A caretaker couple of a boutique hotel in the Caribbean were forced to hole up in their paradise property but it wasn’t the dream one might have imagined.
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Managers of a Small Resort
On the island of Nevis (of St. Kitts and Nevis), the Insider covered a great story about a pair of resort managers that had no choice but to move into the boutique hotel they manage, the Golden Rock Inn. The married couple manages different aspects of the resort under normal conditions. Antonia Hornung focused on events, food and beverage, while her husband, Andrei Mocanu concentrated on marketing and guest services.
The two are raising a child, their nine-month-old son, who they have been teaching to swim in the resort’s 50′ pool.
No Staff, No Problem
The 11-room resort typically has 50 staff members serving guests and maintaining the grounds. With COVID-19 restrictions in place, the resort was completely abandoned.
One of the charms of the small property is the elaborate jungle landscaping, a key aesthetic of the island, and a tremendous undertaking for the resort. Neglecting the 40 acres garden would have devasted the resort, its owners, and guests.
With movements restricted, it seemed the only logical step was to move into the property itself to care for it. Nightly, they switch rooms to “recreate the guest experience” and improve the property for little quirks that might otherwise go unnoticed.
Not The Dream Imagined
The couple has had to do much more work than they imagined when taking the role,
“…they’ve both picked up some new tasks during the lockdown. Since the inn’s 50 employees are currently not working, Mocanu and Hornung are now responsible for tasks like cleaning the pool, feeding the koi fish, and watering plants.
When their tasks are complete, the couple spends their free time swimming, hiking, and cooking.”
Small tasks can create large inconveniences:
“It’s like 300 steps to get a cappuccino,” Mocanu said. “Instead of three steps in our apartment.”
But it seems like the couple is making the most out of this (hopefully) once in a lifetime opportunity. Calls and emails to the resort have kept them busy and I suspect that they will only be busier when travellers get a glimpse of the property from Mocanu’s Instagram account. I’ve certainly added it to the top of my list.
Conclusion
It’s amazing that the managers of the Golden Rock Inn have taken such an active role in caring for the resort. It’s undoubtedly a great deal of work but appears to be rewarding. The care and attention they have put into maintaining the resort while closed should only give more guests confidence in their dedication to the experience they will have when staying at the Inn.
What do you think? Would you be gladly stuck in paradise if it came with the additional workload? Have you been to Nevis? How was your experience?
Was on Nevis last year, staying at the Four Seasons and had dinner at the Golden Rock. An amazingly beautiful property, and fantastic food that you wouldn’t expect. Banana’s Bistro was also excellent, and has awesome sunset views from the upstairs “rum deck”. I highly recommended a visit to Nevis. Super friendly people and beautiful scenery. St. Kitts, not so much.
We got married at Golden Rock in 2018 – one Of the very few weddings that have taken place there, if not the first. The beauty and serenity of the grounds offered the perfect backdrop for an intimate ceremony.
Antonia and her staff took care of every detail and executed our plans to the tee. We can’t wait to go back and enjoy their gourmet conch chowder by the koi pond overlooking the volcano mountain and ocean.
Same as @ Nic G. I stayed at the Four Seasons and hand dinner at Golden Rock. Our table was just beyond where that stroller is parked. The photo doesn’t show what a stunning place it is at night. That entire exterior where he is watering the plants is lined with candles. It is high up over Nevis, really a special experience. Hope tourists can return soon to the Caribbean. So many of those islands are almost completely dependent upon tourists.
@Nic G., did you enjoy the Four Seasons Launch experience to and from St. Kitts? Other than the 4:30am departure on the return, its a nice way to get to Nevis!
We actually flew direct to Nevis via a connection at SJU. Very small plane, and exciting approach, with the wingtips not all that far from the cliff wall. Our return flight was out of St. Kitts though, and I agree that 4:30AM ferry is brutal!