to serve our guests,” Miles stated.
Four Couples resorts were named among the best of the best, and that hotel chain's chairman, Lee Issa, said that they are striving to be the best in delivering five-star quality at four-star price.