Sabrina Grant Never Planned to Run a Hotel. Fifteen Years Later, She Does.
Sabrina Grant, manager of Hotel The Champs in Picard, Portsmouth
There are some places in Dominica that quietly hold decades of stories within their walls. Long after the music fades and the crowds move on, they remain standing - transformed, but still deeply connected to the communities that shaped them. Hotel The Champs in Picard is one of those places.
I spent the day there recently, and while the views, food, and atmosphere were memorable, it was the story of Sabrina Grant that stayed with me most.
Sabrina is now the manager of Hotel The Champs, but her journey there did not begin behind a desk. It started in 2010 with a part-time kitchen prep job while she was attending college. She had moved to Portsmouth as a teenager to attend Portsmouth Secondary School and was simply looking for work when a friend told her the hotel needed help. What was supposed to be temporary slowly became a career.
Over the years, she moved from kitchen assistance to helping with rooms, then administration, eventually learning every aspect of the property. “I like to know how to do everything,” she told me during our conversation. Today, she manages the hotel almost entirely on her own alongside a small, dedicated team.
That kind of growth story matters.
In an era where many young people feel pressured to leave Dominica to build successful careers, Sabrina’s journey is a reminder that dedication, consistency, and opportunity can still create pathways right here at home.
And Hotel The Champs itself reflects that same story of resilience and reinvention.
For many Dominicans, especially those familiar with Portsmouth during the Ross University era, The Champs was legendary. I remember it well. After student exams, the property came alive with parties, music, crowds, and energy. There was the pizzeria, the bustling restaurant, specialty shots, and the unmistakable atmosphere that made it one of the social hubs of Picard. It was the place people gathered.
Then Hurricane Maria happened.
The storm damaged parts of the building, but even bigger changes were already unfolding. Dominica eventually lost Ross University to Barbados, dramatically shifting the economy and rhythm of Portsmouth. Like many businesses in the north, The Champs had to rethink its future.
Instead of rebuilding the party scene, the owners pivoted toward a quieter hospitality experience centered on guests, comfort, and relaxation. The result today is a boutique seven-room hotel that feels intentionally intimate.
I stayed in Room 6, which overlooks the pool area. The room was spacious enough to comfortably accommodate three adults, with a king bed and pull-out couch, a large bathroom with double sinks, coffee and water amenities, an electric kettle, and television. But beyond the physical space, what struck me most was the quiet.
You could hear frogs and birds from the nearby bushes. Between business calls, I found myself pausing simply to listen to the environment around me, something we rarely allow ourselves to do anymore.
The day unfolded slowly in the best possible way.
Breakfast was an omelette with pancakes topped with pineapple and passionfruit. Later, I changed for the pool and spent the afternoon swimming and sipping cocktails under the warm north coast sun. Back in the room, I worked on writing my new book before heading to dinner, where I had grilled tuna with rice and vegetables.
As evening settled over Picard, I watched the sunset disappear beneath a slightly overcast sky.
It felt peaceful. Grounding.
And perhaps that is the true story of Hotel The Champs today. It is no longer trying to be what it once was. Instead, it has evolved into something quieter, more intentional, and arguably more sustainable.
Sabrina sits in her office planning the staff schedule for the upcoming week.
Sabrina Grant represents that transformation perfectly.
She came to the hotel by chance, stayed through hurricanes, economic shifts, and industry changes, and grew alongside the property itself. In many ways, her story mirrors Dominica’s own; resilient, adaptive, and quietly determined.
Sometimes success is not about becoming bigger or louder.
Sometimes it is simply about surviving, evolving, and continuing to create meaningful experiences for the people who walk through your doors.
