ST. THOMAS, USVI — The island of St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands is counting down the days until the opening of not one, but two highly anticipated resorts.

The first, Frenchman’s Reef Marriott Resort & Spa, which has been shuttered since Hurricane Irma hit the island in 2017, is set to reopen in 2020.

The second, Noni Beach, a St. Thomas Resort, which will operate under Marriott’s Autograph Collection, will open adjacent to Frenchman’s, also in 2020, as part of a joint US$200 million plus project.

The Frenchman’s Reef Marriott Resort & Spa, dramatically situated atop a harbourside cliff, will offer 384 guestrooms, including 28 spacious suites, plus three resort pools, a luxury wellness spa and 85,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space.

Noni Beach Resort, the first Autograph Collection hotel in the U.S. Virgin Islands, will comprise a series of intimate beachhouse-style villas contain 94 guestrooms, including two honeymoon suites, all situated directly on the beach. Other highlights include a private, beachfront infinity-edge pool with swimup bar, a 3,000 square-foot beachfront ballroom, and multiple dining experiences.

“DiamondRock is creating two truly unique resorts in the Virgin Islands. The irreplaceable location and superlative quality of DiamondRock’s resort property in concert with Marriott’s world-class brands will create an unparalleled and authentic island guest experience. Moreover, we take pride in bringing well over 400 new jobs back to the St. Thomas community,” said Mark Brugger, President & CEO, DiamondRock Hospitality Company.

Laurent de Kousemaeker, Chief Development Officer for Marriott International in the Caribbean and Latin America, added: “This signing underscores our commitment to St. Thomas and to bringing back tourism, meetings and events. We believe that DiamondRock Hospitality has a winning vision for this iconic property – with both the Marriott Hotels brand and the introduction of the Autograph Collection brand.”