WESTERN BUREAU — Sandals Grande Sport in Ocho Rios has been renamed Grande Sport Villa Golf Resort and Spa by Beaches.

According to general manager Josef Zellner, the new name that was effected last Friday now adequately reflects the facilities at the property that comprise 240 villa suites.

“When you see the layout of the property, I think it was a good decision and a wise decision to better establish this product here with the new name…” Zellner told the Observer.

In addition to the 240 villa suites and 45 other luxury-type accommodations, the property is outfitted with:

* 91 pools and a private beach club with pool and dining facilities;

* seven specialty restaurants, including a juice bar and two grills;

* a state-of-the-art fitness and wellness centre and a full service European Spa;

* five bars; and

* meeting and conference facilities.

Zellner said the new name not only does justice to the offerings at the resort, but will also serve to enhance the property’s marketability. He said this would prove true, particularly since a villa vacation experience was such a rarity within the Caribbean.

“I would say it is going to be an advantage in marketing because there are not many villa all-inclusive resorts here in the Caribbean. And, for sure, I would not know another one which has 91 swimming pools on the property,” he said.

“A villa vacation is just something totally different than in a regular hotel block. In a villa vacation you can tailor your vacation however you like it.”

Added Zellner: “If you want to have it just total quiet, you stay at your villa. You have your own private swimming pool and it’s just a totally quiet and relaxing atmosphere (to) recharge your batteries. If you want to participate in any activities, then you spend a day at the beach club or you spend it by the great house and participate in all kinds of activities.”

The resort, whose villas span 100 acres, opened in December 2000 after Sandals Resorts International acquired the property, which was formerly the Ciboney Hotel.

Meanwhile, this name change has brought with it a multi-million-dollar renovation of the property. Eleanor Miller, Sandals Resorts International’s director of projects, said the focus was on upgrading the rooms.

“We are concentrating on room upgrade (namely the addition of) soft furnishing, new furniture, the addition of art work, mirrors, paintings (and) refinishing floors,” Miller said.

“We have just finished doing the 32 manor rooms. We are doing 14 honeymoon suites, which is major refurbishing there… And we are moving on to the one- and two-bedroom suites and then on to the standard rooms (later).”

But the renovation works will not end there and already they have constructed a new beach grill that was completed recently.

Other works to be undertaken include:

* the refurbishment of the swimming pools;

* the upgrading of the restaurants; and

* the resurfacing of the clay tennis courts.