Another 70 hotel workers will face a fraught Christmas as Stonington Beach joins the list of out-of-action hotels.

It has already been a tough year for hotel workers on the Island with both the Fairmont Southampton and the Sonesta Beach having to close for the winter months due to the effects of Hurricane Fabian, leaving Bermuda more than 1,000 rooms down on its normal level.

But Stonington's closure is unrelated to storm damage, with the $10 million transformation of the hotel planned since early in the summer.

The hotel is only operating at around half-capacity at the moment according to manager John Jefferis, with 32 of the 68 rooms damaged in the storm.

He confirmed that the 70 staff, the majority of whom are Bermudian, will be laid off although their jobs would be available again when the hotel eventually re-opens.

Although Mr. Jefferis cannot confirm a date for closure, it is understood it will be around mid-November.

"The staff have been aware of this for some time," he told

"I am sure they have concerns about when it is going to happen. It is difficult to say how long we will be shut for. Things can often take longer than expected when it comes to construction.

"It depends on a number of factors including insurance and contractors. We don't want to be vague though, not with people's livelihoods at stake."

He said that when the details of the closure are known, he would be able to give more information including what will happen to guests booked in during that period.

He said he would like to move winter guests to other hotels on the Island, such as Elbow Beach, although he warned "Fabian has changed everything" and that some hotels may already be full due to accommodating guests from the Sonesta and the Fairmont Southampton.

Stonington, which overlooks Elbow Beach and is used to train Bermuda College hospitality students, will be rebranded the Coco Reef Resort, Bermuda, after the renovations.

"The hotel will undergo substantial renovation and expansion, including a dramatic new lobby, additional luxury villa suites, refurbishment of all bedrooms and public rooms, and a new bistro-type restaurant will be added, plus a beach restaurant," Mr. Jefferis said.

"It is a delightful property situated on Bermuda's most famous beach.

"Our intention is to invest significantly in the renovation and refurbishing to bring the property up to a world class standard."

Tourism Minister Ren?e Webb confirmed there would be 1,000 rooms fewer this year because of the closure of hotels due to both the effects of Fabian and this refurbishment but was remaining positive about the future of the vital tourism industry.

"Obviously being this number of rooms down is not an ideal situation," she told

"But for a tourism destination you need to have a stable infrastructure. The main thing is to get these hotels repaired or renovated and open again as soon as possible.

"Government agencies are doing everything they can to assist. By next spring we are going to have our world-class hotels open for business again."

She said she was pleased the hotel had remained open in the short-term as it helped accommodate visitors for this weekend's jazz festival.

Many guests had to be moved to alternative accommodation due to the closure of the Fairmont Southampton and the Sonesta but all hotels were now full this weekend, she revealed.

When asked about the hotel employees who will be out of work because of Stonington's closure, she replied: "Of course it is unfortunate but at the moment it shouldn't be hard to get work.

"They may have to move into a different area but there is plenty of work around at the moment with all the repairs and so on."

Mr. Jefferis, a Bermudian, beat a bid from Bermuda Resort Hotels, managed by former Bermuda Hotel Association president Billy Griffith, to run Stonington after the Bermuda College decided it would be better to have the hotel operated and leased by a private company.

Mr. Jefferis' Coco Reef resort in Tobago was named best resort in the Caribbean at the world travel awards last year while Mr. Jefferis, a former Caribbean Hotel Association president, was named Caribbean entrepreneur of the year by Ernst and Young last year.

His company also owns Tobago in-flight airline caterers and Cafe Coco theme restaurants.

Bermuda College hospitality students will also be given the chance to train at the Coco Reef resort in Tobago as part of the original deal signed earlier this year.