(Seychelles News Agency) - The Beachcomber Sainte Anne Resort & Spa in Seychelles will close in September for renovations, the owner of the resort said this week.

The general manager of the resort, Youssef Sabri, said that the hotel is in an “ageing state and a complete makeover will give the hotel a facelift that will meet the actual local standard as requested by the authorities.”

“Assigned as the general manager of the hotel last year I came to the realised that it was important to renovate the hotel after years of being built,” said Sabri.

Sabri added that the decision was also the result of feedback received from hotel clients.

Opened in 2001, Beachcomber Seychelles Sainte Anne Resort & Spa has 87 private villas, 29 of which have private pools. All are set on a 220-hectare private island, surrounded by one of the Seychelles’ marine parks.  

The resort is located on Ste Anne, one of the islands in the marine park with the same name around 5 to 10 minutes from the main island Mahe. It is part of the Beachcomber group described as the pioneer of the Mauritian hotel industry which owns and manages eight of the finest hotels in Mauritius. 

The general manager told SNA that “the delay for obtaining the required planning permission and carrying out the renovation work means a closure of the resort for at least the coming two years.”

The staff will lose their jobs because of the long renovation period. 

“All affairs in regards to our staff are being taken care of. In this respect, a formal application has been lodged on Monday June 5 with the Ministry for Employment, Entrepreneurship Development and Business Innovation and the Minister for Tourism,” he said.

The owners of the resort said in a communiqué on Tuesday that they intend to fully comply with their obligations with regard to the whole staff and will settle all compensation as prescribed by law.  It also stated that staff members wishing to re-join the resort after the re-development period will be granted employment priority.

The detail of the redevelopment of the resort will be announced in due course.  It is expected that it will substantially increase the employment capacity on the resort.

Sabri said told SNA that the renovation of the hotel is also part of the long-term strategic options.