A week after its grand opening, the Guyana Marriott is still in the process of completing necessary work to finish the hotel and have all the amenities up and running.
Stabroek News understands that while a majority of the standard rooms have been completed, furnished and had a final inspection, the vast majority of the executive suites remain incomplete. This newspaper was told that the hotel is working on the kinks while the traffic is slow.
Standard rates are set at US$199 excluding taxes but the hotel is also offering a local rate of US$149 excluding taxes to entice Guyanese into a `staycation’.
The standard room consists of a king-sized bed or two queen beds. Guests who wish to stay in the executive level rooms will have to be prepared to spend anywhere from US$259 for a club room, US$399 for a junior suite, US$549 for a family suite or US$799 for a night in the presidential suite.
The Guyana Marriott opened on April 16th at which point neither the pool area inclusive of the bar and grill nor the salon and spa was ready. Hotel management had previously told Stabroek News that the hotel is looking forward to a business clientele and the Guyana Manufac-turing and Services Association (GMSA) last Wednesday moved its business luncheon from the Pegasus Hotel to the Marriott. Additionally, the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment in collaboration with the US Embassy held an Energy Gover-nance and Capacity Initiative (EGCI) workshop there on Wednesday morning.
Currently, the hotel ensures that the 24-hour common area which is at the back of the atrium, is staffed at all times. The hotel also only has one restaurant at the moment, an American Fusion eatery with an Italian name, the Terra Mare. With over 50 wines, and an à la carte option alongside a buffet, guests of the hotel and the general public are promised an experience. The American Fusion extends across the menu with many core ingredients being imported from abroad but the buffet is where local cuisine is featured. Diners can anticipate a full meal from appetizer to dessert to cost from $10,000 per person upwards.
At the time of Stabroek News’ visit, the hotel had a sprinkling of guests and polite staff constantly cleaned windows and smiled in acknowledgment.
A walkthrough of the hotel common areas revealed a very modern design with little local craftsmanship. The Guyana Marriott boasts an atrium, common area and restaurant with multiple faux wood facets that mimic the texture of polished Manni or Kabukali two of Guyana’s 21 species of common woods.
Hotel cleaning staff could be seen at points along the beach cleaning flotsam as the ocean washed it ashore. Stabroek News was told that cleanliness was incredibly important for an establishment aspiring to five-star status. Signs of use marked the interior and after only a week of being open, the staircase leading to the conference rooms and grand ballroom appeared to be well used.
The Marriott is quite a sight, a massive concrete sky blue hotel surrounded by old colonial style wooden buildings used by various government agencies in various stages of decay.
Stabroek News had requested from the Head of Atlantic Hotel Inc, Winston Brassington the current occupancy of the hotel as he had stated that revenue would now be responsible for covering the cost of running the hotel. However, he declined to state what the occupancy was.
Prior to the opening, the Chinese contractor for the project, Shanghai Construction was responsible for the costs. With a minimal amount of guests so far and as the hotel finds its bearings, it is likely that further tax dollars will be needed to cover the operating costs of the 197-room hotel as litigation continues to stall the promised private investment.
Former Member of Parliament Desmond Trotman had filed a legal action last year opposing the passing of the mortgages from Atlantic Hotel Inc to Republic Bank and the matter is ongoing.
At the ribbon-cutting ceremony Stabroek News spoke with Xu Han, one of the potential Hong Kong- based private investors who said that he was pleased with the hotel and hoped that the legal action filed by Trotman is resolved soon. Han and Victor How Chung Chan, owners of ACE Square Investments Ltd were slated to invest US$8M to acquire 67% equity in the hotel, prior to the litigation.
As it stands government through its holding company NICIL has invested US$36M into the US$58M project – the brainchild of former President Bharrat Jagdeo. Republic Bank Ltd of Trinidad has invested US$15.25M out of its US$27M total financing. Brassington had previously stated that the additional financing was also hindered by the ongoing legal action.
