Coral Beach Club opens, adds
rooms to island’s inventory
OYSTER BAY--Fifty-two luxury rooms were officially added to the island’s growing room inventory with the opening of Coral Beach Club in Oyster Bay Monday evening.
Mirroring a white Greek village on the coast, the 24 townhouses, condos and apartments are available for full ownership purchase, but have also been placed in a rental pool as luxury hotel rooms. One-third of the elegantly appointed units have been sold already since the completion of work in December. The villa used for the opening reception reportedly sold on Monday for US $2 million.
Greeting guests, Coral Beach representative Peyton Cromwell said the property gave the island a luxury property that rivalled five-Star La Samanna on the French side. Although Coral Beach Clubs offers full ownership, the enclosed property will be managed as a five-star boutique hotel that will ensure all the needs of owners and renters are met fully.
Having another high end product to tell agents and wholesalers about is most welcome, Tourism Commissioner Roy Marlin said. Agents inquiring about developments on the island always point out the need for more room inventory, he added.
With Coral Beach’s villas, townhouse and apartments placed in a rental pool as the US housing meltdown hits the island’s principal visitors, the property being offered as a high end hotel is another way of being creative to enhance the island’s products, Marlin said.
He urged the developers who still have a large parcel of land close to Coral Beach to consider putting up a high end boutique hotel and steering away from condos, a trend that is fast ending in the Caribbean.
Coral Beach Club shows that he island still has a lot to offer visitors and people looking for a vacation home, said Commissioner Sarah Wescot-Williams, who along with principle owner Lucky Bhalla cut the blue ribbon to signal the opening of the property.
Once the amenities are there, the visitors and those interested in buying will come to the island, according to her. This new property shows that St. Maarten not only can compete in the marketplace today, but can exceed expectation, she said.
