Sandals celebrating successes

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The luxurious, all-inclusive Sandals Barbados and Sandals Royal Barbados have high expectations for 2019 after a stellar performance last year.

Speaking at the annual Sandals Prestige Awards ceremony held at Sandals Royal Barbados, Maxwell Gardens,  Christ Church, General Manager of the resorts Ramal Sobrino disclosed that 2018 was a very “successful year” for the brand.

The awards ceremony, held under the theme Arabia, celebrated the invaluable contributions of the Sandals staff throughout 2018 and also recognized their commitment and passion to the brand.

Sandals, which boasts of nearly 1,400 staff in Barbados, reported that demand for the hotel’s product was growing. Between the two resorts, there are 552 rooms, 50 of them recently put into use.

Sobrino revealed that the all-inclusive hotel retained a 95 to 98 per cent residency and expected that level to continue into the summer. He noted that during the Easter weekend, half of the occupants were returning visitors who participated in the hotel’s reunion week.

“The product has been so well presented that the demand is just growing and growing,” he said. “We are extremely happy with what we are seeing, our occupancy is showing incredible numbers,” Sobrino further added.

The general manager hinted that the public can anticipate more from Sandals Barbados and Sandals Royal Barbados in the future, as the demand for the luxury experience was increasing.

“We need to offer more because our demand is higher than our inventory that we are running right now.”

He said the success of the hotel was due to the efforts of the staff and the brand’s penchant for innovative design and creative ideas. He noted that the Sandals Royal which was opened in December 2017 has been well received regionally and internationally.

“Sandals Royal Barbados is by far one of the most sophisticated and complex products all across the Caribbean within the tourism industry and the team in Barbados that run the operation . . . make it possible for the Sandals product to be delivered in every way,” said the Barbados chief of operations.

“We are extremely proud running the operations here in Barbados. The people make the difference.”

Comedians Rum and Koke kept the ceremony lively with their hilarity.Eighty-seven employees were entered in the 17 categories for the staff awards. The most prestigious awardees were Khadija Sobers from the sales department who received the Platinum Talent of the Year Award and chef Anthony Mitchell who received the Diamond Talent of the Year Award.

Most Valuable Person (MVP) of the Year Award went to guest relations manager, Kerry-Ann Cumberbatch and Keisha Lashley from the bars department was selected as the People’s Choice Awardee.