Kensington Hotel Saipan temporarily closed last Sept. 1 to complete repairs to damage caused by super typhoons Sinlaku and Bavi, with the San Roque hotel now targeting a reopening later this year.
Kensington general manager Ted Jung confirmed the closure date to Marianas Press.
“I can confirm that Kensington Hotel Saipan temporarily closed on Sept. 1,” Jung said in a social media message.
“The temporary closure is to allow us to complete facility recovery work following the damage caused by Super Typhoons Sinlaku and Bavi. Our team is focused on restoring the hotel safely and preparing it for our guests,” he added.
“We are planning to reopen later this year,” Jung said.
Marianas Press recently visited the San Roque property and found all entrance gates closed, with vegetation around portions of the hotel appearing overgrown.
The closure comes after Kensington remained open for months despite sustaining significant damage from Super Typhoon Sinlaku in April and additional damage from Bavi.
Jung told Marianas Press in August that Kensington had delayed its planned temporary closure because accommodations were needed for relief personnel who came to the CNMI following the storms. The hotel planned to begin restoration work once those teams completed their work and departed.
At the time, Jung said repairs would mainly involve the hotel's swimming pools and that some employees could be placed on furlough. He did not provide the number of workers who could be affected or an estimate of the cost of the damage.
Kensington suffered shattered glass and ceiling damage on multiple floors during Sinlaku, while flooding affected its elevator systems. Guest rooms largely escaped major damage.
Despite the damage, the hotel maintained power, water, and Wi-Fi using generators and its reverse osmosis system. It initially accommodated about 70 to 80 tourists stranded in the typhoon's aftermath before shifting toward housing first responders and recovery personnel, including Federal Emergency Management Agency personnel.
Kensington had operated on a limited basis following Sinlaku, with East Moon restaurant open while the swimming pool remained closed because of debris and the lack of tourist demand.
Jung's latest statement provides the first firm closure date and a general timetable for Kensington's return, although an exact reopening date has not been announced.
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