‘Thanks for the memories’
The Hyatt Regency Saipan has touched the lives of many people near and far. But, just like the “unsinkable” Titanic, the unthinkable is happening as the hotel is going to shut its doors down for good on June 30, 2024, after 43 years of service in the CNMI.
Ahead of the permanent closure, more than 100 current and former Hyatt employees gathered for a “Walk Down Memory Lane”—a reunion with food, laughter, and sharing of memories at the Micro Beach pavilion behind the hotel last June 8.
In the air hung a feeling of dread and inevitably, but at the same time, gratitude and nostalgia as the sunny summer day brought generations of Hyatt staff together for a moment of recollection and appreciation.
The event was organized by former director of Human Resources Josephine Mesta, who sent out invites via social media and word of mouth.
She said of the event, “the celebration was really a success. We invited everybody from the past and present to come and join us and celebrate our years with the Hyatt and walk down memory lane and talk about our favorite or worst memories. I think with everyone here, we’ve all expressed that Hyatt has been a part of their lives, and if there’s anything we got out of it, it’s that it’s made us better people and also more confident in what we do in life.”
“We look forward to the future of what will happen with the rest of us in Saipan,” she said. “We want to thank the Hyatt for being a part of our lives, a part of our children’s lives—and that’s something we’re very grateful for and we’re sorry to see them go.”
For former employee of 40 years Barbara Sablan, or affectionately called “Ms. Bobbie,” who worked at the Hyatt from 1983 to 2023, she said, “it’s overwhelming. We saw new faces and also old-timers from the ’80s.” With a crack in her voice, she said, “How I feel with Hyatt closing, it’s so sad and heartbreaking. It’s very hard to let go. Almost my whole life was there. My kids and grandkids grew up there and it’s just so sad that they’re closing up.”
To the community and guests who patronized the hotel, she said, “I want to say thank you to the community and all the guests that stayed at the Hyatt, because without them too, we wouldn’t have been there.”
Penelope Jones, current Human Resource assistant manager, who’s been there since 2007, said, “First of all, I want to thank Mrs. Mesta and the team for putting this event together. It’s very somber, but I’m so grateful for the friendship and the family we’ve built during our years at the Hyatt.”
She added, “Once a Hyatt employee, you’ll always be a Hyatt employee. I’m so grateful for the people who have nurtured me and made me the person who I am today. I also want to give thanks to the former management, current management, and the owner of Hyatt Regency Saipan for withstanding the storms and COVID—and for supporting and helping us during those challenging times.”
Author worked as a supervisor at Hyatt Regency Saipan from 2015 to 2022.
Former and current Hyatt Regency Saipan employees pose for a group photo at the Micro Beach behind the hotel in a “Walk Down Memory Lane” reunion and celebration last June 8, as the hotel bids goodbye to the CNMI on June 30.
-LEIGH GASES
Former and current Hyatt Regency Saipan employees pose for a group photo at the Micro Beach pavilion behind the hotel towards the end of the “Walk Down Memory Lane” reunion and celebration last June 8, as the hotel bids goodbye to the CNMI on June 30.
-LEIGH GASES
Former Hyatt Regency Saipan employees pose for a group photo during the “Walk Down Memory Lane” reunion and celebration last June 8 at the Micro Beach pavilion, as the hotel bids goodbye to the CNMI on June 30.
-LEIGH GASES
Former Hyatt employees from the 1980s pose for a photo during the “Walk Down Memory Lane” reunion and celebration last June 8 at the Micro Beach pavilion, as the hotel bids goodbye to the CNMI on June 30.
-LEIGH GASES
Former and current Hyatt Regency Saipan employees, including former Human Resources director Josephine Mesta, third left, pose for a group photo during the “Walk Down Memory Lane” reunion and celebration last June 8 at the Micro Beach pavilion, as the hotel bids goodbye to the CNMI on June 30.
-LEIGH GASES
Current Hyatt Regency Saipan housekeeping staff dig into the food prepared for the “Walk Down Memory Lane” reunion and celebration last June 8 at the Micro Beach pavilion, as the hotel bids goodbye to the CNMI on June 30.
-LEIGH GASES
