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@Work: Pink Fancy Hotel

Sept. 24, 2006 — Cal and Joan Coolidge had traveled throughout the Caribbean, but they first explored St. Croix online while searching for properties, finding Christiansted's Pink Fancy Hotel and a new home.
"The hotel was a hidden gem which we wanted to cultivate," Cal says. The Coolidges came to St. Croix in February to view the property and fell in love with its people and the town. Pink Fancy drew them to the island; the people of the island made them stay.
"The property was well maintained and upscale, and we found that we could utilize it," Cal says. The couple moved to St. Croix from their home in Alexandria, Va., running the hotel since July.
Original parts of the hotel date back to 1780, earning the Pink Fancy a listing in the National Register of Historical Places. It first opened its doors to guests in 1948. Coolidge feels the property appeals both to business travelers and vacationers seeking a bed-and-breakfast atmosphere.
The hotel accommodates its guests with two styles of rooms. Both the Value and Caribbean Classic rooms offer an efficiency kitchen, air conditioning and television. The rooms have estate names such as Sweet Bottom, Upper Love, and The Morning Star. The owners say they strive to create a "home away from home" atmosphere.
To accomplish this goal, the Pink Fancy serves continental breakfast during peak months, known to hotel owners as the snowbird season. Guests can lounge by the pool year round. To accommodate business travelers, the hotel offers WiFi connections for the "office away from the office."
Occupancy is exactly where it should be this time of the year, the new owners say. Cal describes the hotel as "a gracious Caribbean-styled resort for people looking for a classic Caribbean-styled locale." They plan to showcase the property's beauty with an open house.
Guests should feel unencumbered while staying at the Pink Fancy, Cal says. "We want our guests to be here without the necessity of a rental vehicle. They can walk to many things around Christiansted."
Keeping good relationships with other businesses around the island helps ensure guests' comfort, Cal says. "We are very impressed with the people. Everyone wishes us well and is very cooperative."
Like their guests, the Coolidges know what it's like to be away from your hometown, acknowledging that their relocation was something of an adjustment. They plan to draw from this experience to help visitors acclimate to the island. They encourage visitors to participate in island tours, guide them to the many dive shops in the area and help them find island activities that may interest them.
But the Coolidges haven't forgotten their fellow islanders. Pink Fancy also accommodates them.
"We welcome local business and always offer a local rate," Cal says. For island residents seeking a getaway or visitors seeking a Caribbean-styled "home away from home," contact Cal and Joan Coolidge at 773-8460 or via the Pink Fancy web site.
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