"We were officially on lockdown as of yesterday and were not allowed to come out of our rooms," Small told Action News in a Zoom interview on Monday afternoon. "Today they served us breakfast in our rooms and made an announcement they could come to the buffet between 11 and 2."
Their flight home was originally scheduled for Monday. The airport shut down on Saturday. Now, all they can do is ride out the storm.
"It kind of mimics the Titanic. Everybody was going to the ball, getting ready, not knowing what was about to hit. So I think it's mixed. There's birthdays here, so they're singing happy birthday; some people are laughing and gallivanting; some people are very worried. It's mixed," Small said.
Meanwhile, here at home, Jamaican natives like Carla James would happily switch places with a stranded tourist, just so they could be with their family.
"Yes, I should be there with them," James said.
She owns Top Taste Jamaican Restaurant in West Philly. Many of her employees, also concerned about loved ones, are keeping a close eye on the storm.
"I'm worried because I have children and grandchildren there," said Justin Bryan from Kingston, Jamaica.
Hurricane Melissa is a Category 5 storm. The strongest hurricane on record to hit Jamaica was Gilbert in 1988, bringing 125-130 mph winds.
Top Taste employee Romeo Hudson lived through it as a child.
"Gilbert was crazy," he recalled. "The mountainside was like with a lot of trees, and in the morning when I woke up, it was no trees."
Carla James remembers it too.
"They say (Hurricane Melissa) is moving slow. When Gilbert come, it just come one time and leave. But this taking its time, crawling, crawling, crawling."
As of Monday afternoon, forecasters said the storm has strengthened and is now packing winds up to 175 mph. Landfall is expected on Tuesday morning.