t was a Wednesday afternoon and six-year old Evan Bailey, a Londoner who arrived in Bermuda this week for vacation with his father, was virtually the master of Bermuda's newest water attraction: the outdoor water park area at the vastly revamped Wyndham Resort Hotel.

Those who remember the old Sonesta as it was before it was pounded by Hurricane Fabian in 2003 will not be able to help but be impressed as they wander through the hotel ? despite the evidence of finishing touches still being completed around them.

Fabian has left an everlasting impression on the South Shore resort, and decorators have capitalised on it. A bar off the lobby area is called "Tiptoe" ? after a boat which was flung into one of the resort's suites during the hurricane. The name was taken off the boat and fixed in the bar, while the bar counter illustrates in photographic detail the massive power and fury that Fabian wreaked on the resort.

Elsewhere, everything is newer, brighter ? and money has clearly been spent, particularly in the 27 junior suites. With cedar-framed Bermudian artwork adorning the walls, massive plasma flat-screen televisions, rich furnishings, and sliding doors opening directly on to a picture-perfect swathe of beach on the eastern side of the hotel, the price tag of $350-$700 a night (depending on the season) for those suites seemed only worth it.

With 252 rooms ready for occupancy and somewhere around 50 occupied last night, general manager Michael Collard said yesterday that the reservations are flowing in.

"It's been a wonderful first couple of days," he said. "This is something Bermuda should be proud of."

The hotel re-opened its doors after months of renovations on April 1 ? and the finishing touches are still being laid.

Glass was being set in Chameleon, the restaurant where the decor changes with the meal, while inventory is still being brought into the shops throughout this week. The spa shop was also being stocked though the new spa itself, Mr. Collard said, is fully functional, as were all the restaurants. A wine and cheese retail store will be the last detail to be completed in several weeks, he said.

Five free high-speed internet locations are offered to guests while the old indoor pool location has been transformed into a circular deck where the hotel is hoping to set up chairs and tents for outdoor massages.

The three private beaches also allowed the hotel to expand its target audience. Families can take over the water park area, while those enjoying a more private setting can relax at Sinky Bay, for example.

The water park, complete with swim-up bar, several eating areas, a children's play area, a Jacuzzi (which can fit up to 30 people), an infinity pool, and the signature outdoor waterslide ? which apparently takes 3.1 seconds to traverse ? is fully functional, Mr. Collard said. The area was already being enjoyed by a few guests, including Evan and his father, yesterday afternoon.

The west wing of the hotel remains closed this year, Mr. Collard said. In the 2005/06 winter months interior work will be completed in that area, allowing the hotel to meet the beach season in 2006 with an arsenal of 315 rooms.

A special local rate of $139 a night is in place right now until May 25, Mr. Collard said.