Hawai’i Vacation Condos by OUTRIGGER
Carly Clement Honored at Pacific Edge Magazine Women in Business Soirée
TREY GARMAN – On May 28, 2024, Pacific Edge Magazine hosted a soirée for the annual “Women in Business” issue at The Kahala Hotel & Resort where Carly Clement, Vice President, Hawai‘i Vacation Condos by OUTRIGGER, was recognized as one of 19 outstanding businesswomen of Hawai‘i for their achievements and contributions to the community.
Kiana Beimes, GM at OHANA Waikiki East by OUTRIGGER and Ceci Hamao, GM at OUTRIGGER Waikiki Beachcomber Hotel, were also featured in recent Pacific Edge Magazine articles and on the Women in Business TV show that aired on HI Now. There was a lot of laughter and bonding as businesswomen during the filming of the program and everyone had stories and wisdom to share as they discussed their stories of success, challenges, and lessons learned along the way.
The gallery was not found!OHANA Waikiki East by OUTRIGGER (OEH)
May Host of the Month (HOM): GERALD DOLORMENTE
Gerald’s dedication to excellence is evident in everything he does. Despite the challenges posed by our temporary lobby during renovations, Gerald consistently goes above and beyond to ensure that our guests receive the highest level of service. He takes it upon himself to escort guests to their pick-up locations and assists them in finding their way to the front desk, alleviating any confusion they may have. Gerald demonstrates remarkable initiative in his role. He actively seeks out ways to support other departments, whether it’s by creating breakfast vouchers for guests or communicating their requests to housekeeping when the front desk is occupied. In his downtime, he takes it upon himself to maintain the cleanliness of our work areas, ensuring a welcoming environment for both guests and staff. He makes genuine connection with our guests by consistently engaging with them. It’s no surprise that his efforts have been recognized not only internally but also by our guests on platforms like Unifocus and TripAdvisor. Gerald embodies the spirit of teamwork, initiative, and exceptional service that we strive for at OHANA Waikiki East by OUTRIGGER.
– Nominated by Jessie Gruspe, Guest Services Manager
ICare Card Recipients
BY KATHERINE ALLEN – Congratulations to our April ICare Card recognition program award recipients; Joel Badua (Bell Desk), Jenny Gabriel (Front Desk), Ferdi Obille (Housekeeping) and Hans Sakurai (Engineering); and Mahalo to all who joined in the fun of OEH Donut Day on June 7!
The gallery was not found!OUTRIGGER Kāʻanapali Beach Resort (OKB)
April Host of the Month (HOM): MARIA TERESA SALVACION
Teresa consistently gives 100 % in everything she does. She does not stop until the job is done correctly and completely and also makes sure it’s completed to a high standard. Her efforts have contributed to our success in exceeding our department goal. She’s a team player and the go-to person for ensuring that the Important sites or VIP arrivals are well prepared. She makes sure the room will be in perfect shape and appearance. Her willingness to go the extra mile, offer help when needed and support other hosts, reflects a sense of teamwork, reliability, and commitment. She offers her assistance and support whenever needed, whether it’s within our department and in other departments as well. During one of the movie nights, she personally reached out to F&B and offered to help without being asked. Also, during the Easter Sunday event, she did not hesitate to accept the task of being an Easter Bunny. Even when wearing a sultry Bunny costume, she didn’t care about sweating nor discomfort of the hot weather but was focused on making the guest have a memorable experience, especially the kids.
– Fe Sanchez, Executive Housekeeper
OKB Housekeepers Celebrate Culture and Community with Traditional Filipino Dance at 55th Annual Barrio Fiesta
BY WENDY MUNETAKE – For the 13th consecutive year, OKB Housekeepers dazzled the crowd at the 55th Annual Barrio Fiesta on May 25th at the Binhi at Ani Filipino Community Center.
Decked out in vibrant traditional Filipino dress, the spirit of community and culture shone brightly with OKB housekeepers taking center stage with their enchanting performances of “Pandango sa Stanta Clara” and “Pantomina Mayor”. Jun Peredo and Joe Abella brought down the house, drawing cheers from the crowd as they strutted their stuff in the Barrio Wear showdown. They delighted the crowd with their charming display of style and spirit.
