Last week, the small town of Morne Rouge transformed into a vibrant Bollywood-inspired stage as Sandals Grenada hosted its most anticipated annual internal celebration: the 2025 Prestige Awards. Held on June 30, just one day ahead of Grenada’s annual Indian Arrival Day commemoration, this year’s ceremony embraced the nation’s rich East Indian cultural heritage under the thoughtful theme ‘Sitaare’ – a term translating to ‘Stars’ in Sanskrit-rooted vocabulary, chosen to reflect the shining impact of every team member. As the highest internal honor bestowed by Sandals Resorts, the Prestige Awards exist to recognize exceptional performance, dedication, and contributions across every department of the property.
Team members turned out in their most glamorous formal wear, ready for a memorable evening of celebration, recognition, and gourmet feasting. Beyond the acclaim, winners walked away with a robust suite of prizes, ranging from cash rewards and professional development certificates to cutting-edge consumer electronics including smartphones and smart televisions. The most coveted reward, however, is an all-expenses-paid getaway to any other Sandals resort location around the Caribbean.
The awards spanned 16 competitive categories, crafted to honor excellence across every corner of the resort’s operations. Categories included honors for outstanding contributions to guest experience, the staff-voted People’s Choice Award, and the most anticipated honor of the night: the Diamond Team Member of the Year Award, the resort’s highest internal accolade.
This year’s top honor went to Lisha Belfon, Food & Beverage Administrative Assistant, whose victory came with a dramatic, stylish exit: she departed the ceremony in a Tesla Cybertruck, loaded down with her winnings. Senior leadership celebrated Belfon’s impressive upward career trajectory within the organization, which began when she joined as an entry-level restaurant server before climbing the ranks through consistent hard work and initiative.
“It is an honour and privilege to serve alongside these amazing hospitality professionals. There are so many roles within the department, and each is only as strong as the other. Lisha is one of the anchors of our department. We couldn’t be prouder of her,” said Matthew Saunders, Food & Beverage Director, expressing his enthusiasm for Belfon’s win.
General Manager Peter Fraser echoed this praise, noting: “She is poised, quietly confident, ambitious and well-educated. I know she will continue to soar.”
A full slate of other standout team members took home honors across categories this year. Dennison Decoteau, Restaurants Service Manager, claimed the MVP/Manager of the Year title; butler Alex Frederick took second place honors with the Platinum Award; Jeniffer Phillip, Bars Supervisor, was named Supervisor of the Year; bartender Terrell Douglas received the Legendary Award; cook Sindy Ghatt won the Circle of Joy Award; junior concierge Rhys Ollivierre took home the Mover and Shaker Award; A/C Technician Floyd Gooding was honored as the Sandals Foundation Sentinel; landscaper Dellon Harriman received the Pacesetter Award; resort driver Kaylan Lewis claimed the Heart of the House Award; loyalty and travel concierge Shenique Decoteau won the Earth Guardian Award; payroll clerk Donnette Abraham took home the Standing Ovation Award; spa therapist Nadya Alexander claimed the Money Maker Award; Corene Felix, Stewarding Manager, won the Founder’s Circle Award; and housekeeping supervisor Lizann Frederick took home the staff-voted People’s Choice Award. The resort’s Photo Shop team rounded out the winners by earning the coveted Department of the Year title.
The evening was filled with raw, heartfelt moments that captured the deep connection between team members and the resort community. Legendary Award winner Terrell Douglas brought the audience to tears when he video-called his mother live from the stage, shouting “Aye, mommy, we get through!” to celebrate his win with the woman who supported his journey. Sandals Foundation Sentinel winner Floyd Gooding reflected on his humble roots, sharing: “I didn’t grow up with much, but I have worked hard to uplift my family, and I appreciate all the opportunities provided through Sandals and the Sandals Foundation to uplift others.”
Maxine Pierre, Human Resources Manager at Sandals Grenada, closed the evening by grounding the celebration in the year’s theme, telling attendees: “‘Sitaare an evening of stars’ was specifically chosen as our theme this year to represent how each of you can illuminate a room with your purpose, presence and passion. Thank you for going above and beyond to make our brand shine.”