Fort Lauderdale Dining Experience Recognized as a Top Performing Restaurant by the World's Largest Travel Site

    FORT LAUDERDALE, FL, May 28, 2014 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The Secret Garden Club at The Pillars Hotel has just received the 2014 TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence for its intimate and relaxing waterside dining experience.

The accolade, which honors hospitality excellence, is given only to establishments that consistently achieve outstanding traveler reviews on TripAdvisor, and is extended to qualifying businesses worldwide. Establishments awarded the Certificate of Excellence are located all over the world and represent the upper echelon of businesses listed on the website.

The Secret Garden Club which is open only to guests of the hotel and club members features Chef Youssef Hammi. Believing that fine food preparation should take advantage of nature's bounty, Hammi combines fresh food and elegant presentations. His clean and bright flavors reflect the influences of his Moroccan heritage and techniques absorbed while working under top chefs in some of New York City's greatest kitchens. After graduating from the New York Restaurant School he trained under famous New York chefs including Michel Bourgignon of L'Absinthe and Terence Brennan of Picholine and Artisanal.

When selecting Certificate of Excellence winners, TripAdvisor uses a proprietary algorithm to determine the honorees that takes into account reviews ratings. Businesses must maintain an overall TripAdvisor bubble rating of at least four out of five, volume and recency of reviews. Additional criteria include a business' tenure and popularity ranking on the site.

"We are thrilled to win this award," said Courtney Huynh, General Manager at The Pillars Hotel. "There is no greater seal of approval than being recognized by one's customers."

The Pillars Hotel in Fort Lauderdale, Florida is a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH) and a Conde Nast Johansen selected hotel. The property is an elegant and sophisticated 18 room plus suites hotel ideally located right on the Intracoastal Waterway, and only a few short steps from the beach. The Pillars offers its guests an outstanding dining experience and an exceptional level of personal service and upscale amenities.The Pillars Hotel was named in the top three of Florida's hotels for the second year in a row by Conde Nast Traveler in the 2013 Readers' Choice Awards with a score of 93.3 out of 100.

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