Reopening of Hyatt-operated hotels further delayed

The reopening of seven Hyatt-operated hotels in Jamaica has again been pushed back.

The new reopening timeline is early 2027, according to communication sent to travel partners, extending the closure of what is arguably the island’s largest all-inclusive cluster following extensive damage from Hurricane Melissa,

The properties, which were initially expected to resume operations early this year, was revised to November 2026 before the latest announcement.

The hotels affected are Breathless Montego Bay Resort & Spa, Dreams Rose Hall Resort & Spa, Hyatt Zilara Rose Hall, Hyatt Ziva Rose Hall, Secrets St James Montego Bay, Secrets Wild Orchid Montego Bay, and Jewel Grande Montego Bay Resort & Spa.

Hyatt said the revised timeline follows additional assessments and ongoing renovation work, which have provided “greater clarity on the scope and timelines of the required work”.

The company noted that the extended closure will allow the resorts to be “fully restored” and enhanced, emerging with stronger product offerings and improved guest experiences.

The latest delay underscores the scale of the damage inflicted by Hurricane Melissa last October and highlights the uneven pace of recovery across Jamaica’s tourism sector.

While several major properties, including Riu, Round Hill, Iberostar, Half Moon and Bahia Principe, have already reopened, Hyatt’s continued absence removes a significant block of rooms from the island’s inventory, particularly in the Montego Bay and Rose Hall corridors.

The prolonged closure is also expected to have implications for tourism workers and ancillary businesses that depend on the cluster, which collectively represents one of the most significant concentrations of all-inclusive rooms in the country.

Hyatt said it will continue to provide updates as work progresses, with specific reopening dates for each property to be announced at a later stage.

Janet.silvera@gleanerjm.com

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