It’s all big smiles as the Best Western Fossil Country Inn staff proudly display their prestigious Best Western M.K. Guertin Award. The team has won this award for the fourth year in a row. Back row: Shina Yazzie, Maria Ortiz, Katie Lindsay, Allison Collins, and Sherry Black. Front row: Cedar Kopesky, Alex Carrillo, Trina Pollard, Lori Roberts, Ashleigh Robinson and Sara Skaggs. Not pictured: Deneyl Shoemaker, Kara Torres, David Krancer, Tracy Breuel, Mickey Campbell, Lilia Archibald, Cathy Johnstun, Juan Escareno, Kellsie Lindsay, Fernanda Weiss and John Jetkoski. (GAZETTE PHOTO / Michelle Tibbetts)

The Best Western Fossil Country Inn and Suites in Kemmerer was presented with the brand’s highest honor for the fourth consecutive year.The local hotel was given the M.K. Guertin Award at the Best Western Hotels and Resorts’ 2017 North American Convention held recently in Nashville, Tennessee. 

The prestigious M.K. Guertin Award is held in high regard — hotels that receive this award best represent the vision of Best Western’s founder and demonstrate exceptional levels of quality, guest satisfaction and dedication to the brand. The local Best Western is managed by the sister team of Trina Pollard and Sherry Black. In April of this year, the hotel will be celebrating its nine-year anniversary.

“The awards received are a direct result of the hard work and effort that the entire staff puts into their job,” said Trina Pollard, general manager. “Without their drive, we would be unable to win these awards.”

The Best Western Fossil Country Inn is one of only 41 hotels out of more than 2,000 properties in North America to receive this award.

The staff at the hotel said they could not achieve such recognition from just one simple hard day at work. It takes twelve months of daily maintenance, discipline and a solid commitment to reach these levels of excellence, Pollard explained.

“Preparing for the inspection takes all year,” said Sherry Black, General Manager.  “Deep cleaning is the process where we tear every room down almost to walls and floor and they are cleaned, maintained, painted, shampooed, and put back together.”

Maintenance is a constant task, Black explained. One of the hardest things about trying to win the award is working all year to earn high guest survey scores and inspection scores.

“We also have to make sure that the front desk staff is trained and knows the brand programs and standards,” Black said.

The 25-member staff is competitive by nature, Pollard said. They have taken it upon themselves to continue to strive to win the award. The staff have been known to compare our standards to those of other hotels they may stay at. The team is on a mission.

“Running the hotel is an event,” Pollard said.  “You never know what each day is going to be like. The positives would be the great people we meet through our staff and our guests.  The negatives would be that it can be long hours and hard work.”

The hotel goes through two inspections each year. The staff takes a lot of pride in their work and said they are always trying to improve. In addition to the recognition, the team receives a check, which the managers use to pay for a catered Christmas party for the team.   

“We always have to thank the whole team for all they contribute,” Black said. “These awards are won by them and the work that they do.”