The reopening of Atlantis Paradise Island has been put on hold.

Originally scheduled to begin welcoming guests again on July 7th and then July 30th, the iconic Bahamian resort is now extending its closure “for the time being.”

In a letter to guests updated on July 18th, the resort’s president and managing director Audrey Oswell explained that while the resort and its team members are prepared and trained to welcome guests and ensure the health, safety and well-being of every individual who walks through the property’s doors, the variables surrounding the COVID-19 virus have not improved. “The continuous rise in confirmed COVID-19 cases in many of our key U.S. markets has impacted our decision to reopen,” she wrote.

“From the onset of the pandemic, the health and safety of our team members, guests, and community is our highest priority. For this reason, we are extending Atlantis’ closure for the time being. While we are fueled by the opportunity to welcome our guests back, we believe that remaining closed is in the best interest of public health at this time,” she said.

Oswell assured guests that the resort’s team of reservation agents would be reaching out to assist with rebooking planned vacations, issuing refunds, or providing stay credits. She also said that the resort was tracking new information daily, and as it continued to evaluate the best path forward, it would be sharing its latest reopening updates via email, on its websites, and through social media.

In June, the resort announced a phased reopening of its hotels beginning with at The Royal and Harborside Resort on July 7th, and at The Cove on July 14th.. This timeline coincided with the Bahamian government’s announcement that international commercial travel to the islands would resume on July 1, 2020.

At the same time, it announced the launch of the Atlantis Clean & Safe Promise, a set of enhanced cleaning and sanitization policies developed in partnership with Cleveland Clinic.