�Viola Albert was one of the first people that my father asked to join the Bolongo family in 1974 when we took over ownership of the property,� said Richard Doumeng, general manager of Bolongo.  �Thirty years later, Miss Viola is amazingly still our most treasured and respected colleague.  With both an irresistible smile and a tremendous work ethic, Miss Viola has graciously and lovingly served guests in our restaurants,� he added.

�In her acceptance speech, Miss Viola came up with a line that is used to best describe her � �Viola is tourism and tourism is Viola� � we are all very proud of her achievement,� noted Doumeng.

�In this business you have to be yourself, love your job and have a positive attitude,� said Ms. Albert.  �Most of all, it�s the love in your heart that you get to share with total strangers who visit our island.  Many of these strangers have become repeat guests and like family over the years.  In my 30 years at Bolongo, I have raised my level of experience many times and been given the opportunity for growth within the industry,� she added.

As a result of Ms. Albert receiving this award, the St. Thomas-St. John Hotel & Tourism Association endorsed her application for the �Caribbean Hotel Association�s (CHA) Employee of the Year� distinction, which recognizes an outstanding Caribbean hotel employee who exemplifies above-average technical competence and hospitality skills.  Results of this award will be announced during the Caribbean Hotel Industry Conference (CHIC 2004), June 13-16 in Puerto Rico.

Originally from Antigua, Ms. Albert started as a day cook at Bolongo and has worked in various capacities at the resort including clerk in the Convenience center, cook, manager at Viola�s Calypso Kitchen, bartender and hostess.  Ms. Albert created �Lasagna Night,� an �all you can eat� buffet which changed Bolongo�s restaurant business into a seven-night-a-week operation that offered dining for guests and island residents.

�The incredible thing about Miss Viola is that she still loves her job after 30 years.  She is still, week in and week out, one of the most mentioned on our guest satisfaction survey.  She receives mail and gifts from guests as well as invitations to visit guests at their homes,� said Doumeng.

Ms. Albert is a member of the Antigua/Barbuda Association.  As part of the Memorial Moravian Church, she is a member of the Memorial Moravian Movers, a group that visits and cares for sick and shut-in people.

Bolongo Bay Beach Club

Bolongo features 65 beach front rooms curved around crescent-shaped, palm-lined Bolongo Bay.  Vacationers on a quest for rest and relaxation can lounge by Bolongo�s main pool with a swim up bar just feet from the ocean. 

Bolongo�s two on-property restaurants -- the Bolongo Beach House and Iggies Beach Bar & Grill -- deliver a variety of dining selections that stay consistent with the casual atmosphere for which the resort is known. 

Located at the poolside pavilion, the Bolongo Beach House serves breakfast, lunch and dinner in a casual setting.  Guests staying on the resort�s All-Inclusive option will enjoy the unsurpassed value and selection of the Beach House�s menu without restrictions or buffets that are often found at other all-inclusive resorts.

Iggie�s Beach Bar & Grill, the most popular beach bar in St. Thomas located directly on the beach, provides the perfect atmosphere for those who want to kick back, relax and enjoy good food and spirits.  Open for lunch, dinner and late-night snacks.