Hotel Valentino faces tourism slowdown after $700K in Bavi damage

Hotel Valentino in Songsong Village on Rota suffered nearly $700,000 in damage from Typhoon Bavi last July, but after accommodating federal emergency personnel during the island's recovery, the hotel now faces another challenge—keeping its business afloat with few tourists visiting Rota.

Hotel Valentino general manager Alex Sablan said business has returned to its usual pattern following the departure of most Federal Emergency Management Agency personnel and other federal responders who helped the island recover from the storm.

"Unfortunately, we don't have a significant number of visitors on Rota that keep the operation sustainable," Sablan told Marianas Press.

Sablan, who is also vice president of TanHoldings Corp., said Bavi caused extensive damage to the hotel, breaking windows, allowing rainwater into the building, and flooding several floors.

Power fluctuations damaged equipment, while strong winds destroyed air-conditioning units and damaged other facilities, including water heaters.

Sablan estimated the damage at nearly $700,000.

The storm also disrupted shipping services and damaged port facilities, making it difficult to bring replacement equipment and building materials to Rota.

With regular vessel service unavailable, Sablan said he personally traveled by boat to Guam to purchase supplies needed to get the hotel operating again.

"So I took my personal boat, went to Guam, and purchased a lot of the items out of Home Depot and many other hardware stores," he said.

Despite the damage, Hotel Valentino was able to accommodate federal emergency personnel involved in Rota's recovery, thanks partly to FEMA's assistance in providing electricity while power restoration continued across the island.

Sablan thanked FEMA, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, first responders, the Department of Homeland Security, and the CNMI administration for their assistance in restoring basic services.

He said the hotel is still recovering, with damaged windows, peeling paint, and other repairs awaiting completion.

Finding qualified contractors remains another obstacle, particularly with the island's limited construction workforce and difficulties transporting materials.

Sablan said the hotel is also awaiting insurance assistance to continue rehabilitation work.

With most federal emergency personnel having left Rota, however, the immediate concern has shifted from accommodating responders to finding enough visitors to sustain operations.

Sablan said the island's tourism industry has yet to recover, leaving businesses dependent on a small local market and limited visitor arrivals.

He expressed hope that tourism across the Commonwealth would improve, particularly through increased interisland travel.

"We've been waiting for tourism to build up back again in the Commonwealth," he said.

Sablan also welcomed efforts to improve Rota's electrical infrastructure, expressing hope that recently approved financing for the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. would help restore reliable power throughout the island.