Saint Martin is an island in the Caribbean. The northern part of the island is a French overseas community and the southern part is Dutch. In 2017, hurricane Irma destroyed over 95% of the island and took many lives with it.
This natural catastrophe also affected the island’s tourism, which was the local economy’s main engine. And, of course, Hotel Secrets witnessed all this. However, in spite of all the damage, Saint Martin is still one of the most beautiful places on Earth.
“However, in spite of all the damage, Saint Martin
is still one of the most beautiful places on earth”
Because of this, here at Banema we wanted to collaborate so that this paradise could rise from the ashes, undertaking a project that’s not only reconstructing the hotel, but being part of a real solution. Banema’s implication in Saint Martin’s recovery is centered in Anse-Marcel, an important tourist reference.
Damage evaluation
After the hurricane, Saint Martin lost its main source of income: tourism. Cruise ships and tourists stopped visiting the island, leaving over 70% of hotel beds unused.
In November 2017, Banema’s management team traveled to Saint Martin to see the country’s devastating situation first-hand. We were speechless… The hotel was almost completely destroyed and over 100 people had lost their jobs.
Fast forward one year and the island is starting to recover. As of today, there’s not much left of the mess the hurricane made. The only area that is still quite devastated is Anse-Marcel, which is where the hotel is.
The hotel
Secrets Hotel is located in Anse-Marcel (Saint Martin). Its facilities are:
- Two main buildings
- 5 independent villas
- 250 rooms
- 4 restaurants and 3 bars
- 3 pools, a spa and a gym
It’s along the beachfront, next to a small port. A paradisiacal environment in a quiet area, surrounded by mountains, vegetation and local fauna.
The project
It’s a complete reconstruction project based on four pillars:
- Presenting the hotel as a symbol of the area’s recovery
- Reopening the island’s tourist season
- Contributing to recover the jobs that had been lost
- Showing how Saint Martin rises stronger and more united than ever, ready and prepared to recover its economy and offer its inhabitants a good standard of living
So we have undertaken the challenge of rebuilding an emblematic hotel in a record time of 8 months.
Local impact
Banema is a Spanish company with over 30 years of experience in construction projects. We have projects in Jamaica, the Bahamas, Aruba, Spain, Costa Rica, Panama, Dominican Republic, Cape Verde, Mauricio, and many more places.
That’s why we have the confidence to take on such an enormous challenge, which we can only fulfill with the help of our team of specialists and the population of Saint Martin and its companies. With lots of teamwork and effort, we can give the people back everything they’ve lost.
Our team
The Banema team is made up of professionals trained on the basis of our constructive efficiency methods, which guarantee compliance with the established deadlines, according to quality standards that characterize the company.
Saint Martin’s population
In this project we have chosen to involve the island’s people by offering them jobs and training. Our specialists can train in different areas of construction:
- Ceramics
- Painting
- Welders
- Plasterboard applicators
- Construction workers
- Construction managers
- Carpenters
This way, they have an easier access to the labor market and can actively help in the reconstruction of their country.
Saint Martin’s companies
In this project everyone wins. We have the country’s own resources for our logistics, as well as numerous local supply companies to provide us with the material we need.
Committed to Education
As a way of saying thank you for the collaboration and hospitality, once the project is finished, Banema is committed to collaborate in the reform of a public building.
We firmly believe in hard work, knowledge and training as fundamental pillars when it comes to a way a country works and grows.
We’re a company that’s strongly involved in helping and collaborating in the reconstruction of disadvantaged areas. We feel fortunate and grateful of having the opportunity to contribute our knowledge and experience to the development and improvement of other places in the world.
Therefore, we constantly want to cooperate by implementing training programs that improve professionalism and competitiveness of the inhabitants of the places where we work. We also help improve and reform educational and public infrastructure.
Wherever, whenever, BANEMA.