A year ago, the resort was acquired by Belmond Ltd., a London-based hotel and leisure company with a global collection of some 46 iconic hotels, trains and river cruises. Cap Juluca, which was given the company’s brand name, was subsequently closed for renovation and expansion.
Mr. Rui Reis, the company’s Divisional Managing Director for North America, Mexico and the Caribbean, was in Anguilla on May 25, 2017, for the acquisition and signing of the Memorandum of Understanding.
Back in Anguilla, several days ago, he told The Anguillian: “It was an important day that we signed the acquisition and it has been a very busy year. It was also personally a very important day for me because it is exactly one year ago that I arrived in Anguilla so I came back to celebrate the important day.”
Mr. Reis continued: “The construction work is at a very excellent paste and, as you know, we are still set to open Belmond Cap Juluca on November 17. We have just finished a tour of the entire facilities; and the development, hiring of staff and so on, are going very well and we are very happy with the progress we are making.
“I think that when we open again Belmond Cap Juluca will not only be very, very good news for Belmond in the world, but it will also be wonderful news for Anguilla. It will be another opportunity for Anguilla to again be remembered all over the world for the great beauty of the island. I am very happy that Belmond is helping to bring the glamour and this luxury feeling to Anguilla again.”
The work at Belmond Cap Juluca is being supervised by the General Manager, Mr. Taigo Sarmento who has been in Anguilla since the inception of the construction.
“We are very excited,” he told the newspaper. “It is a one-year milestone and one of many years to come. We are extremely excited to be here with the people of Anguilla and to build this resort together. November 17 is the mark and all indications are that it will be a very successful opening.”
According to Mr. Sarmento, when completed, Belmond Cap Juluca will have 113 bedrooms – almost double its prior occupancy capacity. Among other things, there will be four food & beverage venues including Pimms and Spice Restaurants which will change names. Members of the public will soon be informed about other changes as part of the general improvement and upgrading of the hotel.
