Though spending seventeen (17) years in the trenches in the fledgling hospitality industry and five (5) as the Parliamentary Secretary with responsibility for Tourism does not qualify me as an expert in tourism, I happen to believe that there is no reason why hotels in Anguilla should close.
Our tourism industry began way back in 1959 when in July, Mr. David Lloyd Sr. opened the doors of Lloyds Guest house, now LLoyd’s Bed and Breakfast. Mr. Lloyd was a pioneer and started what was really a hotel during a time when Anguilla had no paved roads, no running water, no electricity and no telecommunication services. The days of free WiFi and all the technological amenities that are commonplace today were not even a thought. The hotel opened and was followed up by another Anguillian entrepreneur, Mr. Jeremiah Gumbs, Anguilla’s roving Ambassador to the United Nations during our brief period of independence who opened his Rendezvous Bay Hotel.
Rendezvous Bay Hotel was our first beach hotel however, our entire hospitality industry changed when Sue and Robin Ricketts came to Anguilla. They fell in love and created Ricketts & Associates in 1978. They brought with them the sort of technical knowhow and experience that Anguilla was not exposed to. It was during this time that 179 acres of land in Maundays Bay/Cove was acquired from private landowners by the government of the United Kingdom, granted to the government of Anguilla and then leased to Mr. Dion Friedland to create the sort of economic activity that Anguillians deserved. There was a time when this appeared to be a real possibility. Many of our people resided overseas due to lack of opportunity and we were considered the nomads of the Caribbean. At the time, our resident population was less than half of what it is today, with more roaming goats than people.
A British gentleman by the name of Mr. Leon Roydon was vacationing in St. Maarten. He came to Anguilla on a day trip and visited the department of Tourism looking for investment opportunities. He was introduced to the Ricketts who were looking for investors for the various portions of land they had put together at Meads Bay. This land was perched on a bluff on the northern side of the magnificent Meads Bay and was secured with the help of many Anguillians. Both Mr. Roydon and his wife who hailed from France immediately fell in love. He then, together with the Ricketts who took a minority shareholding immediately started mobilization. Plans and construction were quickly put together for a hotel there. But Mr. Roydon didn’t just do this; he bought Cul de Sac, a tiny hotel and restaurant a mere six (6) miles from the hotel. He brought in a 3 Michelin Star chef and a room service was run on dirt roads to the fledgling hotel, which opened its first eight rooms in two villas right on the beach in 1981. Its first guest took the entire villa and was the famous fashion designer, Georgio Armani. Anguilla’s first luxury hotel and villa industry was born and Cul De Sac became the breeding ground for our very best hospitality professionals some of whom are still in the game most notably, famed Sommelier, Mr. Albert Lake.
In those days, the turnaround from investor to project construction was rapid. The ease of doing business in Anguilla in the 1980s spurred unprecedented growth and construction was fast. Local contractors demonstrated a pride and competence and this speed allowed the hotel to open its first eight rooms which were used as a profile of things to come. The entire hotel fully opened in 1984, as Anguilla’s very first Five Star Luxury Hotel. It was blessed with the name Malliouhana, a fitting name for the first property of this caliber. A name the original inhabitants, the Tainos, called the island thousands of years earlier. Malliouhana was an immediate success.
The Ricketts changed hospitality in Anguilla. It’s safe to say the Roydons were right there in the hospitality revolution. But, the Ricketts were not satisfied with one creation. They took sight of the land over in Maundays Bay that was leased by Mr. Dion Freidland a magical spot that we, as children and those before us made a regular meeting place, picnic and party spot. We enjoyed that beach and many families would meet there especially over weekends. This all changed with the beginning of construction of the hotel. The construction created hundreds of jobs including my first job as a school boy. Anguilla was now on a new path to growth. This, coupled with the development and growth of the local and offshore banking sector brought home many Anguillians who worked overseas and were now skilled. Government now had the revenue to train human resources and develop the infrastructure. The breeding ground that was created by Malliouhana and the government of Anguilla’s VOTECH center, gave this industry many skilled personnel. That along with the naturally warm, friendly, welcoming people and a country that had virtually no crime created a real buzz. Airlift out of San Juan was regular and the Ferries, though slow, were reliable. In 1988, on Maundays Bay, Cap Juluca opened; named after the Arawak Rainbow God whose petroglyph can be found in Anguilla’s famed Fountain Cavern in Shoal Bay. The Sonesta/Casa Blanca was swinging and Cocoloba and Cinnamon Reef were jamming, just as Ce Blue in Crocus Bay is today.
