Starfish Hotel shuts its doors, workers paid off

by Linda Straker

• Starfish Hotel prepares to undertake renovation, expansion and rebranding
• Staff paid for years of service
• Royalton Grenada opens in December 2019

As of Sunday, 12 May 2019, the Starfish Hotel formerly called the Grenadian by Rex, checked out its last batch of guests as the property prepares to undertake renovation, expansion and rebranding that will result in a US$80 million investment.

In November 2018, Stephen Hunter, CEO of Sunwing Group disclosed the new developments about the Hotel during a news conference held jointly with Prime Minister Dr Keith Mitchell. The announcement of the expansion came weeks after it was disclosed that the Sunwing Group had reached a deal with the owners in which it obtained majority shares.

Hunter assured the media that the action plan in going forward will see the hotel evolving to become the home for one of the world’s top all-inclusive brand — the Royalton.

“The hotel will reopen as the Royalton Grenada in December 2019. Royalton is the #1 all-inclusive hotel in the world, so the #1 all-inclusive hotel is coming to Grenada,” Hunter had said.

The investment will see the renovating of the entire hotel plus the building of an additional 60 rooms that will bring the room inventory to about 300.

The property which employed under 100 workers has paid out the staff for their years of service in accordance with the collective agreement signed with the Grenada Maritime, Manual and Intellectual Workers Union (GMMIWU).

Union representative Oscar Williams said that the staff will also be getting first preference for employment when the new property reopens.

The largest integrated travel company in North America, Sunwing Travel Group comprises 2 leading leisure tour operators, Sunwing Vacations and Vacation Express; Sunwing Airlines, Canada’s premier leisure airline; SunwingJets, a luxury private jet charter service; together with the group’s own travel retail businesses, SellOffVacations.com and Luxe Destination Weddings.

Blue Diamond Resorts is the group’s hotel division, an innovative organisation that operates popular resort brands including Planet Hollywood Hotels &Resorts, Royalton Luxury Resorts, CHIC by Royalton Luxury Resorts, Memories Resorts & Spa, Starfish Resorts and Mystique Resorts across the Caribbean and Mexico.