The Sandals Group yesterday announced that it is merging two of its hotels in Ocho Rios in a move designed to capitalise on a product that it says has proven immensely successful in the travel trade.

“The merger is a response to market demands for more of the exclusive ‘Garden of Eden’ ambience offered by Sandals Ocho Rios, which practically operates with 100 per cent year round occupancy,” Sandals chairman, Gordon “Butch” Stewart, said.

The merger of Sandals Ocho Rios and the adjoining Grande Sport Villa Golf Resort and Spa is expected to be completed in time for the 2004/2005 Winter Tourist Season and will make the new entity – Sandals Grande Ocho Rios Beach & Villa Resort – the third largest hotel on the island with 522 rooms. It will also be the single largest resort in the all-inclusive chain which operates 18 resorts on four Caribbean islands.

Yesterday, Sandals said that in preparation for the merger, Beaches Grande Sport is to undergo a US$10-million refurbishing, starting in May, that “will provide a major boost to the Ocho Rios construction sector, employing more than 150 local tradesmen”.

To facilitate the upgrading, the 285-rooms Grande Sport Villa and Golf Resort will be temporarily closed at the end of April.

“During the refurbishing, a significant number of the existing Grande Sport staff will be assigned to other resorts in the chain and will retain all their existing benefits,” Sandals said in a news release. “Those who cannot be accommodated will be separated from the company and given the first choice of recall when the resort reopens.”

The refurbishing will include major upgrading of all central and public areas. The great house and villas are to be renovated and outfitted with new furniture, a new restaurant is to be constructed, while existing restaurants are to be upgraded. “This is in keeping with plans to expand the meal options to be offered by the new resort,” Sandals said.

The group also plans to build a large new pool and upgrade existing pools. “The hotel’s conference facilities are also to be modernised, aimed at making the new resort the prime meeting place on the north coast,” the resort chain said.

According to Stewart, the new resort will offer enormous diversity. “Guests will have a choice of beach front rooms as well as the romantic ambience of private villas and suites and 90 private and semi-private pools.”

The new resort will also offer guests a choice of nine restaurants, two upgraded spas and an array of land and watersports.

The Sandals group acquired Sandals Ocho Rios from Finsac in April 1999, after operating the hotel for 10 years under a lease agreement. Since then, Sandals has pumped US$10 million into refurbishing the property.

Finsac was the debt resolution agency set up by the Government in the 1990s in the aftermath of the financial sector meltdown.

Grande Sport Villa Golf Resort and Spa opened under Sandals management in December 2000. Formerly Ciboney Resorts, the hotel was also acquired by Sandals from Finsac and has undergone an initial J$10 million renovation.