arrived at the Elbow Beach Hotel yesterday after its troubled $25 million facelift.

But the curious cocktail retained plenty of fizz for 77-year-old Robert Stith and his wife, Virginia, 75.

Along with the 14 other guests they were offered two free days as a "sweetener'' for any inconvenience from the finishing touches to the renovation.

The touches included men with heavy construction machinery working on the main driveway, and front porch.

"I wasn't upset at all that the renovation wasn't quite complete. It's just wonderful to be here,'' exclaimed Mrs. Stith.

"I had to step over a few impediments on entering, and some people were hammering, but it didn't bother me.'' Mrs. Stith, from Ohio, admitted her travel agents had not informed her about the revamp.

The American couple arrived amid frantic activity to meet yesterday's deadline for the overhaul.

An original 11 a.m. reopening VIP fanfare was pushed aside after proving over ambitious.

Work centred on tarmacking the approach to the Wyndham hotel, tidying it up, and completing the porch.

Some final touches were also hastily applied to the plush new lobby and entrance hall.

By early evening bosses were confident "99.9 percent'' of the total refurbishment was complete.

Tourism Minister the Hon. C.V. (Jim) Woolridge toured the site twice yesterday.

He heaped praise on management and employees, who had worked through the night.

"This is a modern miracle on the eve of Good Friday,'' he declared.

He added: "I have kept abreast of the various stages of the operation and have been very impressed indeed as it has unfolded.

"The way people have pulled together to work as a team has been tremendous.'' Mr. Woolridge also praised Marcor Realty for investing in the hotel, and demonstrating confidence in Bermuda.

"I am confident Elbow Beach will continue to be a great link in our hotel chain as a world-class resort.'' Mr. Eric Danziger, president of Wyndham Luxury Hotels and Resorts, also applauded the construction effort.

"In a perfect world everything would have been completed, but we had some inclement weather yesterday which didn't help.

"Customers, however, won't judge a hotel by the drive up.'' Mr. Danziger said the hotel now offered a five-star standard of service, with plush bedrooms, decor, and a spectacular restaurant.

"We are now providing the complete customer experience. We got our priorities right and made sure the inside of the hotel was ready.'' Managing director Mr. John Jefferis who burned the midnight oil with the rest of the workforce said he was thrilled by the outcome.

"I'm delighted by what's been achieved,'' he said.

Yesterday saw the reopening of 100 newly-fitted rooms, and work on the remainder in the building will be complete by the end of the week.

The rooms in the cottage colony will be thrown open by the end of the month.

The completion date of the overhaul was delayed three times following bad weather, an overtime ban by construction workers, and the deportation of a wallpaperer.