Virgie Javalde and Jun Peredo received special recognition honored as OKB’s Outstanding Housekeepers of Filipino Ancestery. They were honored with a certificate of recognition presented by Mayor Richard Bissen, Senator Troy Hashimoto, Maui County Council Chairperson, Alice Lee, and Maui County Council Vice-Chairperson, Yuki Lei Sugimura. With 17 years of service under his belt, Jun Peredo was honored for his unwavering dedication and compassionate work ethic. Although quiet and reserved by nature, Jun has a quick wit and playful spirit that brings joy and laughter to the housekeeping team. He is proactive in finding ways to support his team members, offering help without hesitation.
Virgie Javalde, with 27 years in the housekeeping profession, radiates a contagious positive spirit that uplifts both her co-workers and guests! Her eye for detail is the cornerstone of her success. Virgie approaches life with optimism and an infectious positive attitude, shining like a ray of sunshine even on the cloudiest days. Congratulations and mahalo to the OKB housekeepers for their vibrant celebration of culture and community.
The gallery was not found!OKB Sailing Canoe Team Races at Home on Kāʻanapali Beach
BY VENUS BRAVO YI – The OUTRIGGER Kāʻanapali Beach Resort proudly took part in the Wa‘a Kiakahi Sailing Canoe Race from May 17 to 19, 2024. This event marked the 18th anniversary of the race, celebrating the ancient Hawaiian art of sailing canoes. Ten six-member crews from different Hawaiian Islands participated, showcasing their sailing prowess on Kāʻanapali Beach. The event also included educational opportunities for the public to learn about the cultural and historical importance of these traditional canoes, blending competition with cultural preservation.
The gallery was not found!Kaʻa Kōʻono Kart Makes its Rounds
The Kaʻa Kōʻono Kart was back in action, this time rolling out delicious Chocolate Chip Cookies! Every month, the halls of OUTRIGGER Kāʻanapali Beach Resort burst to life with music, bubbles, disco lights, and tasty treats to celebrate and appreciate the hardworking and dedicated team of OKB. Imua!
The gallery was not found!OUTRIGGER Kauaʻi Beach Resort & Spa (KBR)
The Beauty of Personalization
BY KELTON ANCHETA – There are four keys to creating guests for life in The OUTRIGGER Way: Warmth, Personalization, Awareness, Proactivity. I’d like to share how we execute on personalization. We seek out a guest’s name and information. We use guests’ names and share them with others. We find out more about our guests and their visit. Our KBR Housekeeping Hosts recently focused on “Personalization” with Ryan Lerner and his ‘ohana. Ryan is the Director of Revenue Strategy overseeing OUTRIGGER Kona Resort & Spa and OUTRIGGER Kaua’i Beach Resort & Spa. Our Hosts were informed that Ryan would be celebrating his birthday on the day of his arrival, and that his lovely young daughters (Sofia, 2.5 years, and Alice 4-months-old) were accompanying him. Our Hosts executed an amazing arrival birthday turndown with colorful balloons hanging from the ceiling, two Honu (turtle stuffed animals) for his daughters, Kaua’i Chocolates, OUTRIGGER Hau’oli La Hanau, and a personalized handwritten card. Ryan and his ‘ohana were elated with joy and celebration. They left the balloons hanging throughout their stay. On the back of the “hau’oli la hanau” card we wrote; “Happy Birthday. From all of us at OUTRIGGER Kaua’i Beach Resort & Spa, please enjoy this small makana (gift) to celebrate your special day. Mahalo.”
The gallery was not found!OUTRIGGER Mauritius Beach Resort (MOR)
May Host of the Month (HOM): RITA TANIA
Rita Tania is from the Laundry Department and always shows consistency in her work, motivates her colleagues to deliver good service, and loves being part of the company. Tania has been working with us for 15 years. We honored Rita at our Town Hall meeting, and also reviewed upcoming activities, our OUTRIGGER Cares program, provided a recap on guest feedback, recognized our excellent hosts, and celebrated birthdays. We also had fun together playing games, taking quizzes and handing out prizes.
