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When people visit Aruba, they don't go just once. They return again and again, according to the Aruba Tourism Authority, which says half of all visitors to the island are repeat visitors.
With that in mind, Aruba strives to keep its destination fresh by continually opening new hotels and transforming old ones like the Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort Spa & Casino, which has just completed a $21 million enhancement encompassing each of its 357 guest rooms and suites, as well as its Regency Club club lounge, it announced last month.
Led by BLUR Workshop Designs out of Kansas City, the hotel's redesign blends modern design with traditional elements inspired by the island, including Dutch Colonial architecture and colorful Caribbean accents. Highlights include white oak furnishings, hand-woven chevron wool rugs, new pillows and bedding, tufted headboards, glass-faced refrigerators, and custom-made ombre draperies that mimic Aruba's turquoise waters.
"Looking out through the layers of waterfalls, swaying palm trees and onto the brilliant blue ocean outside of Hyatt Regency Aruba's property, there is no question that you are at a stunning tropical resort and a sense of calm relaxation takes over," said Kelly O'Donnell, designer at BLUR Designs. "We wanted to recreate that same experience as guests travel up to their rooms and open the door. Upon entry, the guests will have that same sense of excitement, relaxation and a sense of place that is distinctly Aruba."
Accommodations also include new bathrooms with quartz countertops, white oak vanities, brushed nickel fixtures and high-tech backlit mirrors that display the time on integrated digital clocks.
"Hyatt Regency Aruba consistently raises the bar when it comes to service, experience and amenities in Aruba," said General Manager Carlos Cabrera. "Our new room product is incomparable to any other resort on the island and will be a welcome enhancement to our valued guests."
As for the hotel's Regency Club, which is available exclusively to guests staying on the its 9th-floor Club Level: It has been moved from the top floor of the resort to the ground level for easy access from the pool, beach and casino which are just a few of the resort's amenities. Others include a spa and fitness center, tennis courts, 10 food and beverage outlets, and over 33,000 square feet of meeting and event space.
Five More Aruba Updates
The Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort Spa & Casino is but one example of how Aruba is keeping the island fresh for its repeat visitors. Here are four more:
Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino: In March, the Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino completed a renovation encompassing its 411 guest rooms, its 10,450 square feet of meeting space and the Tradewinds Club, a premium, adults-only experience within the resort that was updated with three new club-level guest rooms and a redesigned club lounge. Redesigned guest rooms feature a "modern minimalism" design and a "beach-chic" theme with neutral and light blue tones; each includes a new bed frame, carpeting, furniture, lighting fixtures and artwork. Meanwhile, the resort's Amsterdam Ballroom and boardroom were renovated with new carpeting, wallpaper, wall dcor and artwork.
Hilton Aruba Caribbean Resort & Casino: Hilton Aruba Caribbean Resort & Casino completed a multimillion-dollar renovation in 2017. The resort boasts 357 redesigned guest rooms and suites -- each of which features neutral and earth-tone colors reflecting Aruba's natural beauty, complete with new curtains, window treatments, carpeting, beds and bedding, televisions and local artwork as well as refreshed landscaping, re-conceptualized menus and dcor at its five onsite eateries, and a new open-air lobby. Also updated were the resort's pool decks, which feature cabanas with new trellises, day beds, lounge seating, side tables, hammocks and umbrellas. Finally, tennis buffs will appreciate the new, professional beach tennis court.
Zotry Isla Di Oro Aruba: In 2019, AMResorts will open its fifth Zotry resort Zotry Isla Di Oro Aruba. Located in Isla di Oro, a secluded inlet about 20 minutes south of Aruba's Queen Beatrix International Airport, the new resort will boast Aruba's first overwater bungalows. All told, there will be 126 suites, most of which will be located over the Caribbean Sea. There also will be 24/7 unlimited dining, a luxury spa, sailing, cultural programs and wellness classes, and snorkeling off the decks of guests' overwater rooms.
Iberostar Aruba: Although details are scarce, Spanish hotelier Iberostar announced late last year that it was planning to open a new hotel in Aruba in 2019. The hotel, it said, will have "almost 400 rooms on the island's Arashi Beach."
Hyatt Place Aruba Airport: Meeting and incentive groups stopping at Aruba'sReina Beatrix International Airport on their way to another destination will soon have a new option for overnight accommodations thanks to the new Hyatt Place Aruba Airport, opening later this year in the Aruba Airport Business Center. Aruba's first Hyatt Place hotel, the property will have 116 guest rooms, plus access to an 8,000-square foot food court, retail shops, a casual dining restaurant and car rental facilities. Additionally, there will be a covered walkway that will provide direct pedestrian access between the hotel and the airport.