Hyatt Hotels Denied Bid to Resume Control of Curacao Resort

A Curacao court denied a bid by Hyatt Hotels Corp. to resume control of the former Hyatt Regency Curacao Golf Resort, Spa and Marina in Willemstad. Hyatt had sought to re-take control of the resort after the owners, hotel investment group Santa Barbara Hospitality, locked Hyatt managers out of the property in November. Hyatt claimed the lockout was unlawful and sought to remain as managers of the property through a temporary court injunction.

Santa Barbara Hospitality installed Benchmark Hospitality International to operate the 350-room resort after ousting Hyatt managers. Santa Barbara officials subsequently re-named the resort Santa Barbara Beach & Golf Resort, Curacao.

In a statement following the ruling, a Hyatt official said, “We are disappointed that the ruling didn't go in our favor, however we are still going to pursue this in hopes of taking over management of the property, to assist our guests and groups that have upcoming reservations there, and we will still be in contact with our guests and try to assist them as best we can.”

Hyatt began operating the 27-acre property in 2010. Santa Barbara Hospitality said that under Hyatt management, the resort lost $20 million and performed worse than its marketplace competitors.

Source: Travel Pulse, http://www.travelpulse.com/hyatt-hotels-denied-bid-to-resume-control-of-curacao-resort.html