Anguilla grew. As a child, most homes, including ours did not have electricity or telephones. The public paved roads did not extend beyond the middle of South Hill, so roads leading to the western side of the island were all dirt but it did not matter. Foreign Direct Investment came in droves. Anguillians made significant investments in the island and hotels remained open. Cap Juluca revolutionized Anguilla. It became the place to be. The wait list was as long as I am tall and Anguilla was the hot spot. To say it colloquially, “St. Barths wasn’t in anything.”
Many other services sprung up. Lucy’s Harbour View and Smithy’s now had competition. Johnno’s was hot; Sharp Boy kept Sandy Island busy and Scilly Cay grew. Cuisinart Resort & Spa opened its doors just before Christmas 1999, a few weeks after the devastation of Hurricane Lenny. Villas and other charming escapes and Anguilla’s culinary status grew and very few properties closed. They remained open year round creating jobs and revenue for the growing population that grew significantly from the 6,500 in the early 80s.
Then came September 4th, 1995. A category 4 hurricane called Luis swept through. This hurricane which lasted until September 5th, devastated the island. Every single hotel was significantly impacted and none more than Cap Juluca. Anguillians worked hard to restore the island. While this restoration was in full effect, the development of Temenos, Altamar and others was taking place. Carimar, Cove Castles and others were already doing pretty good. Today, the buzz is all about the new kid on the block, Viceroy Hotel & Residences and rightfully so but they too, close for a period of the year.
Post 1995, almost every single hotel property began closing at the end of August, beginning of September. Some as long as two months. This had a knock-on effect on the overall economy. Things came to a halt on island, thousands of persons were for all intents and purposes, unemployed or underemployed during this period. Closure did not stop the interest in Anguilla. Unfortunately, the closure of the hotels necessitated the closure of restaurants and other services so even locals had reduced places to go. My time in the industry taught me that this did not only impact the workers and the overall economy but it also impacted the bottom line of the hotels around the island. It is less costly to remain open but this tradition of closure seemed to cloud better judgement.
In 2008, Cap Juluca was sold to Mr. Adam Aron and he smartly decided to keep the hotel opened all year. In speaking with him, he made it clear that keeping the hotel open during that period was a money loser but the losses were much higher when the hotel closed. Discussions with General Managers around the island substantiated this claim. Every one of them made it clear that losses would be less if the properties remained open during this September/October period. After all, it’s the time of the year when our weather is at its absolutely best. It’s the time of the year when the ocean is almost as still as a mirror albeit, the peak of the Atlantic Hurricane season.
So why do hotels in Anguilla close? It appears to be an ownership decision based on the post 1995 normal. Owners traditionally close during this period even though it works against their best interest. I am of the opinion that this trend needs to reverse. Contingency planning for hurricanes has always been a major part of hotel operations in Anguilla. After all, the hurricane season begin months before the hotels close and continue after they are reopened.
It is time that owners realize the benefits to their bottom line that remaining open will garner. In my time, I have spoken to every single hotelier regarding this practice and urged them to revisit the same, some are contemplating doing so. As we celebrate yet another tourism week, we must come to the realization that tourism is our business. No business closes its doors for two months and survive or thrives. The island should not be a part-time island with a part-time economy and a part-time business. It is in everyone’s best interest the major hotels remain open throughout the year.
We look forward to the opening of new properties such as Ananya, Solaire, Manoah and Zemi Beach Resort, we are hopeful that they will buck the trend. The owners of Zemi Beach seem open to transformational change in Anguilla’s unique hospitality industry and they may be the next hotel to usher in the new renaissance in the same.
Anguilla deserves nothing less. Happy Anguilla Tourism Week.
(Published without editing by The Anguillian newspaper.)
