BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – The tiny dual-island Caribbean nation of St. Kitts and Nevis will gain a new luxury resort this summer with the launch of the 126-room Park Hyatt St Kitts to be located on the beach at Banana Bay in St. Kitts’ Christophe Harbour development.
The agreement for the construction of the Park Hyatt St Kitts was signed by then Prime Minister the Right Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas in Dubai in 2012 and the ground breaking for its construction of the high-end resort took place on June 3rd 2013.
At the groundbreaking ceremony on 3rd June 2013, then St. Kitts and Nevis’ Prime Minister Dr. Douglas said the decision to establish a Park Hyatt Hotel in St. Kitts was in keeping with his Government’s commitment to expand the number of high-end resorts and boutique hotels, not only enhance the Federation’s appeal to stay-over travelers, but more importantly, to ensure that the stay-over visitors travelling to St. Kitts and Nevis would be able to have the type of overall impact that is being sought.
According to Sheobi Anne Ramos in Travelers Today, the new hotel’s restaurant will feature three signature restaurants, a world-class destination spa and wellness center and event space. Accommodations will include 78 guest rooms and 48 suites, each with a private balcony or terrace.
Amenities will also include beachfront activities, adult and family swimming pools, a Spa, and The Island Fort by Camp Hyatt for kids. Fisherman’s Village will offer ocean-to-table lunch and dinner dining, and Stone Barn, a fine dining experience.
The resort will be Park Hyatt’s first property in the Caribbean.
The new hotel is one of several major properties to open across the Caribbean in 2017 and will have Julian Moore, an Australian native, at the helm. Moore, who started out as a bellman at The Regent in Melbourne will oversee all resort operations. His experience includes three decades in hospitality leadership positions in cities including Dubai and Thailand.
Most recently, Moore spent two years as General Manager at Park Hyatt Hadahaa in the Maldives, where the resort garnered prestigious recognition under his guidance. We spoke with Moore recently about the challenge of launching a new Caribbean resort.
TP: Is the new hotel a revamping of an existing property or is it a new build?
Julian Moore (JM): I’m delighted to share that Park Hyatt St Kitts is an entirely new build, with a unique fusion of contemporary and colonial style. The resort spans the breadth of the golden sandy shores of Banana Bay, and is nestled into the surrounding mountain backdrop.
TP: How did the company decide to build the property in its particular location and why has the company decided to open its first hotel in St. Kitts?
JM: The Park Hyatt brand is iconic for selecting locations that are not only aesthetically outstanding, but also ones that additionally bear profound cultural, historical and environmental significance. The South East Peninsula where Banana Bay and the resort is located is an oasis of nature, vistas and archival features and events which played major roles in shaping the unique essence of the island today.
We are thrilled that the opening of Park Hyatt St Kitts will mark the debut of the Park Hyatt brand in the Caribbean region. There are currently 39 Park Hyatt hotels around the globe.
TP: What distinguishes the Park Hyatt brand from other Hyatt hotels?
JM: The Hyatt portfolio now consists of 12 hotel brands. Each brand has its own distinct traits catering to the needs of various types of travelers. The Park Hyatt brand is recognized globally as the ‘luxury’ brand of Hyatt. Its commitment is to “unfold journeys of rare and intimate experiences” for its discerning guests. We take pride in those experiences being particularly sophisticated, enriching and uncommon.
TP: What is the hotel’s anticipated guest profile?
JM: Although we are sensitive to the fact that each visitor is unique and tailor our experiences accordingly, it would be fair to say that the typical Park Hyatt guest is ‘a global connoisseur’ – culturally engaged, sophisticated travelers of all ages and diverse backgrounds.
TP: How will the new property incorporate elements of St. Kitts culture into its operation?
JM: Park Hyatt St. Kitts has infused the culture of the island in its physical design and the content of its offerings. The Fisherman’s Village for instance, one of the resort’s signature restaurants, is reflective of the huts and berths that historically lined the coast of St. Kitts. Paying homage to local fishermen and the critical role they have played and continue to play in the livelihood of the island, The Fisherman’s Village will offer an ‘ocean to table’ dining experience for guests.
Park Hyatt St. Kitts is also home to a nine treatment room spa, dubbed the ‘Sugar Mill Spa & Sanctuary’. The spa is fit for meditation experiences and yoga with a lofty mill akin to the mills that dot the island. The sugar mills are reminders of the once flourishing sugar industry on St. Kitts.
