Habitat Closing?
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Korsu
Contributor
Lots of rumors about the fate of Habitat. There is to much invested in the place to simply let it go and it does have a loose association financially with the developer of Coral Estates (the housing properties that surround Habitat).
Before I left the island (after selling our home in Coral Estates) it seemed fairly clear that the most recent owners had something more "grand" in mind for Habitat as opposed to a dive resort. It seemed silly to me and many of my diving friends to try and have Habitat compete with the larger hotels on the island especially the new Hyatt.
Habitat has always had the potential to be a great dive resort. The buildings and grounds need updating as does the dive shop but it is a wonderful mid island location with a good house reef. There has always been a good staff, especially at the dive shop. It seems to me that there has always been a loyal clientele who want a good dive vacation without a great deal of frills, good service at a reasonable price. Habitat could be a perfect location for this type of resort. Once the dive clientele is driven away by increasing the price (for increased poorly run services) or because the hotel no longer caters to divers then the owners will loose what market share they used to have. Nobody else will vacation there when they can have a true spa resort at the East end. Especially since the owners had in mind similar rates as the larger hotels.
The developer has always had grand plans but rarely, at least so far, has he fulfilled any of them. Habitat will be just another half a$$ed poorly thought out project to add to his list.
I will see if I can get an update from my connections in the area and will post them at some point.
Before I left the island (after selling our home in Coral Estates) it seemed fairly clear that the most recent owners had something more "grand" in mind for Habitat as opposed to a dive resort. It seemed silly to me and many of my diving friends to try and have Habitat compete with the larger hotels on the island especially the new Hyatt.
Habitat has always had the potential to be a great dive resort. The buildings and grounds need updating as does the dive shop but it is a wonderful mid island location with a good house reef. There has always been a good staff, especially at the dive shop. It seems to me that there has always been a loyal clientele who want a good dive vacation without a great deal of frills, good service at a reasonable price. Habitat could be a perfect location for this type of resort. Once the dive clientele is driven away by increasing the price (for increased poorly run services) or because the hotel no longer caters to divers then the owners will loose what market share they used to have. Nobody else will vacation there when they can have a true spa resort at the East end. Especially since the owners had in mind similar rates as the larger hotels.
The developer has always had grand plans but rarely, at least so far, has he fulfilled any of them. Habitat will be just another half a$$ed poorly thought out project to add to his list.
I will see if I can get an update from my connections in the area and will post them at some point.
parrotheaddiver
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too bad.....I liked the lay out and the house reef was pretty good too I quit going to the ABC islands because it was just to hard to get to now it is just too expensive...another one bites the dust.....:-(
Aww Parrot! Don't give up on us. There are lots of great places to stay down here for a reasonable price. Heck you can stay in my spare room for the price of two tanks of air per day and a cold 6 pack after the last dive!
Jeff
Jeff
parrotheaddiver
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I will keep that in mind
Korsu
Contributor
"The Habitat Dive Hotel was taken over in 2008 and became a part of the Coral Estate Resort.
The shareholders of the resort have subsequently plans prepared for the development of Habitat to a village centre for the entire Coral Estate Resort. At the same time the operation was revived and the Habitat Dive Resort was renamed to Coral Estate Seaside Hotel.
Now we are 2 years later. The start of the renovation of the resort has been made. A new beach has constructed and the function of the resort as a meeting place and relaxation area for both guests and residents of Coral Estate has planned.
The operation of the hotel has struggled with highly disappointing operating results the past 2 years. Also the rental of the apartments does not meet the expectations. The resort has situated perfectly for diving and for tourists who enjoy nature and tranquility, but the organization is unfortunately not been able to attract sufficient guests for equal balance exploitation.
This is a situation where the shareholders lose suffering constantly and the apartment owners receive no rent for years. Continuation of this exploitation, without a realistic prospect of improvement in the operating result, has no meaning.
Therefore the owners of the apartments have finally decided not to make their apartments available for rental to the current operator and to take the management and exploitation in own hand. Efforts will be made to create another formula with a significantly lower cost level. It is to be expected that more will be known in March.
The shareholders will continue to focus on the implementation of their previous plans for the benefit of the entire Coral Estate Resort. Also about this subject, is to be expected more information in March.
Shareholders and apartment owners will coordinate their interests in good harmony as always."
This was the press release. Syntax is a little off due to Dutch-English translation. The people I know who worked at the dive shop were always kept in the dark and felt the dive operation was allowed to slip so it could be "re-bought" at the lowest price possible.
Other than the beach which received more damage with the recent storms (to most, building a sea wall and beach made no sense) very little has been done to Habitat. The new "dive" shop is under construction. Frankly, I feel fairly confident that the present owners/developer have no clue as to what it takes to run a true first class DIVE resort, but that's just my humble opinion.
The shareholders of the resort have subsequently plans prepared for the development of Habitat to a village centre for the entire Coral Estate Resort. At the same time the operation was revived and the Habitat Dive Resort was renamed to Coral Estate Seaside Hotel.
Now we are 2 years later. The start of the renovation of the resort has been made. A new beach has constructed and the function of the resort as a meeting place and relaxation area for both guests and residents of Coral Estate has planned.
The operation of the hotel has struggled with highly disappointing operating results the past 2 years. Also the rental of the apartments does not meet the expectations. The resort has situated perfectly for diving and for tourists who enjoy nature and tranquility, but the organization is unfortunately not been able to attract sufficient guests for equal balance exploitation.
This is a situation where the shareholders lose suffering constantly and the apartment owners receive no rent for years. Continuation of this exploitation, without a realistic prospect of improvement in the operating result, has no meaning.
Therefore the owners of the apartments have finally decided not to make their apartments available for rental to the current operator and to take the management and exploitation in own hand. Efforts will be made to create another formula with a significantly lower cost level. It is to be expected that more will be known in March.
The shareholders will continue to focus on the implementation of their previous plans for the benefit of the entire Coral Estate Resort. Also about this subject, is to be expected more information in March.
Shareholders and apartment owners will coordinate their interests in good harmony as always."
This was the press release. Syntax is a little off due to Dutch-English translation. The people I know who worked at the dive shop were always kept in the dark and felt the dive operation was allowed to slip so it could be "re-bought" at the lowest price possible.
Other than the beach which received more damage with the recent storms (to most, building a sea wall and beach made no sense) very little has been done to Habitat. The new "dive" shop is under construction. Frankly, I feel fairly confident that the present owners/developer have no clue as to what it takes to run a true first class DIVE resort, but that's just my humble opinion.
The Habitat hotel is closed since tuesday.
Yesterday 48 peope where fired.
The owners of the apartments will exploid them theirselfs unknown when or how.
The dive shop seems to stay open. (all according to a local newspaper: The Amigoe.)
Yesterday 48 peope where fired.
The owners of the apartments will exploid them theirselfs unknown when or how.
The dive shop seems to stay open. (all according to a local newspaper: The Amigoe.)
I know after we stopped managing Marazul Dive Resort in Westpundt (no we weren't there when people went there and had their things stolen, that was after we left) a lot of the owners started advertising on home rental sights like VRBO and Home Away. I imagine some of the owners at Habitat will do the same to cover the short run, at least until they get another management team in.
Anyone that is really set on that area (and who wouldn't being next to Porto Marie, Daaibooi and Daniel!) should keep an eye out on those home rental sights. There may be some good deals coming online shortly!
Anyone that is really set on that area (and who wouldn't being next to Porto Marie, Daaibooi and Daniel!) should keep an eye out on those home rental sights. There may be some good deals coming online shortly!
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