By Stephen Breen Old-fashioned personal service and fiercely competitive rates are the key to satisfying guests, Bermuda's newly crowned hotelier of the year Hazel Lowe said yesterday.

Mrs. Lowe, who runs the Salt Kettle Guest House in Paget, is still reeling from the surprise of taking the top prize in the Hospitality Professionals' Association's annual awards.

Salt Kettle enjoys a phenomenal repeat business of 95 per cent, so guests are clearly happy with the service. Mrs. Lowe arranges taxis to and from the Airport, a hearty breakfast, orange juice and tea on arrival and rides to the grocery store for guests who don't have scooters.

Many guests book a year in advance, attracted by the rates of $55 per person per night for cottages, inclusive of breakfast, and $50 for rooms in the main house, and the friendly service.

Mrs. Lowe opened the property in March of 1970, four years after arriving on the Island with her Bermudian husband Bobby and four children. The couple had spent fifteen years in Africa working for the old British Colonial Service.

Mrs. Lowe, who was born in Kent, England, has retained the same two maids for thirty years and an assistant who joined seven years ago.

She said: "I had no training when we opened but I soon learned. I have the most wonderful staff and we have a very happy set up.

"It's a home atmosphere and people love the personal attention. There is not enough personal attention in the world today and that's what we try to provide.

"We serve a hearty breakfast in the morning and, if it's raining, they can congregate in the lounge and talk.

"When people arrive, I give them tea or orange juice and tell them where they can eat, and play tennis or golf. I don't just hand them a key.

"People now book about a year in advance and love the same accommodation. If we change the drapes they notice and they all make friends and time their visits to overlap with each other because they have made such good friends here.'' Mrs. Lowe was presented with her prize by Tourism Minister David Allen at the Hospitality Professionals' Association's banquet at the Fairmont Southampton Princess on Saturday.

She said: "I'm just over the moon. It was such a lovely surprise and I'm still reeling from getting such recognition.'' Richard Smith of the Royal Palms Hotel was named Hospitality Person of the Year.

Danny Fox, the senior vice president for retail clients at the Bank of Bermuda, which sponsors the award, made the presentation. The Bermuda Sunshine Award was given to Elbow Beach Cycle Livery owner Dolores Thomas.

The Reefs received the Hotel Olympics award, based on games at the Fun Street Festival in Hamilton, for the fourth year running.

The Hospitality Professionals' Association gave a special Lifetime Achievement Award to entertainer Stanley Seymour, who is known as "Lord Necktie''.

Top hotelier: Tourism Minister David Allen crowns Salt Kettle Guest House's Hazel Lowe `hotelier of the year'.