Hundreds of hotel workers are bracing themselves for unemployment as the Sonesta Beach Hotel prepares to close down for four months.

"I don't know how long we'll be out,'' a female floor co-ordinator said yesterday. "None of us do really.'' Managing director Mr. David Boyd told The Royal Gazette that at least 100 managers and workers will be retained by the hotel, which is to spend some $15 million between now and March 12 to renovate its 403 guest rooms, corridors, air conditioning system, main lobby and restaurant.

The rest of the 185 Bermudian workers will be either laid off or co-opted to the project as necessity demands.

Almost all of the hotel's non-Bermudian staff is to return home for the closure.

"I'm not sure how many (Bermudian) workers will be hired,'' Mr. Boyd said.

"It'll vary from trade to trade and from function to function. I would imagine that 100 is a minimum number.'' Some of those who have already been co-opted to the project had begun stripping a number of the hotel's guest rooms yesterday morning.

Others, like 47-year-old conventions worker Mr. Mervyn Smith, have been assured that they will be reassigned to other areas in the hotel. "I don't know if I'm fortunate or not,'' said Mr. Smith, who is moving to security.

"Some of (the employees) are stripping rooms, but I don't know how long they will be able to do that.'' Despite Mr. Boyd's claim that "anyone who wants to work will be able to,'' two of the women who were emptying rooms yesterday said they had only been guaranteed work until mid-December.

They and other female workers also said that most of renovation jobs, which involve heavy lifting, would go to male employees.

"There's going to be a lot more opportunity for the men than there will be for the women,'' said a 23-year-old front desk clerk who had signed up for project work but expected to be at the bottom of the list.

Added another woman who was stripping rooms: "I think they mostly have work for the men.'' A male employee, however, was sceptical about his chances of acquiring additional work.

"It's a scam,'' he said. "The hotel said it would guarantee me extra renovation work. But the contractors have their own men -- why would they need me?'' The man, whose last day on the job is tomorrow, said he had yet to hear any word on what kind of work -- if any -- he might be doing.

"Does that sound right to you?'' he asked.

Adding to the uncertainty among employees is the fact that none of the laid-off workers will be receiving any type of cash benefits from either their employer, the Bermuda Industrial Union or Government.

Although a unionised Sonesta worker told The Royal Gazette in September that the BIU would "help the people who really need help,'' the union has been publicly non-committal.

Said Mr.

Smith yesterday: "People need to survive. I don't know about the union, but I think Government should have a programme in place. Someone should be protecting the workers.'' Added another young woman: "How much is the hotel spending on the renovations -- $15 million? Why can't they afford to help out their employees?'' While the hotel had been hit hard by the recent recession, executive assistant manager Mrs. Tori Sheppard said yesterday that 1994 has been a banner year for Sonesta and the renovations will only improve its prospects.

Another reason the hotel has expressed for the overhaul is the expected boost it will bring to its saleability.

Said Mr. Boyd when he first announced the shutdown: "I think everyone here knew we were going to have to do something.'' The hotel, which is owned by Connecticut-based Aetna insurance, has been on the market for more than two years.