For the second consecutive year, Aga Reef Resort has done it again, scooping the award for “Australasia’s best relaxation Retreat” at the exclusive Boutique Hotel Awards 2018. 

Managing Director/Owners Representative, Va’atu’itu’i Apete and Edith Meredith, were present at the prestigious Awards ceremony held at the Merchant Taylors Hall, London last month. 

Va’atu’itu’i said in a statement that it was not only an honour to receive the prestigious award on behalf of their resort in Lalomanu, Aleipata. But they were also proud to represent Samoa on the world stage at an event honouring the world’s finest boutique hotels.

“I was pleasantly surprised that we had won the award for ‘Australasia’s best Relaxation Retreat’ again,” Va’atu’itu’i said.

“We had been informed that all prior year winners are automatically nominated for the following year for the inspection process and we wanted to go to the Awards ceremony this time around to see what it was like and meet the people. It was a great experience to have met the other top boutique hotel proprietors.”

Last year’s 2017 Award was dedicated to the visionaries behind the Aga Reef Resort dream, honouring the late Hon. Lauofo Meti and Lupe Lauofo Meredith, Va’atu’itu’i’s parents. All the development partners, including Government that made the project possible were also acknowledged. 

This year however, Va’atu’itu’i dedicated the 2018 Award to the team at Aga Reef Resort and acknowledged that winning again for the consecutive year is a testament to the hard work and consistency of service delivered by the staff at the resort.

“First of and foremost we acknowledge God’s blessings,” he said. “We have the Meredith Family motto which goes that ‘With God everything, Without Him nothing’ and it’s a belief that has guided us through many challenges.”

“This year we are dedicating it to the team at Aga because achieving this Award two years in a row is no easy feat. It means there has been commitment to and consistency in, the delivery of our goal for service excellence – this is where your teamwork comes into play and it’s so important.”

This year Aga Reef Resort celebrated its fifth birthday in April and while that was a significant milestone, the project itself has been a decade in the making for Va’atu’itu’i and his family. On reflection, Va’atu’itu’i said that they could have settled for a ‘beach bach concept’ but it would not have done justice to the beautiful location nor to the vision of their parents.  

Creating the Award winning Aga Reef Resort experience of retreat and relaxation has been anything but a holiday for the team and according to Va’atu’itu’i, passion is key and staying true to what Aga Reef Resort represents is their ongoing goal.

“Our focus has always been on providing a place that was unique in its beauty and tranquil so that people can come and find peace within themselves and to just relax,” he said. 

“This industry is not easy and people may think it’s glamorous because it’s a resort by the ocean but a lot of hard work goes into making sure that our guests’ expectations are more than satisfied in ensuring that their experience in Samoa will be one to treasure for life.”

The Boutique Hotel Awards is the first and only international awards organisation exclusively dedicated to recognising unique excellence among boutique hotels. 

What makes it meaningful is that hotels and private villas are visited personally by an experienced hotel judge who specialises in each category and the outcomes depend on first hand guest experience at the property.

The winners of the Boutique Hotel awards 2018 were selected from over 300 nominees in over 80 countries. Each entrant was nominated by a member of the awards nomination committee, comprising 70 leading trail blazing travel experts whose business it is to be ‘in the know’ concerning the extraordinary boutique hotels around the world.