Caneel Bay will shut down September 1st through Oct. 31st. A brief announcement of the first-in-memory closure appeared on the Caneel Web site.
September and October are the most likely months for hurricanes to threaten the island. This is why a number of rental homes, including Blue Tang, close during this period to avoid guests finding that, as last fall when Omar threatened, their vacations are interrupted or cut short.
Caneel’s owner, Rosewood Hotels and Resorts, owns luxury properties from Santa Fe to Dubai. Its holdings also include Little Dix Bay in the BVIs, which is not closing.
Rosewood does market research and its business depends upon accurately anticipating demand. With years of experience in the resort business catering to the high-end traveler, the company’s survival depends on managing its properties for profit. Odds are that the resort company’s marketing research is flashing red lights about there being enough business to justify staying open these two months
It may be that Caneel’s decision will have ripples. It’s possible that restaurant owners may take longer late summer breaks. Villa management companies may take Rosewood’s decision as a ‘heads up’ about the off season and also decide to scale back.
Gerald Singer, a longtime island resident and guide book writer, commented on his blog saying, "Looks like St. John is starting to see some fallout from the much-publicized economic crisis that’s playing havoc with people the world over."