Hoteliers Dee and Michael George have purchased the historic Herdmanston Annexe on Lamaha Street, formerly owned by GuySuCo, and will add it to their hotel business while preserving elements of its colonial architecture.
“Yes, indeed the property was sold to us and we are going ahead with expansion for what will be called the Herdmanston Residential Suites…,” Michael George told Stabroek News yesterday.
His wife Dee was quick to add that given their current hotel (formerly Herd-manston House) and the annexe were former Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) properties, they feel it important to continue “preserving the story of sugar”, and that they will use their newest acquisition to continue this.
“Our business model has always been telling the story of sugar and will continue it with that building. These properties was once owned by GuySuCo and a lot of people don’t know the history. That building was called Herdmanston Annexe and where we are now [called] Herdmanston House. We incorporate aspects of GuySuCo to evoke interest and pique the curiosity of persons. The restaurant is named Sucre, rooms after sugar estates; you have the Ogle Room because of where GuySuCo’s Head Office was; Cane View Terrace; Yellow Crystal Suites…all of the rooms have names relating to sugar,” she said.
The Lot 18 Lamaha Street property was bought by the Georges and it was part of the call by the current government for Expressions of Interest (EOIs) to build hotels across the country.
It once housed GuySuCo visitors and later served as the Head office for the Marriott Hotel, while that facility was being built. When the Marriott moved, it became the residence of then Minister of Agriculture and former Minister of Natural Resources Robert Persaud. After Persaud left in 2015, it housed the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority until earlier this year when that agency moved to another Queenstown location.
Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Oneidge Walrond explained that as development plans for the tourism and hospitality sector proceeded, her ministry was informed of the planned expansion and welcomed it.
“When we had the call for EOIs they had responded and were part of that. They are one of the businesses that responded…,” she told Stabroek News yesterday.
“We were briefed [on the expansion],” she explained.
In late September 2020, President Irfaan Ali had told this newspaper that plans were on stream for four new hotel franchises to be established here. Shortly after taking office, according to Ali, a number of business proposals were sent to his government, including expressions to build hotels. It was in light of this he said that invitations of interest were publicly advertised so that all interested hoteliers and investors would be given a chance to highlight projects intended.
In April of this year, Head of G-Invest Dr. Peter Ramsaroop announced that seven new hotels are to be constructed this year, as the government’s plans for the hospitality sector advance.
He had said that the construction of these hotels will put the accommodation industry on stream to meet an expected 2,000-room demand by 2025. These hotels and three others under construction will see a total of over 1200 rooms.
Herdmanston Lodge was listed with 60 rooms but no other details were provided.
Ramsaroop yesterday said that G-Invest and government were pleased with Herdmanston’s submission and “happy” to see the expansion taking off.
He said that local participation was always pertinent to development plans and that Herdmanston’s owners would be given the same concessions for their category of investment.
“It was part of the whole application process for their expansion. They would have applied in regular stream for that building and sixty-plus rooms are planned. We were excited to get local investors to participate and expand their businesses,” Ramsaroop said.
He also named King’s Suites and SleepIn Hotel as other local companies that will be expanding.
“We are glad that local investors have stepped up…they will get concessions we offer during process and we want to see them do really well,” he added.
For Michael and Dee George, their newest project investment is just an extension of their bringing an intimate heritage experience to guests, as they experience the hospitality Guyana offers but also learn about the country’s deep sugar history.
“An intimate heritage hotel in Guyana. This upperscale Guyana hotel prides itself in excellent guest service. One of only a few Guyana hotels that have maintained Guyana’s distinctive colonial architecture, the Herdmanston Guyana hotel is perched within extensive lawns and a garden which is home to some of the gentle flora and fauna of central Georgetown,” is how the owners describe the hotel on its website.
“This Guyana Hotel is located in the pristine residential neighbourhood of Queenstown in George-town Guyana. While our lawns and gardens are spacious, our small hotel size allows us to offer to our guests a very personalized service catering for your every need.”
Michael George said that he could not give detailed insight into the technical details of the expansion blueprint right now but the public can be assured that the hotel will maintain distinctive colonial architecture.
