Dr Eddie Wright, chairman of the hotel, told The Gleaner that the water receded late Monday afternoon.

Wright could not give an exact date for the reopening of the facility, saying it was dependent on how quickly the place could be cleaned up.

He said a meeting is to be held today to examine issues relating to disaster mitigation.

The guests were transported from the hotel by boat. Seven vehicles which were parked at the hotel were also flooded.

Meanwhile, Jacqueline Lawrence, one of the guests who was trapped at the hotel on Monday, told The Gleaner yesterday that she was making preparations to have her vehicle transported to her home in St James.

Towing expensive

Lawrence said the insurance company was contacted and a wrecking company was charging her $40,000 to take the vehicle to St James.

"That is too expensive, so I am in Mandeville now waiting on a wrecker from St James that will be charging me $30,000," she said.

Lawrence said she was still traumatised over the incident.

"Last night (Monday) when I went to bed and closed my eyes, I could hardly see. All I kept seeing was the water," Lawrence said.

Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett announced last year that $150 million would be spent to upgrade the Milk River Spa in Clarendon.

Bartlett said part of the "new thrust" being undertaken by the ministry was the active promotion of the concept of 'health tourism'.