JHM Hotels Receives Nine Awards for Excellence from Marriott International

GREENVILLE, S.C., January 20, 2008—JHM Hotels, one of the nation’s largest independent owners and operators of hotels, today announced that it received nine awards for excellence in operations from Marriott International, a record for the company. 
Highlighting the awards were two Partnership Circle Awards, recognizing JHM’s performance in both the full-service and limited-service hotel segments.  The award is Marriott’s highest honor, given to franchisees who uphold the values and philosophies of Marriott International by “Living the Marriott Vision.”
JHM Hotels captured seven additional awards, for both full-service and limited-service hotels: 

• Service Excellence Award – given for exceeding Marriott’s standards in guest satisfaction.  In addition to JHM Hotels’ portfolio exceeding the brand’s service standards, the company’s Greenville Marriott was singled out for maintaining consistently high service levels and for being a top performer chain-wide.
• Food & Beverage Excellence Award – presented for JHM Hotels’ restaurant design, menu creativity, food quality, and exceptional service that exceeded Marriott’s expectations for the company’s full-service hotels.  The company’s Saffire-Charleston’s Oven Restaurant at the Charleston, S.C., Marriott received special recognition.
• Best New Product Award – given in recognition of the unique design and total makeover and conversion of an independent property, to the JHM’s Charleston (S.C.) Marriott Hotel.  The hotel features a fresh, appealing design that remained harmonious with the surrounding architecture of one of South Carolina’s most historic cities.  The project included renovating all 340 hotel rooms, and expanding the property to include a new lobby, great room, exercise facility, rooftop lounge and an extensive, upscale courtyard with casual outdoor seating and fire pits.
• Best Renovation – offered in recognition of JHM Hotels’ recent renovation of the Renaissance Orlando Airport Hotel.  Unique design features included upgrading the rooms with refrigerators and microwave ovens, LCD televisions with laptop connectivity in each room, a new porte-cochere, pod-style check-in desks, a lobby water-wall and an amphitheater with Bose sound system and state-of-the-art technology.  A new open-flow restaurant with indoor/outdoor seating rounded out the upgrade.
• Spirit to Serve Award – presented to the Rama family, owners of JHM Hotels, for outstanding community service.  The Rama family built more than 150 new homes in a village in India, as well as a new road system complete with underground utilities and landscape improvements.  In addition, more than 500 individuals received free medical treatment, therapy for drug and alcohol dependence and improved primary education to assist with the learning of new trades.  Through this program, the Rama family not only opened up opportunities for residents of the village, but also created a blueprint for businesses, showing how to give back to the community.
• Best Hotel Opening Award – given for superior performance of a newly opened hotel, to the TownePlace Suites by Marriott® - The Villages in Lady Lake, Florida.  Opened for less than six months, the hotel quickly established high standards, rising to #2 in Guest Satisfaction overall in the TownePlace Suites by Marriott® brand.
• Renovation Excellence Award – presented to the Springhill Suites by Marriott Ft. Lauderdale Airport/Dania Beach for an innovative design plan created by JHM’s in-house staff.  Highlights included granite countertops on television cabinets, wet bars and in bathrooms; oversized LCD televisions; extensive exterior landscaping; a water feature in the lobby; and a complete renovation of the pool using marble tile.  JHM also utilized energy management systems in each guestroom.      

“These awards recognize the team efforts of our JHM associates,” said JHM Hotels’ founder and CEO, H. P. Rama.  “Hospitality begins with the spirit of truly wanting to help and welcome someone into your ‘home.’ These awards recognize that passion in our associates.”
About JHM Hotels
JHM Hotels, a premier lodging company based in Greenville S.C., has developed, acquired, owned and operated hotels throughout the United States for more than 34 years.  The company currently owns and operates 30 U.S. hotels with more than 5,000 guestrooms, operating under such well-known brands as Marriott and Hilton.  More information is available on the company’s Web site, www.jhmhotels.com.