It's the end of an island icon: The Wyndham Bermuda Resort & Spa, one of Bermuda's most prominent hotels, will close on Oct. 31. The resort is undergoing a renovation that the new owners hope will transform the property from a three-star resort to a five-star hotel. It is scheduled to reopen in 2009 as the Southampton Beach Resort.

The new property will feature condos as well as hotel rooms, along with tennis, squash, a fitness center, pool, and restaurants.

"It is regrettable that we have to close the hotel, as it has touched the lives of many Bermudians during its 45 years of service," said Larry Magor, managing director of Wyndham Bermuda. "We look forward, though, to its rebirth as a world-class hotel and resort."