THE CONTROVERSIAL Almond Beach Resort in St Peter has not opened its doors in two years but the facility is taking bookings for the winter tourist season from visitors and promoting a grand reopening for January 16.
The former 600-room hotel, which was closed two years ago after the hotel chain fell into deep financial trouble, is being managed by the local Sun Group until it is completely refurbished and leased to Jamaican hotel magnate Gordon “Butch” Stewart.
A check of the website showed that the hotel, which was once the island’s largest all-inclusive property, was taking bookings for rooms starting US$160 per night up to a maximum of US$280 per night for a one-bedroom deluxe beachfront suite.
However, instead of the 600 rooms that brought a consistent stream of visitors to the country, the soon to be reopened facility will only have 135.