– Nominated by Ziyaad Soobratty, Assistant Housekeeping Manager
Black Box Competitions, Football with Guests & Yoga for Well Being
BY KHARESHMA SONOO RAJJOO – At MOR recently, we held a black box competition among our hosts, including those who do not know anything about the kitchen! Each of our participating hosts received a box with vegetables and ingredients to prepare a salad. They were challenged to not waste food while creating a nice presentation. Daryl, from our Fitness Center, did the very best. We also recently held a football match with the guests, for a hospitality experience to remember and a perfect for celebration. Lastly, to care for our hosts, our weekly one-hour yoga session continues to benefit their flexibility, strength and mental health.
The gallery was not found!OUTRIGGER Reef Waikiki Beach Resort (ORF)
May Host of the Month (HOM): KAWIKA MAEDA
We appreciate Kawika Maeda’s hard work, dedication to living the OUTRIGGER Way and “caring for our guests.” Just before Capricorn group’s arrival, ORF had to unfortunately relocate in house guests to OWK. During that week, Kalakaua Ave. started to do major road work. The road work caused massive grid lock traffic. During the time Kawika’s guests were being relocated to OWK, there we zero taxis available as they could not get into Waikiki at that time due to the heavy traffic from the road work. Kawika took it upon himself to physically walk the guest to OWK and also push the full bell cart with luggage to OWK. Pushing a full bell cart from bell storage to Ocean Tower is one thing but imagine pushing a full bell cart down Lewers Street to Kalakaua Ave, dodging people walking on the sidewalks and in the hot sun at 11:30am. That’s exactly what Kawika did for our guests. He knew how much of an inconvenience it was for our guests to relocate hotels and he decided to help them move their luggage to OWK himself when no taxis were available. He returned from OWK with his work shirt drenched in sweat, but he has a big smile on his face, happy to assist our guests.
– Nominated by Andy Ishimine, Front Services Supervisor ORF Bell Desk
BY RENEE SPEAR – Congratulations to HOM Nominees; Regine Dela Cruz, Nena Liang, Candace Kim, John Wong, & Rory Carnes. Mahalo to our ICare Card recipients Michael Mau, Rick Nomura, & Evelyn Ceredon for creating memorable experiences for our guests. Congratulations to our May TripAdvisor Name Mention winner Mary Calimbas, and thank you Front Office Team for the Banana Lumpia’s for Malama our Host.
The gallery was not found!ORF Hosts the Hottest Party of the Summer
Modern Luxury Magazine held its 2nd annual Aloha Swim party at the OUTRIGGER Reef Waikiki Beach Resort on June 1. The event featured curated menu items from Chef Dean at Kani Ka Pila Grille, Kevin Chow at Monkeypod, as well as a sunset fashion show, music by DJ Compose, Custom Craft Cocktails, and a chance to win a first-class trip for two on United Airlines.
The gallery was not found!OUTRIGGER Waikiki Beachcomber Hotel (OBC)
May Host of the Month (HOM): NOEL GAMIAO
Since I started, Noel has been my go-to person for any issue that comes up. He has so much knowledge of the building and was willing to teach me about things and explain all the issues. He is excellent on explaining things and being able to communicate with me and the team. He really cares about this hotel and the people that help make this place so great. He has such a great altitude about things even when things break or new leaks pop up, I never see him get irritated or frustrated he just moves on and works on how we can fix the issue.
– Nominated by Devin Nishijima, Engineering Manager
BY JENNIFER YAMADA – Congratulations to HOM Nominees; Kristina Arola (Front Desk) and Marilyn Gacua (Housekeeping). Mahalo to our ICare Card recipients for May; Gerry Daez (Engineering), Yuki Su (Front Desk), and Erroll Yanuaria (Housekeeping). Congratulations to Kristina Arola – TripAdvisor Most Name Mentions, Anita Cabulera – Name Mentions Raffle, Yoshi Takamura – NOR1 Upgrade Leader and Angelina Asuncion – Safety and Security Raffle. And thank you to all who joined us for a slice on National Pizza Day!
The gallery was not found!Waipouli Beach Resort & Spa by OUTRIGGER
Pineapple Treats Bring Hosts Together
BY JORDAN WHITMIRE – Pineapple Day was celebrated by our hosts at Waipouli Beach Resort & Spa by OUTRIGGER on June 5. The team made colorful pineapple cutouts and shared tasty Dole Whip Frozen Treats in appreciation of the tropical fruit known for its sweet and tangy flavor.
