by Joe Pike
Last updated: 7:17 PM ET, Tue July 17, 2018
You can add Riu Palace St. Martin to the list of Caribbean resorts that are planning to return better than ever following damage sustained during last year's hurricane season.
Well, sort of.
Following a planned $20 million renovation, the resort will come back in 2019, but as a Secrets Resort & Spa, AMResort's first Secrets hotel on St. Martin.
AMResorts, an Apple Leisure Group (ALG) company, recently announced its entry into St. Martin with the signing of a new resort brand management deal.
The resort is owned by Sole Resorts, a longstanding partner of ALG. This will be the fourth resort conversion the companies have collaborated on and the first Secrets property for Sole Resorts, which counts Zoëtry Wellness & Spa Resorts, Dreams Resorts & Spas and Sunscape Resorts & Spas in its current portfolio.
In the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Irma, representatives of Riu Palace St. Martin said that its infrastructure was "severely affected," according to a Caribbean Tourism Organization report at the time.
With the addition of this new resort, ALG maintains its position of having the largest pipeline of all-inclusive resorts in the Caribbean, with more than 6,000 rooms in development, according to an ALG news release.
The official announcement was made by Alex Zozaya, CEO of ALG, and Tommaso Sandretto, CEO of Sole Resorts, at an event held by President of the Collectivity of St. Martin, Daniel Gibbs.
"We discovered St. Martin right after Hurricane Irma damaged the island. Immediately, we recognized the untapped potential of the island for five-star luxury resorts," said Sandretto in the news release. "With the support from President Gibbs and Apple Leisure Group, we are confident that our investment will benefit the growth of the island and the whole community creating new jobs and showing how to bounce back from natural disasters. Sole Resorts plans to keep expanding its portfolio in the Caribbean and other key markets."
The 350-room, adults-only resort is situated in a prime location in Anse Marcel, on the north side of the island about 35 minutes from the Princess Juliana International Airport.
The property is set on a private and protected enclave with direct views of Anguilla. The resort also offers one of the largest pools in the Caribbean, and upon completion of the renovation, will offer guests a rooftop pool with ocean views, and swim out suites, among other enhancements.
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