By Theresa Goodwin
The Catamaran Hotel, a pristine Antiguan and Barbudan resort, is being featured prominently in a major prime time series “The Big Body Hotel” which premiered on Discover+ on March 12 in the United Kingdom.
The Big Body Hotelis an eight-part series that chronicles plus size tourists on their Caribbean holiday at the resort that is located in Falmouth Harbour.
As described by Discovery+, the guests check into the hotel, which is specifically designed with them in mind, and they learn to embrace their bodies in a place where size is no obstacle to enjoying a care-free holiday.
Throughout the show, the tourists participate in experiences at the resort – the Catamaran Hotel- as well as explore other parts of the island with activities chosen to help them overcome their body confidence issues.
Neil Forrester, of Azingo Hospitality, who handles the resort’s public relations and marketing, told OBSERVER yesterday that the documentary and the subsequent filming was made possible through a partnership between Feona Bailey, the owner of the Catamaran Hotel and Resort Foundation, which shared the concept of the plus size model.
Following the initial agreement over a year ago, the resort’s management worked to upgrade and enforce furnishings, bathrooms, and other amenities to accommodate people of different sizes and be accredited as such.
Despite the plus size accreditation, the resort still caters to other visitors who are looking for a private getaway.
The documentary, Forrester said, has gone out in the United Kingdom for now; however, it will eventually be premiered in the United States and other discovery channels.
“Five guests came down for eight weeks during the months of October and November last year. These were plus-size people who would have lost confidence in themselves because of their weight. Through their stay, they were accompanied by two hosts who taught them through their issues and allowed them to do activities they never did in their lives.
“This programme is going to be seen by millions of people as time progresses and will result in huge exposure for the Catamaran Hotel, and Antigua and Barbuda as a destination. Eight 45-minute shows on an international screening service uniquely showing Antigua is priceless for the destination,” Forrester said.
The Catamaran Hotel has been owned and operated by the Bailey family since 1963 and is Antigua’s first locally owned beachfront hotel.
