The newly-renovated Tower Suites has been fully booked for the ‘jubilee season,’ according to Operations Manager Chandrika Hemraj.
Hemraj told Stabroek News yesterday that guests will begin checking in to the 78-room hotel today.
“Guests will arrive from May 18 and will continue arriving until May 22. From that date, we are completely booked until May 30,” he explained.
According to Hemraj, who has been active in the hospitality sector for 18 years, the Tower Suites is hoping to reconnect with its customer base, which is the business traveller even as it attempts attract the leisure traveler with improved entertainment offerings.
“We have several unique entertainments to offers such as the Privilege sports lounge, which is open from 10 am and [the] poolside designed as an outdoor entertainment area with a swim up bar. Customers can come to the sports lounge and have cocktails or enjoy a full dining experience. We also have a fully functioning gym that is open to the general public, a fine dining restaurant, which is still to come on stream and a banquet hall open for rental,” he said.
One of the more unique attractions is an Arapaima being displayed in the pool area. Asked about the animal, Hemraj assured that the hotel has secured all the necessary permission from the Ministry of Agriculture.
“All paperwork has been secured and we were advised by fisheries officials on how to house and feed it. We also have a specialist come in every week to check the animal and the habitat,” he said, while stressing that the animal was raised in captivity, having been imported from Brazil and raised on a farm.
Asked about the cost of the hotel’s renovations and the absence of the owners from Saturday’s opening, Hemraj noted that he as Operations Manager could not provide the renovation cost but was sure that the principals would when the time was right.
“The hotel was auctioned by Citizen’s Bank and bought by S&S Mining, whose directors, Shawn and Shervington Lovell made a major investment in its renovation but I don’t think they are the type of businessmen who would show off,” he explained.
He also noted that in employing staff, the new management took the decision to advertise and select based on experience and other qualifications. He could not state whether any of the present staff had previously been employed at the hotel under any of the previous management.
In 2014, under the ownership of Salim Azeez, US-based businessman James Manbahal, Bharti Persaud Misir and Varendra Shiwratan, the hotel was abruptly closed without paying its employees termination benefits due to them.
