MIAMI (April 3, 2018) – The Cristal International Awards are the highest endorsement Cristal International Standards gives to its top rated hotels in their annual inspections in recognition of their achievements throughout the year. In 2019, seven of Barceló Hotel Group’s all-inclusive resorts in Mexico and the Caribbean have been singled out in the latest edition of the awards. In addition to these honorable distinctions, Barceló Hotels & Resorts has also received one of the most valued accolades for hotel brands – the Group Award.
Barceló Maya Grand Resort has been one of the most outstanding properties this year, since the five establishments that make up the resort (Barceló Maya Palace, Barceló Maya Beach, Barceló Maya Caribe, Barceló Maya Colonial and Barceló Maya Tropical) have obtained the highest rating of all properties analyzed in North America and Mexico in some of the most important categories including: food safety, swimming pool control, prevention of Legionella bacteria and fire protection systems. The resort complex has obtained the Continental Award (best hotels in North America) for the following categories:
| Property: | Category: |
| Barceló Maya Grand Resort | Food Safety (FoodCheck) |
| Barceló Maya Colonial and Barceló Maya Tropical | Swimming Pool Control (PoolCheck) |
| Barceló Maya Colonial and Barceló Maya Tropical | Prevention of Legionella bacteria (AquaCheck) |
| Barceló Maya Colonial and Barceló Maya Tropical | Fire Protection Systems (FireCheck) |
Barceló Maya Grand Resort has also earned the National Award (best hotels in Mexico) for the following categories:
| Property: | Category: |
| Barceló Maya Grand Resort, Barceló Maya Beach, Barceló Maya Caribe, Barceló Maya Colonial, Barceló Maya Tropical and Barceló Maya Palace | Food Safety (FoodCheck) |
| Barceló Maya Colonial and Barceló Maya Tropical | Swimming Pool Control (PoolCheck) |
| Barceló Maya Colonial and Barceló Maya Tropical | Prevention of Legionella bacteria (AquaCheck) |
| Barceló Maya Colonial and Barceló Maya Tropical | Fire Protection Systems (FireCheck) |
The 24-hour all-inclusive Barceló Bávaro Palace and Barceló Bávaro Beach – Adults Only – part of the Barceló Bávaro Grand Resort in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic – has also earned the Continental AquaCheck and PoolCheck Award. These accolades demonstrate both the resort’s stringent efforts in applying the best practices for the proper installation and maintenance of water systems to help reduce the risk of Legionnaires’ Disease, as well as its work to maintain excellence in safety standards in the resort’s numerous pools and its surroundings. Additionally, Barceló Bávaro Grand Resort has been complying with Cristal International Standards for over 15 years and with the AquaCheck standards since 2013. “We are honored to receive this recognition, as it demonstrates the hard work behind our efforts to guarantee the best quality standards for our clients,” said Javier Cordero, General Manager at Barceló Bávaro Palace. “It is our team’s upmost priority to maintain the highest quality standards in our day-to-day operations, and this year we are excited to have improved our score in all sections of the audit, ultimately getting closer to our goal of perfection.” Barceló Bávaro Grand Resort has obtained the Continental Award for the following categories:
| Property: | Category: |
| Barceló Bávaro Palace | Prevention of Legionella bacteria (AquaCheck) |
| Barceló Bávaro Beach – Adults Only | Swimming Pool Control (PoolCheck) |
The following Barceló Hotel Group properties in Mexico have also received Cristal International Standards certifications in various categories in 2019:
- Barceló Puerto Vallarta
- Occidental Cozumel
- Occidental Nuevo Vallarta
- Occidental Punta Cana
- Allegro Cozumel
“We couldn’t be prouder of our properties for their performance in this year’s Cristal International Awards,” said Juan Perez Sosa, Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Barceló Hotel Group. “The recognition is a testament to the tireless commitment of our team efforts to go above and beyond to create truly unforgettable experiences for our Barceló guests and the good work they do to maintain hygiene and sanitation compliance in all areas.”
Cristal International Standards, founded in 1997, offers its audit and risk control services to some of the most prestigious international chains in the world, helping them to maintain their standards of quality, hygiene, health and safety. The organization currently performs more than 22,000 audits per year in more than 50 countries.
About Barceló Hotel Group
Barceló Hotel Group is the 2nd largest hotel chain in Spain and the 29th largest in the world. The hotel group’s portfolio currently boasts 251 urban and leisure hotels ranked between 4 and 5-stars with 55,670 rooms throughout 22 countries and marketed under four brands: Royal Hideaway Luxury Hotels & Resorts, Barceló Hotels & Resorts, Occidental Hotels & Resorts and Allegro Hotels. For more information or reservations, visit www.barcelo.com.