OTO Portfolio Earns 45 TripAdvisor Certificates of Excellence

Recognition validates consistent commitment to exceptional guest service

Built on a foundation of exceptional guest service, OTO Development encourages every hotel in its portfolio to solicit -- and act upon -- customer feedback. Thus OTO, a Johnson Management company, is pleased to announce that 45 of its owned and managed properties have earned the 2017 TripAdvisor® Certificate of Excellence.

The Certificate of Excellence recognizes hospitality companies that consistently garner positive TripAdvisor reviews from travelers. 

"There is no greater seal of approval than being endorsed by our guests," says David Ward, Chief Operating Officer at OTO Development, a Spartanburg SC-based company that operates select-service hotels across the country with a portfolio comprising its own properties as well as those managed on behalf of other hotel ownership groups. "Because this designation is based on customer reviews, we believe the Certificate of Excellence is a vote of confidence in our hotels' ability to deliver a quality guest experience."

Travelers utilize TripAdvisor to plan and book the perfect trip, and the Certificate of Excellence spotlights the places that make those perfect trips possible.

"The TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence celebrates hospitality businesses that have consistently received strong praise and ratings from travelers," says Heather Leisman, TripAdvisor's Vice President of Industry Marketing. "This recognition allows us to publicly honor businesses that are actively engaging with customers and using feedback to help travelers identify and confidently book the perfect trip."

The Certificate of Excellence considers the quality, quantity and recency of TripAdvisor reviews submitted by travelers over a 12-month period. To qualify, a business must maintain an overall bubble rating of at least 4 out of 5, have a minimum number of reviews, and must have been listed on TripAdvisor for at least one year. 

"It isn't easy to earn a Certificate of Excellence," says Ward. "Each one we receive validates our commitment to build and operate excellent hotels staffed by excellent people."