s copied from a Facebook post
STATEMENT FROM SONESTA RESORTS SINT MAARTEN
GREAT BAY BEACH RESORT, CASINO & SPA·WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2017
[November 1, 2017]
As we are approaching the two-month mark since Hurricane Irma devastated our beloved island, we would like to take this moment to update you with the following:
OUR GRATITUDE:
Throughout this time, we have received and continue to receive outpouring support, heartfelt messages and generous contributions from our guests and business partners, and want to once again to express our gratitude. Your kind words have given us the strength to pass these difficult moments and the motivation to focus on relief efforts and recovery. Thanks to your generosity, we have reached over $100K via our GoFundMe campaign to support our staff! Your thoughts and kindness have been shared with our staff, and now, throughout the distributions, we have been receiving a tremendous outpour of positive comments, embraces and gratitude from our staff. THANK YOU!
Read more about our staff and what you can do to help out below this statement.
WHAT’S NEXT:
Many of you have asked about the future of Sonesta Resorts Sint Maarten. While we are still not able to give you a specific timeline, we are also working diligently and closely with our project management and engineering teams to develop the plans to rebuild, which of course, is our ultimate goal. Our teams continue to review and assess the extensive damages our resorts have suffered, so although we are gradually getting a clearer picture of what needs to be done, it takes time to draft plans of this magnitude but we are working hard to be able to deliver specific timeframes soon. We are also working closely with Sunwing Travel Group to develop the timeline for Sonesta Great Bay.
REFUNDS AND CANCELLATIONS:
Secondary assessments regarding the extent of damages have determined that we must extend our cancellation period until August 31, 2018. All reservations from September 6, 2017 through August 31, 2018 have been automatically cancelled at no penalty, so guests do not need to email us for cancellation numbers or report cancelations.
All prepaid reservations from September 6, 2017 through August 31, 2018 which were booked and/or paid directly to the resort were fully refunded. If you haven’t received your refund by November 1, 2017, please contact us at [email]kvaneck@sonestastmaarten.com.[/email] If you booked via a third party booking agent, please contact your travel agent or online booking site accordingly to request a refund. Please note we are not able to provide you with a cancellation number at this moment, but a reference to this announcement should be a sufficient proof of cancelation for your booking agent.
FUTURE RESERVATIONS:
The three Sonesta Resorts in Sint Maarten are not accepting new reservations until further notice. If you have reservations beyond September 1, 2018, we will update you on the status as soon as the situation allows.
GIFT CERTIFICATES AND VOUCHERS:
We are sorry you were not able to use your Return Stay/Gift Certificates. All certificates with an expiration date from September 6, 2017 onwards will be honored and their validity automatically extended for six months from reopening date once announced, subject to availability and blackout dates. Gift certificates must be redeemed at the original property and cannot be transferred.
CASINO ROYALE AND MAHO VILLAGE:
The cleanup and rebuilding process of Maho Village and Casino Royale is in full speed. Some restaurants have re-opened and a few stores will re-open in November. Maho Village will re-open this winter season and Casino Royale will welcome you soon.
OUR STAFF:
Although we remain closed at this time, Sonesta Resorts Sint Maarten will continue to pay salaries based on a three-day workweek until further notice. The Maho Group and Sunwing Travel Group have jointly decided to extend this plan to employees impacted by the closures of Great Bay as well as Maho Beach, Ocean Point, and Royal Islander Club. While most staff will not have to report to work on a daily basis to receive this pay, some will be called upon to provide assistance in the coming weeks and will be entitled to full payment for any additional hours worked beyond the three paid days per week.
Funds received via our GoFundMe.com/Sonestasxmstaff campaign continue to be used by our employees to cover their personal welfare and purchases of food and supplies. Although the resorts’ properties are insured, the policy does not cover its employees' personal property, which were either partially or totally destroyed. A lot of our staff and their household did not have insurance and are still experiencing hardship, so additional funds will assist them with their day-to-day needs.
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP:
While we are getting closer toward our goal, we still have 2/3 left to reach, so your continued support is appreciated. You can help by sharing the link to your friends, family and Facebook network, opt to become a recurring donor monthly, fundraise in your local community and supplying the link. If you would like to help our staff and their families with immediate relief and to rebuild their lives after the devastation, please visit our dedicated GoFundMe page
www.gofundme.com/sonestasxmstaff for more details.
