As the newly appointed general manager of Coco Reef Resort, Matthew Cornall wasted no time making an impression at the Bermuda Partnership Summit.

Only three months into his tenure, Mr Cornall quipped: “Please feel free over the next couple of days to come visit us at Coco Reef. If you find a piece of wicker furniture, you win a free week.”

It’s a confident bet for a property that has just completed a top-to-bottom refurbishment, intended to change both travellers’ and locals’ perceptions of the historic South Shore, Paget resort.

“I can officially announce today that [the refurbishment] has been completed, and we are operating with all 64 of our rooms. They have been completely remodelled and modernised. However, through the use of certain pastels and colours, we have not lost the feeling and the charm of Bermuda that still flows through,” Mr Cornall stated at the summit, held at the Hamilton Princess & Beach Club on Monday.

The changes extend beyond the guest rooms. “Our bathrooms have been completely remodelled. We have now luxury robes in all of the rooms,” he said. “We have a complete linen upgrade, 100 per cent cotton in some cases.”

The property began life in 1979 as Stonington Beach Hotel, a government-owned training ground for Bermuda College’s hospitality programme. John Jefferis won a contract in 2003 to run the property for 50 years, and it underwent a $10 million refurbishment at that time. However, in recent years, the Italian Renaissance theme has been described in online reviews as dated and of middling quality.

Mr Cornall joins Coco Reef from Sandals Negril in Jamaica, where he was general manager. According to his LinkedIn profile, he has 37 years diverse international experience in properties in the Caribbean, England, Tanzania and South Africa.

He described as “absolutely fantastic” the warm Bermudian welcome he’s received in his short time on the island, and has urged locals to take another look at the transformed landmark. “There are probably some of you in the room that might still be under the impression that our refurbishment has not yet been completed. I can officially announce today that it has been completed. All 64 of our rooms have been completely remodelled and modernised.”

He was also eager to highlight Coco Reef’s enviable position on Bermuda’s famed shoreline, stating: “I always thought when I was in Antigua that we had the world’s sexiest beach. I can now officially, once again, make a second announcement today that from my own experience of having been here three months, we are officially on Bermuda’s sexiest beach. All rooms are ocean-facing.”

Dining at Coco Reef has also undergone sophisticated upgrades. “We have recently enhanced our atrium bar and our Sol i Mar restaurant, and about six months ago, we appointed a new executive chef,” he said, adding “we have relaunched our menus completely. We are now repositioning ourselves with a new look, a new feel and a new taste.”

Sol i Mar is described on its website as a “Spanish-designed restaurant that offers a unique fusion of international cuisine and Bermudian flavours.”