Investment

Herdmanston Annexe acquired as part of hotel expansion by Georges: Hoteliers Dee and Michael George have purchased the historic Herdmanston Annexe on Lamaha Street, formerly owned by GuySuCo, and will add it to their hotel business while preserving elements of its colonial architecture. “Yes, indeed the property was sold to us and we are going ahead with expansion for what will be called the Herdmanston Residential Suites… ,” Michael George told Stabroek News recently. His wife Dee was quick to add that given their current hotel (formerly Herdmanston House) and the annexe were former Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) properties, they feel it important to continue “preserving the story of sugar”, and that they will use their newest acquisition to continue this. “Our business model has always been telling the story of sugar and will continue it with that building. These properties was once owned by GuySuCo and a lot of people don’t know the history. That building was called Herdmanston Annexe and where we are now [called] Herdmanston House. We incorporate aspects of GuySuCo to evoke interest and pique the curiosity of persons. The restaurant is named Sucre, rooms after sugar estates; you have the Ogle Room because of where GuySuCo’s Head Office was; Cane View Terrace; Yellow Crystal Suites…all of the rooms have names relating to sugar,” she said. The Lot 18 Lamaha Street property was bought by the Georges and it was part of the call by the current government for Expressions of Interest (EOIs) to build hotels across the country. It once housed GuySuCo visitors and later served as the Head office for the Marriott Hotel, while that facility was being built. When the Marriott moved, it became the residence of then Minister of Agriculture and former Minister of Natural Resources Robert Persaud. After Persaud left in 2015, it housed the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority until earlier this year when that agency moved to another Queenstown location.