Caravelle Hotel and Casino, located on the island of Saint Croix in the US Virgin Islands, has announced a partial six month closure, in order to conduct much needed repairs caused by Hurricane’s Irma and Maria two years ago.

The 43-room boutique waterfront hotel in the historic town of Christiansted is slated to re-open in early October, with its casino, RumRunners Restaurant and Caravelle Market set to remain open during the remodelling and renovations.

The work, which is set to be managed by J Benton Construction, will include repairs to damages caused by the storms, replacement of all windows, and improvements to guest amenities, with all rooms set to be fully refurbished.

While renovations are in progress, team members, who are to all remain employed, will participate in training and education programs and support the sister hotel, Company House Hotel.

Andrew Dubuque, a member of the Caravelle Hotel and Casino, explained of the developments: “In February 2016, we unveiled a completely renovated Caravelle Hotel and the response from the community was tremendous. In 2017 two uninvited visitors, Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria, stormed through the US Virgin Islands causing quite a bit of damage to our hotel.

“We were fortunate to remain open and accommodate relief workers while the island mended. Now that most of the island has recovered, we will dive deep into hotel renovations and bring back Caravelle Hotel to its pristine condition.”

The renovations, which have gotten underway this week, coupled with the recent renovation and opening of Company House Hotel, forms part of Vigl Operations commitment to the revitalisation of Christiansted.

The privately held casino management company also funds safety measures, supporting programs and events that bring people to town, and provides monthly, free entertainment for the community, with the company having donated more than $300,000 to local charities and non-profit organisations.