Hi - We returned from STT May 8 and the former Grand Beach was closed when we were there. There is still a gatekeeper and you can get on the property to be able to get over to Pineapple / Blazing Villas, etc. I think you might be able to get into Fungi's across the east part of the beach but we climbed on down the long way from Point Pleasant. When you are on the road going down to Coki, that back side of the resort looks like a ghost town. There was activity on the beach but that must have been the guests from the villas. I hated to see this place close - it was where we stayed on our first trip to STT in 1986. On subsequent trips to STT / STJ We would always stop there to have one of those great Fudgsicles that they whipped up at the bar - yummmmm.

How does this happen? Did they not have enough guests? We stayed there on our honeymoom in 1997. At that time it was a Marriott Renaissance property.

I thought the property was beautiful. The beach wasn't great....but the pool was nice.

If this is wrong, I hope others will jump in here but I think I remember reading in the online St. Thomas Source or the VI News that the property was purchased by a hotel syndicate based in Mexico – one of the companies that has properties in the Riviera Maya area. Subsequent to their taking over there were some strong labor disputes and, rather than working them through, the company shuttered the property. Seems kind of a baby with the bath water approach but who knows what was all involved. This last trip, while we were having drinks in the bar waiting for our table Agave Terrace we met a man, a retired construction engineer from Ohio, who had spent considerable time on island working on the construction of Sugar Bay and on the GB’s sister property on STJ. He remembered discussing the GB’s persistent structural problems with some of the GB crew. This kind of fits because, in spring of 1986, when we were there, it was Carnival and the hotel was full. The restaurants were always packed and we wondered about the situation with the big restaurant built waaayyyyy at the top of “heart attack hill”. We were told it could not open as it had proved structurally unsound. So, I am concluding – right or wrong – that there were other issues with that property other than labor. Maybe issues that needed lots of $$ to fix. Anyway, we were hooked on STT & STJ after that first trip, stayed at both Pavilions & Pools and Sapphire Beach Resort over the next 5-7 trips and then started renting villas. The Beach at GB still looks the same – although a bit lonely – so, if you return, have dinner at Agave Terrace and you can look down at the view of your honeymoon hotel.

Gosh I remember that place being the Souffers.

Would it be a bad thing if the Mexican company takes over. I have been to the Rivera Maya (nothing is better than STT) and the hotels are very elaborate, clean and the is service impeccable. I suppose it depends on if they hire the locals though if it would be a good thing or a bad thing. It just appears to me that the hotels in MEX had very high standards and that might be a good thing in STT.

Kimberly - I also remember it being the Stouffer's Grand Beach at one time - I think it has had four or five names. I guess the question is whether or not the owner will re-open or if they are done and have put it on the sales block. Maybe someone on-island can give some insight as to its future.

In Mexico they pay their workers next to nothing. Can't happen here in a US territory! Similar to why cruise ships are all foreign registry, they can't get away with the slave wages they pay the crew if US.

They tried run it their wayto no avail, picked up their ball and went home. There was the union issue which Ithought was premature on the union's part!

It's on the market now for more than twice what they paid. Will be a good deal if they do sell. Undertand there is some litigation over the sale also!

Also know that one or two of the buildings were closed up because of structural problems.

Ronnie

Ronnie-

If they did take over wouldn't they have to pay the locals what they are being paid compared to other hotel properties?
Do they have a minimum wage?

I couldn't imagin the locals being paid what they pay in MEX. I also couldn't imagin MEX operators bringing in all their own employees to pay less-plus they would never be able to afford to live in STT at that salary.

"have dinner at Agave Terrace and you can look down at the view of your honeymoon hotel"

Margy-

We're now divorced...so it's kind of fitting! LOL

I'm sorry they closed the hotel and, obviously, people are out of work because of it. Such as shame to let such a nice property go to waste. I remember when it was just called "Pineapple Beach".

And my son and his friend liked to take the Smith Bay bus over there (when we were staying at Sapphire) and play basketball on the courts. On one occasion they missed the stop and learned how navigate the island by bus. Too bad about the labor disputes. But, lesson learned to people from other places thinking they can insist their ways on the island....big mistake!

We just returned from STT Saturday and looked at some property at Point Pleasant, which is adjacent to Grand Beach. We talked to the guys at Fungi's who told us that there were many issues that caused the Mexican corp to pull out of GB. One was that they tried to make it an all inclusive, and the rates were too high to compete. Besides, who would want to eat all your meals at GB when there are so many other options on the island. We did walk the beach and unforunately it has not be well kept, with plastic bottles littering the beach and dead sea grass piled up along the shore. It wasn't very appealing. Hopefully it will be purchased and cleaned up.

All:

We were at Point Pleasant in January. The Grand Beach property was purchased by a consortium from Atlanta that has something to do with BET & MTV. They are planning to open an entertainment resort. The manager, Qunicy, told us that their plans were for an opening around June (2005). However, that might have been a little optimistic. Their personnel were the ones cleaning Pineapple Beach when we were there.

Regards,

F.I.

Kimberly. The problem began whne they immediately turned the hotel into an all inclusive(AI). At this point the waitstaff were not allowed any tips. Tips added to the bills were split equally through a system that had folks with no personal contact getting "their" share. Beforehand they were paid a higher wage than the waitsaff. Waitstaff get a lower than minumum wage as they work for tips. With the implementation of the AI policy, wages went up but did not cover how much money was made if a person excelled in their service. Hence the concern. The union moved in while they were trying to adjust to AI way and blew things up for the hotel calling them all kinds of names as to how they would be exploiting the poor workers and started demanding higher wages on the onset.

I feel that as time passed, they would have worked out the kinks including getting rid of the AI concept which isn't really needed around here. So they got fed up and left!

Ronnie

I think that they had the same mentality as their President Vincente Fox when it comes to low income wage earners, and it did not fly here. An expensive lesson for all involved.

Actually I think it was formerly called "Grand Bay Palace". I was staying there (Renaissance) the week the deal went through (Nov '03). One day in the middle of the week, we left in the morning and came back in the afternoon and the sign was changed. I passed up the resort because it threw me off.

Then I remembered, I sat at the hotel bar earlier in the week with the guy that was there to broker the deal. He told me it was going to happen.

tmax

FI: That sale fell through also. They were going to have this big music fest to announce it etc, and pffft. Nada. There is no shortage of big talk here!

Ronnie-

Wow-thanks for that info.

Plus...why do an AI in STT when there are sooo many awesome restaurants. That's one of the many things I look forward to while I am there :O)

My sister was married at the rennisance in june of 2000 and i was I was married there(grand Beach Palace) in August of 2005. I returned to STT in May of 2005 but we stayed in a private condo a little past red hook and i really do miss staying there, mostly because of the closeness of Coki beach. It's a shame to see such a beatiful resort no operating. We had great service from the staff at the GB during our hotel, I had about 70 guest in attendance so we pretty much had run of the hotel! The waiters & waitresses were also great because they were very aggrivated with the closing of the resort they gave us many free drinks and food (none of us were all inclusive) so we just tipped them generously! Hopefully someone will buy it soon!

Good morning! People who miss staying at the Renaissance (or Grand Palace) Beach Resort can always stay at the condos on the same property. In fact, I have a villa there and, although the restaurant, hotel and other establishments aren't there, one can still enjoy the Pineapple Village pool and, of course, the beach of Water Bay. And lounge chairs and hammocks are on the beach. All of us here hope that one of these "sales" will go through soon. I think there have been 3 interested parties or more. It's such a lovely property to just sit here empty! Come on down anyway! 🙂