Fresh Off Of Complete Redesign, The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas Welcomes Guests Again
[St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands]– An icon is reemerging in the USVI. Following a brief closure, The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas has relaunched and is thrilled to be welcoming guests once again.
The reopening comes on the heels of a $100 million redesign in late 2019, which debuted fully transformed public spaces, rooms and suites, a new and upgraded house luxury catamaran, fresh dining venues inclusive of a new culinary concept.
With an abundant sense of gratitude, the Ladies and Gentlemen of The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas are ready to provide guests with an unforgettable escape this fall and winter, and beyond.
This time marks a special moment for the property, not only due to the reopening but also due to the recent appointment of Arjun Channa as General Manager, overseeing all operations of the newly reimagined hotel.
With experience working in 12 different countries, Channa brings expansive global experience and leadership skills to the property. Most recently, he served as the General Manager of the Westin Calgary in Alberta, Canada, where his team was recognized for Financial Excellence, Western Canada and The JW Marriot Award of Excellence for Diversity & Inclusion initiatives, including Women’s Leadership Development Pilot Program.
“I am honored to join the Ladies and Gentlemen of The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas, and excited to be returning to the Caribbean,” said Channa. “This property has a reputation for excellence, and I look forward to furthering and enhancing its legacy of exceptional service. Now more than ever, with the holidays approaching and the world experiencing unbelievable turbulence, we are grateful for each and every one our guests and look forward to welcoming them back and offering them an escape like no other. We are grateful to our Ladies and Gentlemen who have been working diligently to ensure a safe and memorable stay for our visitors.”
An Indian-born Canadian, Channa’s career has taken him all over the globe. Channa speaks six languages, allowing him to bridge cultures with ease.
After studying hospitality in Neufchatel, Switzerland, he began his career in Algeria, working in Stewarding. Channa then moved to United Arab Emirates, where he worked in various Food & Beverage roles for Starwood, leading him to his first Director of Food & Beverage position at the Great Wall Sheraton in Beijing, China.
A few more leadership moves led him back to UAE, to Kenya, and then back to China where he served as the Hotel Manager at the Sheraton Sanya Resort.
Channa took on his first General Manager role at Le Meridien Port Vila Resort & Casino in Vanuatu, followed by another GM assignment at the Sheraton Udaipur Palace Resort & Spa in India. He then served as Task Force General Manager for Starwood’s Brand Assurance Team as well as the Acquisition & Development Team, both for South Asia.
Arjun then moved his family to the Americas, taking the role of Hotel Manager at the Sheraton Centre Toronto. It was during this time that he gained experience in the Caribbean as the Task Force General Manager at the Westin Aruba Resort & Casino, as well as the W Vieques Resort in Puerto Rico.
