The Tribune

By NATARIO MCKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

THE all-inclusive Meliá Nassau Beach Hotel is set to undergo an $18 million upgrade set for completion in December 2014, its general manager telling Tribune Business the resort’s restaurant and bar count would likely be doubled, creating additional jobs.

The Spanish hotel chain became the new brand/operating partner for the 694-room Cable Beach property this month, following the exit of the previous operator, Starwood Hotels & Resorts’ Sheraton.

Speaking with Tribune Business at a recent event hosted by the Nassau/Paradise Island Promotion Board for a group of meeting and incentive planners, Andrew Tilley, the Melia’s general manager, said the chain was looking to create a completely new atmosphere at the property.

“We just took over the hotel on December 1. We’re just going through a total assessment right now. The plan is to make a huge investment for remodelling and renovation and, at the end, we will become the Meliá at Baha Mar,” said Mr Tilley.

“During the renovation we’re going to add a number of new restaurants and bars to create a different atmosphere and different scenes, and we’re going to convert this hotel into an all-inclusive. The renovations will be done by December of next year, absolutely.”

Mr Tilley added: “The $18 million renovation will be geared towards the guest experience. Meliá is all about the guest experience. We have a passion for service.

“The right ambiance is important. The room experience, the food and beverage experience, the beach experience, it’s all important. It has to be the total package. We want people to have a great time. The Bahamas is a beautiful place. This is a fantastic property with great potential.”

Mr Tilley said Meliá, one of Spain’s largest domestic resort operators, was looking to double the number of restaurants and bars at the Nassau Beach property.

“I’m sure that with having more restaurants and bars there will be greater opportunities for everyone,” he said, adding that Meliá was targeting a wide range of business segments - from individuals, to families, leisure, groups and incentives.

Cloves Campbell, chairman of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), who was part of the group of meeting and incentive planners, told Tribune Business his organisation’s mid-winter conference attracts 400-500 persons each year, although its reach in terms of readership significant.

“Every year the NNPA holds a mid-winter conference. We’re here to hopefully investigate the possibility of bring our conference to the Bahamas in 2015 or 2016,” said Mr Campbell.

“Our conference is not that large. It attracts for mid-winter about 400-500 people. Our newspapers, however, represent about 200 black newspapers around the country, so our readership is over 20 million every week.”