Sandals has eyes on Jewels
Published:Thursday | April 30, 2020 | 12:26 AM
Sandals Resorts International is reportedly seeking to add Playa’s Jewel Dunn’s River and Jewel Runaway Bay to its hotel portfolio.
News of the interest comes months after Playa, which currently operates Hyatt Ziva and Zilara, Jewel Grand Montego Bay and Hilton Rose Hall, saw its stocks decline significantly and local partner Sagicor’s admission of tremendous loss in the tourism industry.
A group from Sandals visited Jewel Dunn’s River on Wednesday, particularly, on a stock-taking mission, Gleaner sources revealed.
If the deal materialises, it would be the second time that Sandals has managed the Ocho Rios property, the last being 2010 when Sagicor did not renew its contract.
It is believed that neither of the two hotels will return to the market after the COVID-19 pandemic settles down, owing to plans to renovate them.
Both resorts are expected to reopen by 2021. It is not clear if Runaway Bay, which already has a multimillion-dollar waterpark, will remain a family resort.
Chris Zacca, president and CEO of the Sagicor Group, which has a stake in Playa, declined comment, saying only, “That would be for the Playa executives.”