Jake’s Hotels, villas and Spa were the recipients of Jamaica’s first-ever Tourism “Oscars”, the Tourism Service Excellence Awards, created to honour the “best of the best” in hospitality. The event was held on Friday, April 24 at the Ritz-Carlton Golf & Spa Resort in Montego Bay.

Thirteen individuals and nine organizations, representing the island's resort areas of Kingston, Port Antonio, Ocho Rios, Montego Bay, Negril and the South Coast, competed for the top service award for each region.

Jake’s won the South Coast resort winner and was presented with the Resort Area Champion Trophy plus J$50,000. The overall National Resort Area Champions Island Car Rentals received an all expense paid for 4-day group trip to Nassau Bahamas, provided through the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism at the Atlantic Resort and flights will be provided by Air Jamaica.

The National Champion of the Individual category Beaches Boscobel Resort's Room Attendant Fiona Hartley walked away with an additional cash prize of J$100,000 and an all expenses paid week-long trip for two to the islands of St. Maarten, Antigua, and Barbados, staying at top resorts in the islands, courtesy of the Ministry of Tourism in each island. The winner will fly first class, courtesy of Caribbean Airlines.
The Regional top individual prizes went to the South Coast's Wolde Kristos, head of Reliable Adventure Tours; Ocho Rios' Fiona Hartley; Negril's Francis 'Mackey' McKenzie, Water sports manager of Sandals Negril Beach Resort and Spa; Montego Bay's Dean Moriah, Entertainment manager of Montego Bay Breezes Resort and Kingston's Nancy McLean, manager of the Jamaica Pegasus hotel.
Regional top organisation prizes went to Portland's GeeJam resort; the South Coast's Jakes resort; Ocho Rios' Beaches Boscobel resort; Montego Bay's Outameni Experience and Kingston's Island Car Rentals.

The Tourism Service Excellence Programme was launched in July 2008 and seeks to recognize outstanding service delivery in the hospitality sector by both individuals and organizations. Its aim is to reward the best in service and to motivate those individuals and organizations who consistently surpass standards and guest expectations. The awards recognize those organizations and individuals who have demonstrated exemplary service during 2008.
A total of 116 nominees were reviewed; those receiving the qualifying minimum number of points were shortlisted for mystery shopping. Mystery shoppers visited each resort and interacted with and observed these nominees, ensuring consistency of service, and selected 48 individuals and 18 organizations as semi-finalists.

The Final judging was conducted by an independent panel, who based their decision on pre set criteria’s and a special eye on service delivery. John Batchelor Human Resources Manager at Jake’s said:

“Customer care is a crucial element of business success for Jake’s. Every contact our customers have with our business is an opportunity for us to improve our reputation with them and increase the likelihood of further sales. We ensure that from our telephone manner to the efficiency of our order-systems, almost every aspect of our business affects the way our customers view our business. There have been specific programmes and training that we have put in place to increase our levels of customer care”.

The chairman for Jake’s Hotels, Villas and Spa was absolutely delighted to receive the award and said:
“Jake's is a boutique resort with personality and charisma. Jakes has grown from a restaurant and one room to 2 restaurants and 45 rooms. The concept was created by theatrical designer my mother Sally Henzell to commune with garden, sea and sky. Jake's is a very sensual place. The secluded cottages are one with the environment. Some have decks above the waves. Privacy is paramount. But mixing in is easy. We have two restaurants Jake’s and Jack Sprat that serve fresh seafood and authentic Jamaican cuisine. Jake's is the perfect choice for a romantic getaway, a spiritual retreat or an adventure.”
Miss Yvonne Clarke the General Manager said to staff on her return following the Award Ceremony :

“I am proud and honored to present to you the Tourism Service Excellence Award. We now have to ensure that we live up to the standards of what this award represents “Excellent Service”. The Trophy represents the hard work being provided by everyone in the organization, so everyone had a part to play, therefore we can all feel very proud of ourselves in the Jake’s family.”

Jake’s is a growing company and employs 114 staff in the Hotel, Restaurants, Villas and Spa.

Congratulations Jakes! Well done.

Hard work and imagination.

Congratulations Jason, Sally and Co.

I am not the type that stay at "upscale" hotels, but I always recommend Jake's to friends that want that type of standard.
The ones that stayed there LOVED it !!!
ONE LOVE !!
Mike

Congratulations to the continuously hardworking Owners and staff from Jakes!!!
Your neighbors Axel,Andrea,Claudette,Weston,Nutty,Andrew-MARBLUE