Chicago Housekeeper Named Top Guest Room Attendant

Mabel Castro has been named the recipient of UMF Corp.’s 2021 Guest Room Attendant (GRA) Excellence Award.

The award, now in its third year, highlights the contributions of GRAs at hotel companies across the country. Castro, a GRA at the Chicago Marriott Downtown, was recognized for her attention to detail and for developing personal connections with her hotel’s guests. As the GRA Excellence Award winner, she will receive an all-expenses paid trip for two, including airfare, to a location of her choice within the 48 contiguous states.

“We are honored to recognize Ms. Castro’s dedication to meeting the ever-increasing standards of cleanliness and hygiene in the hospitality industry,” said George Clarke, UMF Corp. CEO. “Over the course of her career, she has committed herself to learning new approaches, making improvements, and sharing those best practices with her team. Responsible for carrying out industry-recommended cleaning and disinfection protocols, GRAs such as Ms. Castro are on the front lines of preventing infection in hospitality. She encompasses GRA excellence.”

Three additional GRAs were selected as finalists for the 2021 award. They include:

• Maria Trejo, The Tremont House Hotel, Galveston, Texas
• Delmy Bonilla, Sheraton Commander Hotel, Cambridge, Massachusetts
• Esther Lopez, Residence Inn, Manchester, New Hampshire.