Bermuda's slowly improving tourism infrastructure received a welcome shot in the arm with the announcement of a major renovation project at a South Shore hotel.

The Reefs is to spend $5 million on renovations and additions over the next 16 months, upgrading the product and providing a more luxurious guest experience.

The plans are the latest in a line of improvements in the Island's tourism facilities. The Reefs join Cambridge Beaches, Palmetto, Harmony Club, Surf Side, both Fairmont properties, Elbow Beach and others in investing in their properties.

The hotel will be closing on January 7 and re-opening on March 15, after creating new suites, entrance area, landscaping and the first "infinity'' hotel swimming pool on the Island.

In addition to the enhancements to the property, investments will also be made in the human capital at the 67-room hotel in the form of a full time staff trainer.

Owner David Dodwell said the improvements, most of which will be completed this winter, will substantially upgrade the facilities offered.

"It is a major step, continuing our pattern of upgrading the hotel. It is all about focusing on what our guests are looking for, being competitive with other hotels and competitors around the world,'' he said. "The customer is always changing. We have to adapt our product accordingly.'' The development will come in four stages, with the majority of the work coming during the ten week closure.

The entrance will be revamped, with a new driveway, roundabout, covered walkway and arrivals zone.

Then the existing pool will be doubled in size and made into an "infinity'' pool, where guests will be able to bathe with the illusion of water trickling over the edge into the sea.

Coming in line with guests' requests for bigger rooms and bathrooms, three new master suites will be created. They will have balconies with hot tubs, jacuzzis inside and more room.

General manager Neal Stephens said larger and better equipped bathrooms were requested more and more by vacationers.

"We have increasingly received comments from guests about the rooms and that the bathrooms are on the smallish side, this is an attempt to address those concerns,'' he said.

A further two blocks of eight rooms will also be converted into junior suites, half this year and half next year. They will have balconies added and larger bathrooms.

"We have been working on this for over two years because we wanted to get it right and we wanted to build within our budget,'' said Mr. Dodwell.

An application will be made for benefits under the new Hotels Concessions Act.

Many of the staff will be kept on during the closure, which is during a period of traditionally low bookings.

Mr. Stephens said shutting the hotel was the only option, with the scale of the work taking place.

"The work couldn't be done without total discomfort to the guests,'' he said.

Mr. Dodwell held a meeting with staff yesterday afternoon which he said went very well, and added: "The staff were very enthusiastic about the project and like the ideas and want to participate fully, and I was very impressed with their commitment and enthusiasm.'' Draw for visitors: An artist's impression of the Reefs after its $5 million upgrade