Oh what an eventful 366 days (leap year) this year has been. With big things like launching our new website and little things like sharing happenings at Trade Winds Hotel and Bayhouse Restaurant & Bar with you our online community. As we were making next year’s resolution we decided to stop for a minute and contemplate on the year that was 2012.
Like many we made a few resolutions at the beginning of 2012 with the top being to avoid using the common “But we’re in a recession” excuse as it is being felt by ALL and to ensure that we connect with you our guests on social media and stop thinking of it as the “Wild Wild West” but instead prepare a strategic top-down approach with goals and outcomes in mind.
So here’s a snapshot of what 2012 was for us at Trade Winds Hotel & Bayhouse Restaurant:
We got even greener by debuting the hotel’s backyard garden which provides Bayhouse’s kitchen with fresh herbs, lettuce, tomatoes and fruits such as bananas on a daily basis. We were also selected as one of the three (3) pilot hotels to test GEF-Antigua Environmental Management System Waste Management Software and best practices have been implemented throughout the rooms and property.
With Antigua & Barbuda being awarded Most Romantic Caribbean Destination in About.com’s Romantic Reader’s Choice Award, plus the “Sexiest Destination” by Caribbean Travel & Life Magazine and BRIDES Magazine in 2011 ranked Antigua & Barbuda amongst the top 10 honeymoon destinations in the Caribbean we launched our Destination Wedding Package offering unbeatable and affordable tropical wedding location of Island Style and Island Character.
Always ever in support of youth development and sports and with Antigua & Barbuda’s Benna Boys making it to the FIFA 2014 Qualifiers we’ve fostered a relationship with the Generation Next Football Club and have been sponsoring their football clinics and hosting the coaches from renowned clubs such at Tottenham Hotspurs, New York Red Bulls & Bolton Wanderers.
In 2012 more travel options were offered to both regional and international travellers…and in March Redjet launched it $9.99US fares from our neighbouring sister islands…sadly though due to the yeah “economic recession” Redjet was forced to close their operations. In October Westjet added Antigua & Barbuda to its Winter 2012/2013 Tropical Destination List with two flights weekly from Canada.
Like eco tourism sustainable tourism has also become a main focus within Antigua & Barbuda and this year we welcomed three (3) interns from the Antigua & Barbuda Hospitality Training Institute. Deidre, Nailah and Celestine spent three (3) months with us employing and sharpening their skills. Some of our staff also went back to the classroom, with Christa John and Marcia George graduating from an intensive Supervisory Management Course at University of the West Indies (UWI) Open Campus which was endorsed by the Antigua Hotel & Tourist Association (AHTA). Our Sous Chef Jackie also completed a Servsafe Food & Management Training course again hosted by the ATHA. On a sad note we said goodbye to two employees, loveable, charitable and affectionate Jean-Pierre who relocated to Dominica and our accountant Foston Lewis who will be continuing his studies in Canada. Our “Employee of the Quarters” were Phillip Milton – Security Guard in the 1st quarter; full of energy team player and hardworking room attendant Angela Smith in the 2nd and driven Joey Phillip – Maintenance Assistant in the 3rd.
We ended our summer with exuberant cheers when we received a “Recommended on TripAdvisor” sticker thanks to you our guests and fans. Chef Hodge and his team on daily basis strive to ensure that our menus are on par with international standards so that we can continue to get reviews like “culinary artwork” and “favourite place to eat when in Antigua”. We also launched a new artisanal dessert menu incorporating local fruits such as mangoes, bananas and limes with your favourites like cheese cake, ice-cream and chocolate including the favoured home-style Apple Pie a la Mode topped with ice cream of your choice.
With the rapid fire pace change in technology and the increase use of smart phones and tablets we upgraded our Wi-Fi thus giving you our guests a much better Wi-Fi experience with a FREE simple, faster, reliable easy connection in ALL rooms and public areas allowing seamless movement through-out the property. And to meet the demands of our business travellers we also began construction on our new state-of-the-art conference/event room with a seating capacity of 60 persons with expected completion slated for the end of January 2013.
As we close out the year thanks again to you our guests and fans Trade Winds Hotel and Bayhouse Restaurant & Bar was nominated in the inaugural Caribbean Beat’s Readers Choice Award in the Favourite Caribbean Accommodation and Favourite Caribbean Restaurant categories.
It has been an awesome year and we have enjoyed connecting and sharing with you and hope you continue to share with us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google + and Foursquare.
THANK YOU! Thank you for choosing Trade Winds Hotel and Bayhouse Restaurant & Bar
We invite to join us on New Year’s Eve as we raise our glasses to ring in the New Year reminiscing on the past whilst making new resolutions. Cheers to 2012!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
