HONOLULU, Jun 5, 2002 (BUSINESS WIRE)—ResortQuest International: Out of 85 hotel brands covering all 50 states, Hawaii-based ASTON Hotels & Resorts, a ResortQuest International company, was ranked No. 1 in customer satisfaction among global upscale brands during the first quarter of 2002. The survey of 30,000 guests conducted by Market Metrix Hotel Index gauges satisfaction, price sensitivity and 16 additional points of guest experience, and is considered the industry`s most in-depth measure of hotel performance based on guest evaluations. The index finds that hotels making the right emotional connection have customers that are more loyal and less price sensitive. ASTON beat out other global and national brands, such as Walt Disney World Resorts (ranked No. 2), Omni Hotels, Westin, Marriott, Renaissance as well as Hawaii-based Outrigger. In addition, ASTON outranked Sheraton, Hilton and Hyatt in three key areas of product, service and value for price. Across all brands and categories, including the luxury segment, ASTON received the top scores in the two categories of “relaxed” and “content.” ASTON`s extremely high scoring placed it in the top ten among all categories and brands which included Four Seasons and Ritz Carlton.

“It comes as no surprise that a Hawaii-based hotel company would be recognized for such superior customer satisfaction,” said Hawaii State Governor Ben Cayetano. “This accomplishment by ASTON Hotel & Resorts, a ResortQuest International company, bolsters Hawaii`s long and impressive reputation as a top-notch visitor destination. I congratulate the employees and owners for this proud achievement.”

“We`re incredibly pleased with the consumer response to our Hawaii resort product and proud to lead the nation`s upscale hoteliers,” said David Levine, Chairman and CEO of ResortQuest International, Inc, parent company of ASTON Hotels & Resorts. “This performance symbolizes our commitment to Hawaii and I congratulate our employees for a job very well done.”

“ASTON and our more than 1,500 Hawaii-based employees are extremely proud that we have touched all we encountered with the gracious spirit of Aloha that is unique to Hawaii,” said Kelvin Bloom, president of ASTON Hotels & Resorts and area vice president for ResortQuest. “The true significance of this nationwide survey is that it measures the guest experience which symbolizes a `vacation well spent.`”

In Fall of 2001, ASTON Hotels & Resorts launched “A Vacation Well Spent” campaign, which was meant to assure travelers that ASTON, operating in the Hawaiian islands for 53 years, continued to be comfortable, welcome and secure and satisfied customers with excellent value, quality products and great service. The recent ranking of hotel brands validates that standards set by this campaign have met or exceeded guest expectations.

ResortQuest International, the first brand name and “real-time” online booking service (www.resortquest.com / AOL Keyword: ResortQuest) in vacation condominium and home rentals and sales, provides a one-stop resource in over 50 premier resort destinations in the U.S. and Canada. ResortQuest is the world`s largest vacation rental property management company, based on a portfolio of approximately 20,000 vacation rental properties with a combined real estate value estimated in excess of $7.0 billion.
Based in Honolulu, ASTON(R) Hawaii operates 34 condominium resorts and hotels on the four major Hawaiian islands. The company is the number one operator of suites and resort condominiums and hotels in Hawaii. Hotel Corporation of the Pacific, dba ASTON Hotels & Resorts, is a ResortQuest International(R) company, the leading provider of condominium and vacation home rentals in premier resort locations worldwide. ASTON(R) Hawaii and ASTON Hotels & Resorts(R) are registered trade names and trademarks of ASTON(R) Hotels & Resorts International, Inc. For more information, visit ASTON`s web site at http://www.astonhotels.com or call (800) 92-ASTON ((800-922-7866)) from the U.S. Mainland and Canada for reservations. From Hawaii, call (800) 321-2558. ASTON`s TDD telephone number is (800) 441-2344.
——-