13th trip to CTI and can't wait for 14
It is time once again to say thank you to Mr. Leonard Henry and Ms. Maxine Williams and the incredible staff at Couples Tower Isle. I’m not quite sure how they do it but each year they make our trip better than the last one. And considering that this was our 13th trip to CTI, that is quite an accomplishment. Maxine stayed after work on the day we arrived just so she could “welcome us home” and then made sure that she found us every day just to make sure that everything was as it should be. She even took time to have lunch with us one day and knowing that Odah Frost, who is one of our good friends, was working in the gift shop, called and arranged for her to join us.
Mr. Henry also found us every day just to check in and make sure that we had everything that we needed. We asked for a couple of favors, knowing full well that he did not even have to consider them. Instead, he immediately did everything in his power to ensure that we got what we wanted.
As for the rest of the staff, they are the best of the best. Of course we have our old favorites that we see each year. People like Delroy, Calmore, Delan, Errol and Robert from watersports. Damion, Terry, Rohan, Ricardo, Pasanga and Ronaldo from the incredible bar staff along with Antoinette and Teneisha. Of course, Odah from the gift shop. Special thanks to Orlenga from the dining room for always being able to find me a bowl of pumpkin soup, even if it was not being offered that night. And also to Karl who was our waiter for our private island dinner. Karl has done several of our past anniversary dinners and we requested him this year because of the excellent job that he does. And of course there is Kirk and Everald who work as the bell-men. It is impossible to walk through the lobby without one of these guys laughing and joking with you.
But each year we also like to meet the new recruits. Those who are trying to become part of the awesome Couples team. A couple of years ago we met Charles Pert. At the time he was an intern in the dining room. I was so happy that he earned himself a position and is now full time in the dining room. He was the first one I would see each morning and always had my coffee ready and waiting.. This year it was a young man named Conway who was interning with the bartending staff. He was obviously trying very hard to make the team. He was extremely polite and extremely hard working. I happened to catch him during a slow time at the bar and after ordering a drink for me and my wife from the regular bartender I told him that I wanted Conway to make me a Bob Marley. These are very hard to make and I knew that he was nervous and wanted to do it right. I got a few other people to order the same thing and he got to practice on each one. We all encouraged him and told him what a great job he was doing. The best part was that later that day, Conway came up to me and thanked me for what I had done for him. I really hope that he is still at Couples when we go back so I can see how far he has progressed.
And we also met Carlos and Rohan from the gardening crew. We talked to Rohan for 15 or 20 minutes about all the flowers and trees around the resort. He suggested that we take the nature walk the nest morning. Carlos was our guide for that and it was obvious that he actually cared about the plants and that he knew each and every one.
Another special thanks to Christopher. Working as one of the chefs, he took time to give my wife and I a very in-depth tour of the kitchen. It was a great chance to meet some of the people who work behind the scenes that we never get to see. And they are some of the people that deserve a huge thank you. The food that they prepare is some of the best food that I have ever had. Not just in Jamaica but anywhere.
It is all of these people that give us a reason to keep returning to Couples Tower Isle year after year. I know that I am leaving some people out. Like Vernon, head of security, who sat with us at the repeaters dinner and Pam and her girls from the spa. I would actually have to name just about every member of the staff in order to make sure that I didn’t miss anyone because no matter what we were doing, we always got the same level of service and friendliness.
There are a lot of resorts in Jamaica and they all have pools and beaches and nice buildings but none can compare to the Couples Tower Isle staff. We know this to be true because in past years we have tried some of the those and have since given up trying to find anywhere that can match CTI and now spend all of our time in Jamaica at Couples Tower Isle.
We tell everyone that we know about this place and several of them are now themselves repeaters. That group will now include my son and new daughter-in-law. They were married this past June and there is only one place that I would send them on their honeymoon. They have been hearing about Couples ever since they started dating and now they finally understand what it is that we love about this place. ... ..
