Caneel Bay closed in September & October?

[liamsaunt]

I wonder, will the employees get paid at all while the resort is closed? I know they have so many really long term employees there--there's a wall of their pictures adjacent to the bar. Two months is a long time to have to wait to go back to work on a standard hospitality worker's wage.

[Carolyn]

One can only HOPE that they have a plan for those employees but I wouldn't count on it. We have been talking about this subject and the only good we can come up with is perhaps concentrated on site improvements using the services of those loyal longterm employees. I wish the best for them.

[designbyroe]

I am thinking 1 of 2 things will hapen.
I say this since I worked with Caneel and one of my best friends works with Rosewood resorts

1. by giving the employees this much notice, they can either plan to take vac in Sept/Oct or get other employement.
2. They have set aside budget and will keep a skeleton staff on to maintain the grounds and such.

I would think the parking lot may not be open or will they just have guard tat the gate
The gift store will be closed.

We did alot of maintenance at Self Centre those months, to get ready for Nov -

[ScottB]

It all comes down to operating expenses. My guess is that by closing for those two months, they will still take a hit, but maybe just less of a hit. Trying to pay an entire staff while a huge amount of the rooms are not being sold, most likely costs them a LOT more than simply closing the doors for these two slower months.

Times are tough all over, and business owners are forced into making decisions that save money, and hopefully save businesses from going under.

I would bet that the parking lot will be closed for sure. Why would they want people wandering around the resort grounds while closed? It's sad for some that they are closing, but it's just reality in todays economy.

[Carolyn]

By the looks of the new guard house they have been constructing I bet it will be secure and access to the grounds will be quite limited to those that have business there. I imagine they will have to keep a staff to maintain the grounds but all the housekeepers jobs will be in jeopardy. Two months is a long time to be out of a job!

[hugo]

I believe Caneel is still the largest private employer in St. Thomas/st. John combined, with well over 400 workers. In the twenty years or so since Laurance Rockefeller sold the company, there has been an steadily increasing focus on the bottom line, with an erosion of all employee benefits. While wages were always on the low side in the past, the fringe benefits were always outstanding. The first time the property ever closed was following Hurricane Hugo in 1989, for two months, with any employees who wanted to work on the clean-up kept on. After Marilyn in 1995 they shut down for over a year, although damage was just about equal to Hugo.
The current management has little concern for traditions, including those of conservation and cooperation with the National Park. Fortunately, the NPS has some control, but not nearly as much as most people would be believe. The management has been defiant to the Park, and would certainly have constructed many additions such as time-shares if they had had free rein.

[Gromit]

As always Hugo-- you have some great insight!

[SRT]

I talked to a manager today about closure for two months. She confirmed that Caneel will be closed for September and October.

[designbyroe]

Hugo........do you mean the current managment or Rosewood Resorts?
I had thought the GM that was there in 2003 (can not remember his name) was very interested and supportive of the Natl Park.

[hugo]

i would have to say both, at this time-- although you are right, the previous two managers have been more personally interested in the island.

[Gromit]

Carolyn-- I noticed that construction project as well.

It's always seemed that the gate was pretty much unmanned most every time we drove by over the years (or maybe it was just tough to see anyone inside).

SO I was surprised when we drove by in December and saw so much work being done. Seems like a funny way to spend $$$ right now unless you hope to save a bunch by keeping folks out.

I've never really spent any time there even for dinner or the beach. There's always so much more to do on island it was just never on the priority list.

[Carolyn]

Gromit... I don't know that there has been any "guard" in recent years. We just drove on in and saw no one. So this year in Dec it did get our attention to see such an effort going into what seemed to be a non-functioning little building. It seems to me they are putting $$$ into building this for a purpose that didn't exist in the past??? Just saying! Time will tell!

Carolyn

[Gromit]

Sounds like we are in agreement... we'll see what happens next!

[mbw1024]

every time I drove in to Caneel there was a guard. we always just told him or her the rest for our visit (beach, dinner etc) and we were told to have a great time and waved on.
what are they doing to the gate house?

[Lulu76]

We didn't try to go to Caneel when we were there in November, but in October 2007, there was a not only a guard in the little booth, but he wanted to collect a fee from us to drive onto the grounds. I'm not sure if it was $4/car or $4/person, but I think it may have been $4/person, because we decided to go to Trunk instead.