Comfort Suites Honors Employees

Mon, Dec 19th 2011, 09:15 AM

Comfort Suites Paradise Island celebrated its 20th anniversary recently with a gala ball and it paid tribute to its greatest asset - its employees - by recognizing 17 individuals who have been with the company since the beginning.  Jamal Glover, operations manager at Comfort Suites, said that the gala's theme, "Celebrating Excellence", was timely.

"We value our employees, and the 20 years of success the company has experienced is due largely in part to their invaluable contributions," Glover told Guardian Business.  "The gala was an expression of our gratitude to all of our employees, especially our 20-year honorees."
At the gala ball, held at Imperial Ballroom at Atlantis on Dec. 10, they also celebrated the 40th anniversary of the iconic Bahamian musical hit "Funky Nassau" by the legendary Bahamian music group The Beginning of The End.

Raphael Munnings, lead singer, performed at the gala.  The event also featured The Falcons and it was a fun-filled night of nostalgia.  Comfort Suites honored its employees in grand style.  White glove service was the order of the evening and gala-goers enjoyed an amazing five-course meal.  The night ended with a Junkanoo rush out, dancing well into the evening and feelings of euphoria, as the employees were deeply moved by the night's celebrations.
The gala also included an acknowledgment of the past and anticipation for the future.
The 229-room Comfort Suites is in the process of a $2.5 million upgrade, Guardian Business can confirm.

Director of Sales at Comfort Suites, Shan Sands, said that, in addition to the outstanding employees, the success of Comfort Suites over the years has also been attributed to its practical business model and keeping up with trends.  "The owners are dedicated to ensuring the success of this hotel and as a result of this have embarked on upgrading the entire property and adding additional features to the facilities," she said.

At the event, Comfort Suites highlighted notable employees who stood out at the property in special ways.  For example, Arthurita Butler, general manager of Comfort Suites, was one of the employees honored.  When she first sought employment at the company, she was one of the persons selected from 500 applicants and she started at the front desk at Comfort Suites.
Butler said the current renovations are the largest in the hotel's history.  The decision by the investors to make a capital injection of $2.5 million into the company to enhance the property and add additional features was perhaps the best example of investing money effectively to drive business, she told Guardian Business.

This project, which was designed entirely by Eltha Naughton, wife of William Naughton, is now in its second phase.  It will include the refurbishment of the restaurant and other public areas.  "The hotel's refurbishment will be carried out in phases.  The first phase of the project recently ended and we have already completed 135 rooms, with 94 to go.  We are moving along very quickly," said Sands.

The first phase also included a new design concept to the lobby and lobby bar.  This area was given a face-lift with the addition of mahogany furnishings in a warm and inviting color scheme that says "home away from home".  "As a part of the hotel's upgrade we have added a business center," Butler said, "which will allow all of our guests to check their emails, print boarding passes and things of that nature."

Butler told Guardian Business that the hotel is sensitive to keeping pace with other hotels in New Providence.  In other words, just because Comfort Suites might present a more affordable price, it doesn't mean that the standards are lower, she said.  Butler added: "To keep costs at a minimum we find opportunities where we can maximize revenue".

Known industry-wide as a "value-added" hotel, Comfort Suites has long been a more affordable and reasonable alternative on Paradise Island, located a stone's throw away from Atlantis.  Guests continue to have access to the mega-resort's amenities, while also taking advantage of complementary American breakfast and free Wi-Fi at Comfort Suites Paradise Island.

At a time when tourists are seeking to stretch their dollars, Comfort Suites has been successful, providing a moderate hotel at an affordable price.  Both Sands and Butler agreed that in addition to the Comfort Suites employees, the success of the hotel has also been based on clever marketing and strict cost controls.  "The goal of our Senior Vice President and Managing Partner William Naughton has always been to offer value for money," Sands said.  "When the hotel opened its doors in 1991, Naughton ensured that he had chosen a group of persons who were dedicated to the goal of outstanding customer service and who always displayed a friendly, positive attitude."

As Comfort Suites Paradise Island looks toward the future, it will continue to embark on projects that will increase guest satisfaction and add value to the hotel.  "As we continuously invest in upgrading the facilities we will also invest in our employees through training, mentoring and coaching," Sands said.

According to Butler, Comfort Suites is anticipating a strong Christmas season and an even better January.  Occupancy has remained stable for the hotel compared to last year, with 2012 showing early signs of improvement.  "We had an unusual January in 2010, which was islandwide," she explained. "Next year we hope to return to positive trends."

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