US$18M Plaza Court Hotel opens on Main Street

Guyana’s room stock has been further increased with the opening of the new US$18 million Plaza Court Hotel on Main Street in Georgetown.

The hotel, which was constructed by Dayuan Construction Group, is a 60-room modern state-of-the-art facility with a large Presidential suite. It features a spacious lounge, a fully stocked indoor bar, a restaurant, a meeting room, a private dining room, a modern gym, and a rooftop bar that offers a stunning view of the Demerara River flowing into the Atlantic Ocean.

Chairman of the Plaza Court Hotel, Ravin Prashad, said this project was born out of vision, commitment, and an unwavering belief in Guyana’s future.

“We reflected deeply on the consistent message shared by His Excellency, President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, regarding the growing demand for quality hotel accommodation in Guyana, particularly during major events such as CPL (Caribbean Premier League), the Global Super League, the Guyana Energy Conference, CARICOM Conferences and visiting international delegations, among others. The demand is real, the need is pressing, and we felt strongly that we could contribute meaningfully to Guyana’s hospitality landscape,” he stated.

His father, Manniram Prashad – formerly Tourism Minister of Guyana – recalled back in 2007, when Guyana first hosted the Cricket World Cup, how difficult it was to secure accommodation. Today, he said, the landscape has changed dramatically.

“Wherever you turn, you see hotels rising; clear evidence of Guyana’s rapid growth, opportunity, and confidence in the future… When we look across the Caribbean, roughly 95 per cent of the region’s hotels are owned by foreigners. What is particularly encouraging about Guyana is that our hotels are 90 per cent owned and developed by Guyanese. This not only promotes local tourism but also strengthens local content, local investment, and national pride,” Prashad declared.

Similar sentiments were shared by President Dr Irfaan Ali, who delivered the feature address at the Plaza Court Hotel’s opening on Saturday evening. He highlighted the importance of collaboration across the local hospitality sector to raise standards and deliver a unified experience as we build Brand Guyana.

“When all of these hotels collaborate, they’re able to hold each other to the same standard, and that is important… All the hotels must understand that they’re selling one product, one brand, and that is ‘Brand Guyana’ – ‘Product Guyana’,” he noted.

According to the Head of State, this 60-room hotel indicates that there is a target market. He went onto note that while every hotel must have an individual identity, there are some key features that are necessary for any thriving hospitality business, that is, safety, experience and service.

“The government is supporting the…three important components of a successful hotel, a successful tourism sector – safety, experience and service,” Dr Ali stated, adding that the government’s world-class hospitality institute will ensure the country’s human capital is upskilled so that service locally is continuously improved.

Meanwhile, also speaking at the hotel opening was Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce Susan Rodrigues, who said the Plaza Court Hotel is opening at a critical point in Guyana’s tourism and economic trajectory.

“Tourism today is no longer a supporting industry. It is a strategic sector that contributes to employment, private investment, foreign exchange earnings and the international positioning of Guyana as a destination for business, leisure and sustainable development,” she noted.

Pointing to the 22 per cent increase in visitors to Guyana recorded in 2025, Rodrigues said this sends a clear signal of market performance and regional competitiveness.

According to the Tourism Minister, the Plaza Court Hotel will strengthen Guyana’s room stock, easing pressure on existing facilities, and raising the overall standard of accommodation available in the capital. This, she added, will further improve the local capacity to secure repeat visitors, support major events and attract both business and regional travellers.

Guyana has developed nine major hotels over the last five years, adding more than 1000 rooms to the national inventory. Locally-branded hotels, along with international players such as Marriott, Courtyard by Marriott, AC Marriott, Aiden by Best Western, and soon, Four Points by Sheraton, will be complemented by several additional major brands that are projected to deliver more than 1,300 new rooms in the coming years.