Top National Honor for Aqua Waikiki Wave Housekeeper

Leticia Gamiao named America's “Outstanding Lodging Employee of the Year" by AHLA

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. June 25, 2010

WAIKIKI BEACH, HI - June 24, 2010 - Aqua Hotels & Resorts (www.aquaresorts.com) is proud to announce that Leticia Gamiao, a housekeeper at Aqua Waikiki Wave Hotel, captured the award for "Outstanding Lodging Employee of the Year" - medium-size property in the nation-wide competition held by the American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA). Gamiao won the award after a 50-state competition which included hundreds of thousands of hotel employee nominations. She is the first Aqua recipient and a 12-year Aqua employee.

As the country's only association representing all sectors and stakeholders in the U.S. lodging industry, AHLA's coveted award was presented to Gamiao during the annual Stars of the Industry recognition ceremony at the Arizona Biltmore hotel on June 16.

Leticia Gamiao was selected on the basis of her exceptional service to hotel guests and excellent housekeeping performance. She also personally writes and leaves 'aloha notes' on the night stand for all guests staying on the 12th floor that she services. In 2009, Gamiao was singled out by name on more than 100 comment cards received from hotel guests. In the past three years, she has hand-written over 10,000 notes to her guests.

“This is a tremendous honor for Leticia and we are extremely proud of her,” said Lynette Eastman, Area General Manager for Aqua Waikiki Wave, and also the one who nominated Gamiao.

“I can't say enough about how wonderful this award is for Leticia, her team at Aqua Waikiki Wave and for all of us at Aqua,” added Ben Rafter, President & CEO. “It demonstrates perfectly how we all make a difference shaping our visitors' Hawaii experience.”

In January 2010, Gamiao was the recipient of the Na Poe Paahana award for Outstanding Lodging Employee of the Year, from the Hawaii Hotel and Lodging Association, the statewide trade organization of hotels, hotel management firms, hotel owners, suppliers, and other related firms and individuals. By capturing the top honor, she represented Hawaii as HHLA's nominee for the national American Hotel & Lodging Association Stars of the Industry Awards.

Leticia Gamiao has been a Waikiki housekeeper for more than 12 years. She started at the Coral Reef and remained with the hotel throughout its renovation - a process which transformed it into the Aqua Waikiki Wave.

For a complete list of winners, visit: http://www.ahla.com/pressrelease.aspx?id=30345

About Aqua Waikiki Wave

Located at 2299 Kuhio Avenue, in the center of Waikiki and less than a block to the beach, Aqua Waikiki Wave has 247 spacious guest rooms offering ocean, mountain or Waikiki views, including 78 family, junior and honeymoon suites. Beautiful artwork from the 1920's by famed artist Charles W. Bartlett is featured at the entrance, lobby and in all guest rooms.

An Aqua boutique property, Aqua Waikiki Wave amenities include: business center, travel desk, shops, fitness center, meeting rooms and two themed restaurants, The Big Kahuna - with food and sports entertainment for all ages in a hip, tiki-tropical setting and China Garden Restaurant - serving Cantonese cuisine in a beautiful, traditional Chinese setting. Guest room amenities include desk, flat-screen TV, complimentary WIFI, microwave, coffeemaker and refrigerator. There is a sitting area, private lanai and a pair of queen-sized beds, unique in the hotel industry today. King-sized beds are also available.

For more information about the hotel, visit www.aquawaikikiwave.com.

For information on Aqua Hotels & Resorts, visit www.aquaresorts.com.