VI Standpoint.com: Scrub Island Resort- 20 years of success in a matter of months

Scrub Island Resort- 20 years of success in a matter of months
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GARY ELEAZAR on 31/08/2011 10:56:00

Three hundred fifty years ago, pirate ships scoured the Eastern Caribbean
searching for exotic adventure and new world treasure.

According to locals, buccaneers careened their ships in these shallow waters so
that crewmen could scrub the hulls clean of barnacles and that is how Scrub
Island got its name (or so they say).
Scrub Island has always been home to enchanting views and mesmerising aqua-life.
It is no wonder that developers set their sight on the pristine location and
looked to construct accommodations on the slice of paradise.
It took a relatively short time for the Scrub Island Development Group (SIDG) to
construct the hotel but what was even more earth shattering was for the locale
to be selected in order to be included in the exclusive Autograph Collection.
With 230 acres of land space on the ‘Little and Big Scrubs,’ as they are
called, the resort and marina currently boasts 52 rooms, seven villas with a 55
slip marina and breathtaking facilities, among other amenities.
Speaking with this newspaper, the man in charge at the luxury spot, Martin
Smith, said that at the destination they do not look to sell just a vacation but
rather a dream, thus making him ‘the Chief Dream Officer with his dream sales
team’.
Opening in just mid 2010, the resort managed to make an excellent first
impression on the right people and when the then General Manager of a US based
Ritz Carlton visited, he realised that this is one of the Virgin Islands Little
Secrets that should be shared, hence the introduction to the decision makers of
the elite Marriot Autograph Collection.
The resort is the first Autograph Collection hotel in the Caribbean and Marriott
International's first property in the BVI. The Autograph Collection portfolio
comprises of unique, independently operated hotels and resorts, and now includes
more than 20 properties in the United States and Europe and is expected to
double by the end of the year.
According to Martin, what makes the Scrub Island Resort such a unique getaway is
the fact that they have been able to merge the best of what the BVI has to offer
all in one package.
Built as the first independent luxury hotel in the BVI in over 15 years, Scrub
is the first property on a luxury level that has all facets of the BVI tied
together.
He explained that the resort is on a small private island, which is synonymous
with one of the allures to vacationers to the Territory.
“We take care of that…people know about Peter Island and Necker Island
forever…”
According to Martin, the developers have also built a spectacular marina,
pointing out that the other resorts do not have the facilities to take care of
the charter business.
This, he explained, is a huge pull factor and the village is around the marina
so the marina is a key part of the total product.
He conceded, though, that while the competition may not have an edge in terms of
landscape, this is just a matter of time as he is confident that by the time the
next rainy season is over, the foliage will be on par.
SIDG’s vision started in 1992 when they applied for a permit to build. By 1995
there were two villas that had a Spanish style look; this was well received,
according to Martin.
A Villa was subsequently built above called the Amanze, “and that was the look
and vision that they wanted,” Martin said.
Martin explained that the island developed steadily over the years and had a
soft opening in mid-February; the first really large influx of persons was in
the following July where the resort were booked to capacity.
This, he said, was a learning experience enabling the staffers to iron out the
logistic details. Speaking about the approach from Marriot, he explained that
without a ten million dollar marketing budget and through visionary leadership
by the developers, they have been able to achieve with collaboration what others
have taken some 20 years to establish in a matter of a few months.
“We have now gotten our name in front of so many more people.”
Come December 14, Scrub Island Resort will go live into the databases of the
Marriot Autograph Collection and begin to benefit from their marketing
strategies.
“It means we will be in their reservation system and with all of their
reservation agents …all of our business will flow through the Marriot.”
According to Martin, “This has had to be visionary leadership…somebody had
to have a strong backbone to follow through the recession in 2008... nothing
looked good in the world but their belief was that this style of resort has a
place in  the world…the BVI is such a unique beautiful location.”
Over the next two months the Scrub Island resort administrative staffers will be
preparing the relevant information for the Hospitality Industry Mogul so that
they will benefit from the Marriot Rewards Book and immediately begin to benefit
from Marriot’s long time customers.
“The Scrub Island Resort is perfect for the Autograph Collection because it is
a one-of-a-kind, independently operated property that can retain its
personality, while benefitting from our powerful sales engine and economies of
scale, which is important in these competitive times,” said Laurent de
Kousemaeker, Chief Development Officer for Marriott International in the
Caribbean and Latin America.
“We are excited about the opportunity to reveal this exclusive resort in the
Caribbean, for the rest of the world to also enjoy.”
"Scrub Island Resort is an exciting addition to Autograph Collection, located in
a premier Caribbean destination," said Kip Vreeland, Vice-President for
Autograph Collection. "As our first Caribbean resort in the exclusive Retreat
category, we are confident that our Autograph Collection guests will embrace
this unique resort as the newest member of our portfolio."
“We are pleased to be part of the Marriott International reservations engine
and to promote our beautiful resort to a wider audience,” says Joe Collier,
Founder and President of Mainsail, which will continue to operate the resort.