Runaway Bay HEART Hotel celebrates 20 years

The Runaway Bay HEART Hotel & Training Institute in St. Ann is marking its 20th anniversary in style with a series of special activities from November 25-December 3, 2006.

The celebrations kicked off on Saturday, November 25 with a Merritone Getaway at the Hotel, where the renowned Winston "Merritone" Blake showcased his impressive musical diversity much to the delight of patrons who spent the weekend at the lush property.

This was followed on Sunday, November 26 with a 20th anniversary church service at the Runaway Bay United Church.

Other highlights of the celebrations include Alumni Day today, Wednesday, November 29 and a special Runaway Bay HEART Hospitality in the Park Exhibition at the Turtle River Park in Ocho Rios. The Exhibition will showcase the best of the hotel and training institute.

The Hotel and Training Institute will host Jamaica Night - featuring the best of Jamaican cuisine, culture and music on Friday December 1 and the celebrations will climax on Sunday, December 3 with the annual Valedictory Service for graduates.

The HEART Trust/NTA Runaway Bay Hotel and Training Institute is the only hotel of its kind in Jamaica, with the unique distinction of being the single-largest trainer of professionals for the local hospitality sector.

The Hotel is nestled amidst the lush tropical hills of Cardiff Hall, Runaway Bay, on a 4.3 hectare/10 acre property, stately resting on its own plateau overlooking the Runaway Bay Golf course and the beautiful Caribbean Sea. Emerging from the old Runaway Bay Country Club, the hotel started operations on November 11, 1986 with twenty (20) rooms, offering full service to both local and international guests.

name change

With changing expectations of its clientele and the industry at large, the hotel changed its name in 1997 to the Runaway Bay HEART Hotel and by extension the Runaway Bay HEART Hotel and Training Institute.

The Hotel and Training Institute is committed to strengthening linkages with the hospitality/tourism industry, offering world-class service in an environmentally friendly atmosphere, whilst ensuring training relevance in the industry.

The Institute has offered training in hospitality since November 1986 and today level-one courses are offered in food preparation, food and beverage services, front office operations, housekeeping, hospitality accounting, tourism, language and communication, and computer studies. At level two, the course offerings expand to include guest services skills and the commis chef programme, which is conducted in conjunction with selected hotels.

The facility also landed a significant historic achievement in 2002 by becoming the first educational institution in the world to receive the environmental certification from the prestigious United Kingdom Green Globe 21 International.

The Green Globe 21 is a major environmental certification, as it is widely regarded and respected internationally as a virtual recommendation of the environmental worthiness of an institution.

The Runaway Bay HEART Hotel and Training Institute was also selected as the 2005 recipient of the prestigious Carl Faberg* Award in the field of housekeeping.