Service honors
University's campus hotel wins sixth Marriott Platinum Award
2:59 p.m., March 20, 2012--The Courtyard Newark-University of Delaware continued its winning streak with a sixth Marriott Platinum Award for Service, presented in a global teleconference by Marriott last week.
Awards for outstanding guest service are based on direct survey feedback from hundreds of hotel guests and once again, the Courtyard Newark earned a high overall “guest service score” of 92.1 percent.
Honors Stories
National Medal of Science
Warren Award
The hotel also placed 14th of 821 Courtyard hotels worldwide in the 2011 brand ratings.
“We are honored again to receive this recognition from our guests,” said William Sullivan, managing director of the Courtyard Newark. “I sincerely congratulate all of our Newark team, including the hotel associates and student interns from the Department of Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management (HRIM) program.”
Since opening in November 2004, the campus hotel has earned continued recognition for its exceptional guest service.
Previous Marriott honors include the 2008 Diamond Award for excellence in guest service; the 2008 Highest Guest Satisfaction Award for rankings in staff service, breakfast service and intent to recommend; consistent annual wins of the Platinum Award for Service since 2006; and the Gold Award for customer satisfaction in 2005, its first year of operation.
The hotel is owned and operated by UD and managed by Shaner Hotels. According to Sullivan, two other Shaner Hotels also received honors this year with the Diamond Circle award.
“I congratulate our sister hotels on winning the Diamond Circle award – this is a very fine year for Shaner Courtyard Hotels,” said Sullivan.
The hotel is also home to the HRIM practicum in which 50 students each semester gain first-hand experience by participating in the hotel operations.
Sullivan noted HRIM offers a unique learning opportunity and said, “what better learning environment for future hospitality leaders than to be a part of the operations of an award-winning hotel.”
Francis Kwansa, interim chair of HRIM, also offered congratulations and agreed that the HRIM program offers students a special discovery learning experience.
“Our HRIM students are fortunate to have this world-class hotel as a learning laboratory to practice their hotel management skills under the tutelage of some of the best in the business,” said Kwansa. “This remarkable achievement is further testament that UD’s unique model of integrating students into a live hospitality business operation gives our students a definite competitive advantage and sets the University apart from the rest.”
Article by Kathryn Meier