Business View Caribbean, November/December 2018

22 23 AT A GLANCE BLUE WATERS RESORT & SPA WHAT: Award-winning luxury resort destination WHERE: St. John’s, Antigua WEBSITE: www.bluewaters.net BLUEWATERS RESORT & SPA “My father bought the property in 1984, it was a much smaller hotel then,” Randall recounts. “He was very successful; quite young in the food business back in the U.K., and came here on hol- iday. On his second visit, he started to negotiate with the owner to buy it. The chap who owned it at that time, Osmond Kelsick, was given the site for his services as the only Antiguan squadron leader in the RAF during World War II –on the proviso that he build some hotel rooms.When my father purchased the property in 1984, there were 45 rooms and one restaurant.” Over the years, Blue Waters has evolved dramatically. Today’s incarnation includes 117 rooms arrayed throughout the site in three vil- las; four, three-bedroom penthouses; 24 junior suites; and oceanfront and beachfront rooms - along with four outstanding restaurants. Randall describes the catalyst that spurred the change. “The big shift happened in 1995, after Hurricane Hugo came along and did a lot of damage to the hotel facilities. There was a large-scale rebuild of what is now the lobby reception–what we call the central area –where our main restaurant, Bartley’s, was construct- ed as one of the few air-conditioned, fine dining establishments on the island. Also in 1995/96, we refurbished our Deluxe and Superior rooms.” In the last seven to