Update: As early rain from Hurricane Irene began in the Carolinas Friday morning, hotels on the coast were in the midst of evacuating while hotels more inland were scrambling to find beds for evacuees. Read "Hotel guests flee North Carolina coast."
NASSAU, Bahamas—Hurricane Irene battered the capital of the Bahamas overnight and into Thursday morning, but as the worst of the storm passed, the island’s most iconic hotel reported only minimal damage.
“The worst of the storm is passing Nassau/Paradise Island at the moment with high winds and rain, but so far it looks like Atlantis has sustained only minimal impact,” said Megan Marchesini, a media spokeswoman for the Atlantis. “All guests and staff are fine and have been following Atlantis hurricane protocol throughout the night.”
Some resorts on the island set up emergency shelters Wednesday night in preparation for the storm, reported the Associated Press, as Nassau's downtown is known to flood even in heavy rain. The main airport serving the chain of islands was expected to close Wednesday night.
The U.S. State Department issued a warning to travelers on Tuesday, urging U.S. citizens to “carefully consider the potential risk of travel to The Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands … due to the threat posed by Hurricane Irene.”
The department suggested U.S. citizens should consider departing the regions while commercial transportation is available, which will have an obvious impact on the travel and tourism industries there.
Marchesini said the safety of guests and staff at Atlantis and One&Only Ocean Club was the foremost concern. She said, as the storm passes, the hotels will be better able to assess the hotel grounds and “clean-up operations will be able to commence.”
By noon, the Atlantis was expected to have updates on whether the hotel will be able to accept arrivals on Friday. “These updates will continue to be posted through our website, Facebook, Twitter and emails,” Marchesini said.
Irene became a Category 4 hurricane as it passed over the northwestern Bahamas Thursday morning en route to the eastern U.S. coast.
“While we are thankful that Atlantis did not feel the full force of the storm, our thoughts are with those in the direct path of Hurricane Irene in the coming days,” Marchesini said.
Continue to visit HotelNewsNow.com for updates on Hurricane Irene’s effect on the hotel landscape.