Turk paid US$25M for Buddy’s

– plans huge upgrade, eyes Hilton brand

By Judy H. Fitzpatrick in St Maarten

Buddy’s International Hotel, which was sold to Turkish hotelier Sudi Özkan last month for US$25 million, could soon bear the Hilton brand if current talks come to fruition and will see massive investment for an upgrade to a five-star property.

Sudi Özkan and his Belarusian wife KatsiarynaIn an interview at his St Maarten home yesterday, Özkan who owns and operates about ten hotel properties around the world under the umbrella of the Princess Group of Companies, said that if the Hilton decided in favour of its brand being used, he would like to christen the Providence, East Bank Demerara hotel ‘Guyana Hilton’ or ‘Princess Hilton.’