Owner of Nevis hotel is 2010 Caribbean Hotelier of the Year

Mr. Dodwell (center) with Jamie Holmes (left), Nisbet Plantation’s General Manager, and the Nevis Tourism Authority CEO John Hanley (right)

ST. KITTS, JANUARY 17TH 2011 (CUOPM) – Caribbean Tourism Organisation Chairman, St. Kitts and Nevis’ Minister of Tourism and International Transport, Sen. the Hon. Richard Skerritt, has hailed the 2010 Caribbean Hotelier of the Year, Mr. David Dodwell.

Mr. Dodwell, owner of The Reefs in Bermuda and Nisbet Plantation Beach Club on Nevis, was recognized by the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association. He accepted the award at the 2011 Caribbean Marketplace in Jamaica.

“I can think of no one who has earned this recognition more than (Dodwell) has. He has made a tremendous difference in the hotel sector on St. Kitts and Nevis, and has contributed significantly across the region and in tourism everywhere,” said Minister Skerritt.

Mr. Dodwell, who has more than four decades of hospitality career experience, was honoured by the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association for excellence in the areas of hotel operations, food and beverage, marketing, property maintenance, staff training and motivation as well as his commitment to the environment and the St. Kitts and Nevis community.

He becomes the 33rd recipient of the distinguished golden conch shell and joins an elite list of the most accomplished hotel leaders in the Caribbean.

Nisbet Plantation Great House

Mr. Dodwell purchased the 36-room Nisbet Plantation Beach Club in 1989. The resort is the Caribbean’s only historic plantation inn located on the beach.

Under his leadership, Nisbet Plantation has gained international attention with many industry awards.

In fact, both of Mr. Dodwell’s properties have recently earned #1 spots on prestigious lists – Nisbet Plantation debuted on the 2011 Travel + Leisure 500 as the #1 hotel in the Caribbean, Bermuda and Bahamas, and The Reefs was the #1 hotel in the Atlantic in the 2010 Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards for the second year in a row.

“David has been extremely proactive in his support and development of the people of Nevis. He is a big believer in investing in his team,” said Jamie Holmes, general manager of Nisbet Plantation Beach Club.

His standout efforts have also included cross-training the Nisbet Plantation staff at The Reefs in Bermuda, involving the team in decision-making and promoting the local economy by employing Nevisians, utilizing local produce and seafood, and adopting a local primary school.