The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

SANDALS Royal Bahamian’s 210-room Windsor block is set to undergo major renovations to bring it up to par with the multi-million dollar Balmoral Tower redevelopment.

“After doing the Balmoral just over a year and a half ago, which was our oldest block, everything is now being compared to that, so we find that we have to bring everything else up to that standard,” said general manager Patrick Drake. “We find that the demand is there for the Balmoral but the other block is seen as old.”

Sandals has invested some $20 million into remodelling the 145-room Balmoral tower, formerly the Manor building.

“It’s really major upgrades that we’re doing. We’re doing 210 rooms in total that we’re refurbishing, and these would be ready in January,” said Mr Drake of the Windsor.

He was unable to give an exact figure for how much the renovations would cost, adding: “We’re still doing that assessment, but it’s still a fairly major project. We’re doing a lot of things like the bathrooms; modernising the bathrooms, and a lot of the furnishings and the lighting are being redone.

“While not of the magnitude of the Balmoral, there will be some interesting features when we’re done. I would hope to have walkout rooms on the ground floor and things of that nature.”

Mr Drake said further: “In today’s marketplace people want to know what is fresh and new. Through June was not bad at all but, of course, the traditional slowdown of the summer is on us already.

“We’re trying to counter that by bringing in quite a bit of the travel trade and exposing them to what the property has to offer and the upgrades. That should translate into some good business this winter if all goes well.”