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Wow – for me, this one is a hard pill to swallow. No surprise that their next door neighbor has snapped it up.
My husband and I sort of met and fell in love at Crane Ridge. I knew every nook and cranny of the place – went there for many years. Back in 2003, we planned to buy an apt there - am so, so, so glad we decided against it.
I suppose on the plus side, at least the place is going to reopen - ‘jobs’ will be had.
Sad to know that still, not all the Crane Ridge workers have been paid.
Like too much of the goings on in Jamaica, their complaints have just wafted away on the winds – no results.
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<span style="font-size: 17pt"><span style="font-weight: bold">
After Closing 7 mths ago ...Crane Ridge Hotel to Reopen Under New Brand</span></span>
Published: Wednesday | September 21, 2011 0
Janet Silvera, Senior Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU
The Crane Ridge hotel in Ocho Rios, St Ann, which was closed earlier this year because of high maintenance and utility costs, has been acquired by businessman Michael Drakulich, who will reopen it under his Mystic Mountain brand.
Drakulich announced the acquisition at the Jamaica Product Exchange (JAPEX) trade show at the Montego Bay Convention Centre yesterday where tourism interests have been meeting since Sunday to negotiate business.
He and three international partners will take over a third of the resort, and plan to spend US$1.8 million to refurbish the property and rebrand it as Mystic Ridge Resort. Overall, the Mystic Ridge Jamaica Limited group has invested some US$3.5 million on this project, said Drakulich.
Come next Monday, September 26, said Drakulich, they will commence refurbishing and general upgrade of the facilities, including expansion of meeting places and renovation of rooms, furnishings and fixtures with the objective of reopening at the start of the winter tourist season in December.
"When finished, we will have 22 new standard and five new deluxe rooms, 10 one-bedroom apartments and 10 two-bedroom apartments, all with balconies and views of Ocho Rios and the CaribbeanSea," he said.
Longer-staying guests
According to Drakulich, an attorney-turned-entrepreneur, there were few resorts in Jamaica offering one- and two-bedroom apartments with living rooms balconies and kitchens for families and longer-term staying guests, more notably from the European market and for Jamaicans vacationing in Ocho Rios during the holidays.
The property houses 90 units comprising 135 rooms, an undetermined number of which Drakulich and his team will manage on behalf of unit owners who have committed them to the Mystic Ridge Resort rental pool.
Crane Ridge, originally a comfort suite, was closed in March this year, reportedly as a result of high maintenance and utility costs and the inability to pay their bills. In recent years, the standard of the resort had declined considerably, causing several tour operators and Internet booking engines to drop it from their roster.
"We are reinvesting in Ocho Rios' rebirth, particularly at a time when many businesses are closing their doors and a number of the hotels are wobbling from the effects of high maintenance and utility costs," said Drakulich, who opened the award-winning Mystic Mountain attraction three years ago.
He admitted to taking this bold step at a time when others were shying away from investing, particularly in small hotel operations in Jamaica. He plans to bring an attractive, affordable, non-all-inclusive range of accommodations, and will use the reputation of Mystic Mountain to augment and create innovative packaging. Guests staying at Mystic Ridge will be afforded entrance to Mystic Mountain as part of various room and food and beverage packages.
Referring to concerns aired by many in the business community, the Ocho Rios businessman said he, too, was apprehensive about the tourist experience in the town, once renowned as Jamaica's cruise ship capital, but which has since taken a back seat since the inception of the Falmouth Pier.
"The visitor experience has been eroded in recent years, and both the private sector and the Government will need to partner by undertaking an immediate aggressive programme of enhancing and upgrading the tourism product in the resort town," he said.
"We want the new Mystic Ridge Resort to be part of that rebirthing effort," Drakulich said.
My husband and I sort of met and fell in love at Crane Ridge. I knew every nook and cranny of the place – went there for many years. Back in 2003, we planned to buy an apt there - am so, so, so glad we decided against it.
I suppose on the plus side, at least the place is going to reopen - ‘jobs’ will be had.
Sad to know that still, not all the Crane Ridge workers have been paid.
Like too much of the goings on in Jamaica, their complaints have just wafted away on the winds – no results.
-----
<span style="font-size: 17pt"><span style="font-weight: bold">
After Closing 7 mths ago ...Crane Ridge Hotel to Reopen Under New Brand</span></span>
Published: Wednesday | September 21, 2011 0
Janet Silvera, Senior Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU
The Crane Ridge hotel in Ocho Rios, St Ann, which was closed earlier this year because of high maintenance and utility costs, has been acquired by businessman Michael Drakulich, who will reopen it under his Mystic Mountain brand.
Drakulich announced the acquisition at the Jamaica Product Exchange (JAPEX) trade show at the Montego Bay Convention Centre yesterday where tourism interests have been meeting since Sunday to negotiate business.
He and three international partners will take over a third of the resort, and plan to spend US$1.8 million to refurbish the property and rebrand it as Mystic Ridge Resort. Overall, the Mystic Ridge Jamaica Limited group has invested some US$3.5 million on this project, said Drakulich.
Come next Monday, September 26, said Drakulich, they will commence refurbishing and general upgrade of the facilities, including expansion of meeting places and renovation of rooms, furnishings and fixtures with the objective of reopening at the start of the winter tourist season in December.
"When finished, we will have 22 new standard and five new deluxe rooms, 10 one-bedroom apartments and 10 two-bedroom apartments, all with balconies and views of Ocho Rios and the CaribbeanSea," he said.
Longer-staying guests
According to Drakulich, an attorney-turned-entrepreneur, there were few resorts in Jamaica offering one- and two-bedroom apartments with living rooms balconies and kitchens for families and longer-term staying guests, more notably from the European market and for Jamaicans vacationing in Ocho Rios during the holidays.
The property houses 90 units comprising 135 rooms, an undetermined number of which Drakulich and his team will manage on behalf of unit owners who have committed them to the Mystic Ridge Resort rental pool.
Crane Ridge, originally a comfort suite, was closed in March this year, reportedly as a result of high maintenance and utility costs and the inability to pay their bills. In recent years, the standard of the resort had declined considerably, causing several tour operators and Internet booking engines to drop it from their roster.
"We are reinvesting in Ocho Rios' rebirth, particularly at a time when many businesses are closing their doors and a number of the hotels are wobbling from the effects of high maintenance and utility costs," said Drakulich, who opened the award-winning Mystic Mountain attraction three years ago.
He admitted to taking this bold step at a time when others were shying away from investing, particularly in small hotel operations in Jamaica. He plans to bring an attractive, affordable, non-all-inclusive range of accommodations, and will use the reputation of Mystic Mountain to augment and create innovative packaging. Guests staying at Mystic Ridge will be afforded entrance to Mystic Mountain as part of various room and food and beverage packages.
Referring to concerns aired by many in the business community, the Ocho Rios businessman said he, too, was apprehensive about the tourist experience in the town, once renowned as Jamaica's cruise ship capital, but which has since taken a back seat since the inception of the Falmouth Pier.
"The visitor experience has been eroded in recent years, and both the private sector and the Government will need to partner by undertaking an immediate aggressive programme of enhancing and upgrading the tourism product in the resort town," he said.
"We want the new Mystic Ridge Resort to be part of that rebirthing effort," Drakulich said.
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