From:TheBahamasWeekly.com
Sandals Resorts International aquires the Veranda Resorts and Residents
By Rupert Missick
Dec 1, 2012 - 1:19:36 PM
Sandals Resorts International (SRI), parent company of Sandals
Resorts, Beaches Resorts, and Grand Pineapple Beach Resorts, announced
the purchase of The Veranda Resorts & Residences in Turks &
Caicos, a luxury property with beautifully appointed suites and villas
and spectacular oceanfront views along Grace Bay. The agreement to
acquire the resort was successfully reached after ongoing negotiations
with His Excellency the Governor, Damian Roderic Todd and the Government
of the Turks & Caicos Islands.
Speaking
from the annual Sandals Resorts Star Awards, which recognizes the
brand’s most successful travel agents from all over the world, Gordon
“Butch” Stewart, Chairman of Sandals Resorts, commented on the deep ties
the Beaches brand has in Turks and the enthusiasm among the travel
industry when this news was announced.
"Agents are simply over the moon with this good news and we sincerely
thank Governor Todd, Premier Dr. Rufus Ewing and the entire
democratically-elected cabinet for their ongoing support of Beaches
Resorts which made this acquisition possible," said Stewart. "From the
earliest days, Beaches Resorts has enjoyed a long and fruitful
relationship with the TCI islands and our success is inexorably
linked. Recognition of this partnership and a determined commitment by
this government to conduct business in the most professional and
highest international standards, is a great example for the people of
TCI and throughout the Caribbean. We admire their tireless efforts
for the betterment of the Turks product and look forward to continuing
our work together and to realizing an even brighter future for the
people of this wonderful country.”
The
purchase will be an expansion of the award-winning Beaches Turks &
Caicos Resort Villages & Spa which will now make even longer, the
lengthiest stretch of Grace Bay beach, voted as the world’s best, and
introduced as the five-star Key West Luxury Village on December 17,
2012. The Key West Luxury Village will feature magnificent luxury
accommodations in a variety of categories including 4 bedroom beach
villas, 3 bedroom beach villas, 2 and 1 bedroom suites and studios.
Perfect for visiting families, the introduction of the Key West Luxury
Village will be the first major addition to the property since the grand
opening of the resort's Italian Village in 2009. In addition to the 16
restaurants currently on property, guests will now have access to four
more restaurants through the expansion for a grand total of 20 dining
options, as well as a number of other luxurious amenities.
According
to Stewart, Beaches Turks & Caicos will be recruiting existing
staff of The Veranda to provide the award-winning service Beaches
Resorts has become known for and to continue exceeding guests’
expectations. Stewart commented, "It has been an exciting month for us
and we are so pleased to continue the expansion of the Beaches Resorts
brand in Turks & Caicos. Under the stewardship of general manager,
Don Deaganis, the quality of this resort is tremendous and just keeps
getting better. The acquisition of Veranda is part of this legacy and we
look forward to welcoming our newest team members, many of whom I know
personally, to our family of ten thousand and know they will make a
wonderful contribution to our fine services and expectations of our
guests.”
Stewart says he has
entertained calls from delighted guests eager to experience the Key West
Village. Says Stewart, “everything here is expressly designed for the
way today’s families live and travel and we have truly added upon what
was already the Caribbean’s most comprehensive, Luxury Included®
vacation for every member of the family. We have so enjoyed sharing the
beauty of Grace Bay over the last fifteen years and look forward to
welcoming guests to this new piece of paradise."
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