Hotel gets ‘10-star’ praise amid hurricane
Stranded MoBay guests applaud exceptional care during Melissa
Published:Monday | November 3, 2025 | 12:09 AMJanet Silvera/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
When Hurricane Melissa howled through Montego Bay, St James, most of the tourism capital’s guests prayed for safety.
Gregory McMichael got something more – comfort, care, and the calm assurance that he wasn’t alone. Sheltered inside the S Hotel, he said the staff turned fear into faith, and a five-star resort into what he now calls a “10-star hotel”.
For McMichael, a retired United States (US) military engineer from Evans, Georgia, celebrating his birthday inside a Category 5 hurricane wasn’t part of the plan. Staying close to 15 days now at the resort and after two cancelled flights, he’s leaving Jamaica with gratitude, not regret.
“We never lost power. They kept feeding us; breakfast, lunch and dinner. Every morning there was a letter under the door telling us what to expect that day,” he recalled. “On the day of the storm, they boarded up quickly and told us, ‘Stay in your room, we’ve got you.’ I felt completely safe.”
McMichael, who has travelled to more than 15 countries, said he has never previously felt the level of warmth and professionalism shown by the S Hotel team.
“Every day is a good day here. The people are amazing… from the servers to management. They all left an impression on me.”
Forty-eight hours after Hurricane Melissa ripped across western Jamaica, McMichael said the resort “looked like it hadn’t even been hit”.
“These people worked day in and day out just to make sure they could accommodate guests,” he said. “They brought that scenic Jamaican look right back at us, you could look out the window and see the beautiful pool deck again. It was unbelievable.”
He paused, his voice softening. “Some (staff) didn’t go home. They were acting like everything was normal, taking care of us, even though maybe their homes were going down. That kind of commitment, you don’t see it often.”
JAMAICAN HOSPITALITY
For Pat Walker and Cecily Thompson, two British guests who arrived just days before the storm, the experience revealed the true meaning of Jamaican hospitality.
Walker, whose parents are from St Elizabeth, said preparations began long before the hurricane made landfall.
“By Friday, they were boarding up and removing all the furniture from the pool area,” she said. “But what amazed us was how everyone jumped in, bar staff, receptionists, kitchen crew. No hand was spared. People who were serving cocktails one day were flipping omelettes the next.”
Her friend, Thompson, a Londoner with roots in Mandeville and St Thomas, hadn’t visited Jamaica in 15 years and was “blown away” by the transformation in service culture.
“The last time I came, the service was indifferent,” she admitted. “But [now], the service here is awesome. We’re in the customer-service industry ourselves, and we haven’t had to criticise one thing. That’s rare.”
Behind the calm efficiency was general manager Annmarie Goffe-Pryce and Radu Mot, the hotel’s head of operations, who worked long hours alongside their team to ensure safety and comfort.
“Our priority was always our guests and our staff,” said Goffe-Pryce. “A number of our team members stayed on property. Their courage and compassion made all the difference.”