NEGRIL, Jamaica
-- In the 70-day period between Hurricane Ivans unwelcome check-in
on Sept. 11 and the resorts reopening on Nov. 19, Sandals Negril
Beach Resort & Spa not only repaired the storms damage but
reinvented itself along the way.
We did a lot more
than clean up the debris from the winds and rain of Ivan, said
Junior Gordon, hotel manager.
That is an
understatement.
During a visit
last week, I saw what the 223-room, 21-acre, all-inclusive property
had done since Ivan hit and what arriving guests will find this
winter.
Occupancy was at
81%, the background music was Christmas carols and the 350-member
staff was gearing up for the holidays, which were fully booked,
according to Gordon.
I also tested the
new butler service, which will launch in January for guests booking
the highest suite category at all 13 Sandals and Beaches resorts
for six nights or more.
Within days of
Ivans visit and the departure of the last of the 60 guests who had
elected to ride out the storm at the resort, a crew of more than
300 workers and contractors moved onto the property, following the
decision of Gordon Butch Stewart, Sandals chairman, to close the
resort temporarily and proceed with the resorts planned renovation
project.
Sandals Negril
opened in 1988, and it was time to renovate, although the original
construction timetable called for a phased program over a much
longer period of time, Gordon said.
Although Ivan
forced us to close, Ivan also served as the impetus to move forward
with the planned changes on an accelerated schedule of new
construction, reconstruction and repair, Gordon added.
Property
highlights:
" The most
visible signs of change are the colors. Gone are the white
exteriors and bland interiors of the past. Sandals Negril radiates
Caribbean in a palette of tints and hues with names like orange
sherbet, gypsy rose and sunny days. The colors are so vibrant that
the resort is plainly visible from the roadways above Negril. At
sunset, the buildings gleam.
" A swim-up pool
bar and deck were added, the main pool was retiled with the
signature Sandals logo and stained-glass artwork and urns were
placed around the pool and repaved deck.
" Bayside, the
largest of the resorts five restaurants and the only one serving
three buffet-style meals each day, was upgraded with new
furnishings, soft goods, lighting, molding, an entertainment stage
and Greco-Roman statues. This is the focal point of the resort, and
massive work was done here, Gordon said.
" The lobby has a
new mahogany cathedral-style ceiling.
Ivans rains collapsed the original, Gordon said. New ceilings of
mahoe wood, the national wood of Jamaica, were installed in all
guest rooms as well because of concern about water seepage from the
rains. Also in the lobby are new benches, wicker swings with
cushions and new upholstery in the bright color scheme.
" The Sundowner
Restaurant, which resembles a country-style Jamaican house and
serves a la carte breakfast and dinner, was upgraded with
air-conditioning, new soft goods and a new paint scheme. Outdoor
dining is offered on the porch.
" The new
Barefoot on the Beach, which opens this month, joins Sandal Negrils
restaurant lineup, serving candlelight dinners under the
stars.
" The 16 premium-
and deluxe-category loft suites were gutted and redesigned, and all
other guest rooms in that category were refurbished.
" The Four Cs
low-calorie, dinner-only restaurant was expanded to seat 60 and
renovated with pastel-colored lattice- work and furnishings. Gordon
said the restaurant is very popular, especially with our spa
clients.
" A piano bar and
a game room have been added, the Et Cetera gift shop was enlarged
and new equipment is available in the gym, which is now
air-conditioned.
" Two
lattice-work wedding gazebos were built on the lawn above the beach
in the perfect spot for a sunset ceremony, according to Gordon.
Sandals Negril handles up to 100 weddings a month at five different
sites on the property. Our wedding coordinator and team are very
busy, Gordon said. A new photo shop was added to the resorts
inventory of bridal services.
" The water
sports center was moved to the west end of the beach, where a pool
for snorkeling and dive instruction was built. Four new snorkeling
boats and a dive boat joined the Sandals fleet. Gordon said that
despite the ferocity of Ivan, not much damage was done to the
reefs. Ivans effect on Sandals beach was to widen it with the
addition of more sand brought ashore by the winds.
To contact
reporter Gay Nagle Myers, send e-mail to [email protected].