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Jan. 13, 2021 10:00 am ET
If he had known anything about the hotel business, Butch Stewart said, he might never have bought the Bay Roc Hotel in Montego Bay, Jamaica.
At the time of his purchase in 1981, the waterfront hotel was dilapidated and stood near the end of an airport runway. The roar of jet engines frequently interrupted the guests’ tropical idylls.
Mr. Stewart renovated the building, invested in king-size beds and introduced a couples-only policy with room, food and tips included in a single price. His aim was to create a more luxurious version of Club Med. Airport noise became part of the package: Every time a jet took off, the guests were encouraged to wave their arms and kiss their partners. After 18 months of losses, the hotel began to thrive.