In the early 1900’s, an elegant house stood on the Mon Repos sugar estate overlooking miles of cane field. This house was built by James Mc Lelland, the son of Hugh Mc Lelland, Mayor of San Fernando from 1917-1919. Royal Road which ran through Mon Repos (meaning “my rest”), was then dotted with a few homes and corner shops, leading down to a large savannah where the McEnearney building is now situated.
Today, occupying approximately two acres of land, the former Mc Lelland home is now The Royal Hotel. When the building was taken over in 1978, the original structure was basically intact. However in 2000 the house was destroyed by fire and was rebuilt with the colonial style that is Royal Hotel today. Royal still possesses that homely atmosphere.