IBEROSTAR Hotels & Resorts is looking to hire approximately 400 workers as it prepares to reopen its renovated adults-only JOIA Rose Hall resort in Montego Bay on December 1, 2026.

The property, formerly known as Iberostar Grand Rose Hall, is undergoing a comprehensive renovation involving all 295 suites, its restaurants, arrival lobby, swimming pools, oceanfront terraces and the introduction of fresh dining concepts.

Thomas van Balveren, general manager of JOIA Rose Hall, told the Jamaica Observer that the transformation represents more than an upgrade to the property’s physical facilities but an opportunity to introduce a new level of all-inclusive luxury to the English-speaking Caribbean.

“We are opening our doors to travellers who seek substance behind luxury, including cultured couples, wellness seekers, and high-end incentive groups who appreciate understated elegance, warm and attentive closeness, and a stay that honours the destination they are visiting,” he said.

According to van Balveren, the company recently held a job fair where several candidates were interviewed across the island to support the resort’s reopening.

“We are hiring around 400 people this year to support JOIA Rose Hall by Iberostar, which represents an incredible opportunity for local talent. We recently held a job fair where we interviewed several candidates from across the island for roles in front desk, guest services, housekeeping, and food and beverage. It is a genuine privilege to welcome so many passionate Jamaican professionals into our team as we prepare to reopen,” he added.

He said the December reopening is particularly important as the resort seeks to capitalise on the start of the winter tourist season, when visitors from key markets, including the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, travel to Jamaica to escape colder temperatures.

van Balveren…our timeline is focused on having our physical transformation completed by December 1, 2026, paving the way to welcome our first guests

“Our timeline is focused on having our physical transformation completed by December 1, 2026, paving the way to welcome our first guests. The momentum on the ground is palpable. We are renewing all 295 suites, reimagining our culinary spaces, and sculpting our oceanfront pools and gardens to craft an experience that is elevated in every detail,” van Balveren said.

He said while work takes place at JOIA, its sister properties, Iberostar Selection Rose Hall Suites and Iberostar Waves Rose Hall Beach continue operating seamlessly, ensuring that its presence in Montego Bay remains vibrant and uninterrupted throughout the transformation.

Meanwhile, van Balveren said the resort’s sustainability efforts will also be guided by Iberostar’s Wave of Change movement, which focuses on environmental protection and creating positive social benefits in the communities where the hotel group operates.

“It is about caring for the people and ecosystems around us, ensuring that our presence directly benefits the local community while protecting the natural beauty that makes this island so special,” he added.

Jareth Vermeulen, destination stewardship representative for Iberostar Hotels & Resorts in Jamaica and Aruba, said the company is also prioritising green spaces as part of the renovation, with an emphasis on incorporating native vegetation into the resort’s landscape.

“We have a GPR, which is a green plot ratio, and that is a three-to-one ratio where every part of cement, our building that we have, we want to have a green space, and that is one for guest experience having luscious gardens, but also only native vegetation is good not only for the guest experience, but also for the sustainability and the nature part of things,” he said.

Vermeulen was speaking to the BusinessWeek recently during the Iberostar Sustainability Learning Exchange in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.

He said his work in Jamaica will focus on strengthening partnerships across the tourism industry to advance environmental sustainability, particularly in responsible seafood sourcing and waste management.

Gastronomy at JOIA Rose Hall includes bold Caribbean flavours, local spices and fresh seafood.

“My focus is going to be on Blue Foods. So creating an alliance with different hotels to work together creating a roadmap for Blue Foods so responsible fisheries or responsible seafood moving away from reef fish, going more into pelagic, or diversifying what we see as Blue Foods in Jamaica,” he said.

He said Iberostar was seeking to establish an alliance involving other hotel operators, including Sandals, and the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), to develop a roadmap for sustainable seafood sourcing.

Waste management was another priority identified by Vermeulen who noted that there is an opportunity to expand the work of local waste management companies and explore initiatives such as waste-to-energy.

“There are very good waste managers in Jamaica. Jamaica Recycles is one of them, and we work with a couple of farms. So we see that there is the moment now they’ve been doing good work, they’ve been validated. So they are doing really responsible and sustainable work and now maybe it’s the moment to upscale that.

So going from one or two trucks to maybe 10 trucks, maybe one day going to waste to energy, things that we saw during this learning and change. These are all things happening in the Dominican Republic but I see Jamaica as the same,” he added.

Looking ahead, Van Balveren said the resort hopes to contribute to Jamaica’s efforts to attract more high-value visitors by offering a luxury experience centred on gastronomy, wellness, personalised service and connections to local culture.

“We also look forward to welcoming the StarAgents Awards LATAM in 2027, which will bring influential travel advisors and industry professionals to the property. It will be a valuable opportunity to introduce JOIA Rose Hall to an important audience and showcase Jamaica as a destination for sophisticated, culturally rich luxury travel,” he added.