The Reefs Family Grows

As many of The Reefs’ guests know, we pride ourselves for our strong sense of family. Some of you have been visiting us for years, and several staff members have been with us for decades! The staff’s children have come to work at The Reefs as well, further expanding The Reefs family.

So, we are happy to announce that President David Dodwell, who has been with The Reefs for 35 years, continues this tradition. His son, David Dodwell Jr., recently joined our team as the Director of Rooms. You may have met David Jr. when he was playing on the beach as a child or working in various departments as summer jobs.

In recent years, he has worked at hotels in Boston, California and Oregon, and spent two years at 9 Beaches here in Bermuda. He recently completed his master’s degree in hospitality management from the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration, and we are sure that the frigid winters in upstate New York played a role in his decision to return to Bermuda!

David Jr. and his wife have relocated to Bermuda with their three-month-old baby boy, William Broderick Dodwell. They could not think of a better place to raise their son than with The Reefs family, and we are sure you will see Will playing on the beach like his father did 30 years ago!

MAP Mystery Solved

Have you ever wondered why we describe our rates as MAP or BP? MAP, or Modified American Plan, is how the Europeans have described American hotel rates since the 18th century.

The first American hotels, successors to the early inns, differed from their European prototypes by charging a fixed fee for food and lodging (American plan). The modern hotel in America dates from the early days of railroad travel, when modest hostelries become more spacious and efficient to accommodate the greater number of people traveling by rail. Hotels were built near railroads and offered a full day's meals with the lodging; hence, the rates were named the "American Plan" by the Europeans. For many years $1.00 per day was the accepted price!

The Modified American Plan (also called "Half Board") typically covers breakfast and either lunch or dinner. That descriptor continues today throughout the hotel industry worldwide.

Our hotel rates include breakfast, afternoon tea and dinner, and are called the MAP as is the tradition. On occasion we offer BP or Breakfast Plan, which includes breakfast only. So now you know!

60th Anniversary at The Reefs

Many of our guests have visited year after year, witnessing how The Reefs has evolved. Some guests have even been visiting The Reefs since we first opened in 1947.

Robert and Marian Fortney from North Little Rock, Arkansas celebrated their honeymoon here in our first year of operations. After 60 wonderful years of marriage, they decided to return to The Reefs to celebrate their anniversary!

On their last night they enjoyed a wonderful dinner at Coconuts. When they returned to their room they were surprised by a celebratory bottle of champagne and chocolate covered strawberries!

Happy Anniversary from The Reefs!

Travel+Leisure World's Best Awards

Here’s another reason you should stay at The Reefs – we were named the "#3 Best Hotel in the Caribbean, Bermuda and Bahamas" in Travel+Leisure’s 2008 World’s Best Awards – up from #12 last year!

This is the 13th annual poll where T+L readers have named their favorite hotels, spas, airlines, cruise lines, outfitters, cities and islands.

The island of Bermuda was named #2 out of the "Top 5 Islands in The Caribbean, Bermuda, and the Bahamas" – it was #3 last year.

You can view the full list in the August 2008 issue which hits newsstands July 22 – or click here.

We thank you for enjoying The Reefs and our wonderful staff who continue to make sure you feel perfectly at ease. If you have any staff members to thank, post it here!