Posts tagged ‘Awards’

Those judges just loved Placencia this year.

John and Ellen accepting the award for Belize’s “Restaurant of the Year”

My goodness, this is something we certainly didn’t expect. The Belize Tourism Board awarded the Bistro Belize’s “Restaurant of the Year” for the 2nd time. We can think of a whole lot of restaurants that deserve an award like this too, but we were lucky enough to be chosen again.

The 2012 awards presentation happened May 18th, 2013, out on a private island about an hour off the coast of Belize. Awards were presented in 9 categories, and Placencia businesses won 7 of them! That’s a big boost to our collective ego down here in the South.

Congratulations to the other winners as well.

- MAYA BEACH HOTEL BISTRO – Restaurant of the Year

- PLACENCIA VILLAGE – Destination of the Year

- PLACENCIA TOURISM CENTER – Hospitality Award

- PLACENCIA LOBSTERFEST – Major Festival of the Year

- TOUR OPERATOR OF THE YEAR – Splash Dive Center

- SMALL HOTEL OF THE YEAR – Singing Sands Inn

- FRONTLINE PERSON OF THE YEAR – Natalie (Chabil Mar)

A non-Placencia winner got the major trophy for Hotel of the Year, but that’s OK. They earned it! Chabil Mar was a close runner up, though! And we’re happy for Jerome who used to live in Placencia and work for Avadon Divers (Also awarded “Tour Operator of the Year” the last time)

- HOTEL OF THE YEAR – San Ignacio Resort Hotel

- TOUR GUIDE OF THE YEAR – Jerome Williams

But it’s a good thing we’re better at cooking than we are at speech making…check out the YouTube clip:

Interview with John and Ellen @ the Bistro

The ride out to the caye on the catamaran was a lot of fun. Here’s one quick shot of John & Ellen before they got all nervous.

The Placencia winners of this year’s Tourism Awards.

Thanks to the San Pedro Sun for this photo!

To our fabulous employees, THANKS VERY MUCH!!! To our amazing, regular customers, THANKS VERY MUCH!!! To our supportive and happy hotel guests, THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!! And to the Belize Tourism Board, people on the committee, and those who depend on tourism for a living, we truly appreciate the honor and we promise to do our best to create sustained interest in Belize.

Channel 5′s Report

Channel 7′s Report

Another “Fodor’s Choice” award for 2012

MAYA BEACH HOTEL BISTRO EARNS FODOR’S CHOICE 2012 DISTINCTION FROM FODOR’S TRAVEL

CITY, STATE – DATE – Fodor’s, the leading name in travel guides for over 75 years, today announced that the Maya Beach Hotel Bistro has been recognized as a 2012 Fodor’s Choice selection. This distinction designates the Bistro as a leader in its field for service, quality, and value in the 2012 year.

The editors and experts of Fodor’s have been selecting only the top fifteen percent of their listed properties and activities as Fodor’s Choice award recipients since 1988. Every year, Fodor’s writers experience, examine and evaluate thousands of hotels, restaurants and attractions in their travels across the globe. While every business included in a Fodor’s guide is deemed worth a traveler’s time, only those offering a truly remarkable experience are given the Fodor’s Choice designation.

For more than 75 years Fodor’s has presented travelers with the very top recommendations from hidden-away restaurants to can’t-miss museums, to make sure they’re making the most of their travels. The 2012 Fodor’s Choice recipients are the best of the best, providing a remarkable experience in their price range or category.

As a 2012 Fodor’s Choice property Maya Beach Hotel will receive special recognition in the next Fodor’s guidebook to this area and on www.Fodors.com.

Maya Beach Hotel, and/or the Bistro, has received this designation each year since 2007.

About Fodor’s Travel

Fodor’s Travel, a division of Random House, Inc., is one of the world’s leading providers of travel information.  Covering over 7,500 worldwide destinations, Fodor’s guidebooks and website, Fodors.com, have provided the most up-to-date, accurate information for travelers since 1936. Written by a vast team of global correspondents, Fodor’s provides travelers with engagingly written, locally reported, and absolutely indispensable travel guidance. Visit www.Fodors.com.

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Rated highly by our moms, and the country of Belize.

In June 2011, the Belize Tourism Board hosted its annual national Tourism Awards ceremony. The Maya Beach Hotel Bistro won “Restaurant of the Year!” John (chef/owner) and I (Ellen: shmoozer/owner) attended along with the finalists in the 5 other categories.  The tourism industry and BTB had decided winners in the categories of Hotel of the Year, Small Hotel of the Year, Tour Operator of the Year, Tour Guide of the Year, Front-line Person of the Year, and Restaurant of the Year. It was a formal event at the Old Belize facility in Belize City: tables beautifully decorated, red carpet entrance, the works! It felt like we were attending the Oscars.

We could hardly believe it when they announced the winner in our category. It was us! John and I looked at each other, both thinking “Did you hear what I heard?” We stumbled up the short flight of steps to the stage and under the hot lights made a lame acceptance speech, which we were completely unprepared for. That’s one part I wish we could do over!

All in all it was a great night, and since then we are still flattered and humbled that people would have recognized our little contribution in this way. The food in Belize is really terrific, and that award could have gone to so many other restaurants in Placencia or other places around the country.

By the way, Placencia won 3 of the 6 awards. We also won Tour Operator of the Year (Avadon Divers) and Front-line Person of the Year (Althea Schable at Chabil Mar). If you haven’t noticed yet, Placencia is the place to be!