ORANJESTAD (April 7, 2019) – Sundays I write about the most relevant and interesting happenings on the island in my newsletter.
This weeks edition features the top news headlines in Aruba.
Subscribing to my newsletter is an ideal way to stay up to date with what’s going on in Aruba – whether you’re living on the island, miles away or your first visit!
If this is your first time reading my newsletter – welcome!
Aruba Marriott Resort Named Hotel of The Year
Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino was awarded the “Hotel of the Year”.
This recognition is part of their record breaking year for exceeding revenues, and for completing 91 community activities in 2018 amounting to a total of 7360 work hours.
The award was presented during Marriott’s Caribbean & Latin America General Manager conference in Cancun, Mexico.
“Hotel of the Year” award is a property-based performance accolade.
It’s one of the many ways Marriott recognizes their associates for serving the customers and communities in which the brand name resort operate.
The hotels founder, John Willard Marriott, started the resort with one simple principle in mind, “if our associates are taken care of, they will take care of our customers”.
Until this day, this principle remains the cornerstone for the resorts success.
“Aruba Marriott winning the hotel of the year award in 2018 is an incredible achievement” said the General Manager, Karen Chastain during the acceptance speech.
Book your getaway in Aruba and experience the Marriott way of vacation.
Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort Wins Climate Action Awards
Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort is the winner of the first-ever “Climate Action Award” presented by the World Travel & Tourism Council.
The award was presented for the resorts sustainability initiatives and achieving carbon neutrality on resort property in 2018.
Bucuti began the journey towards carbon neutrality seven years ago.
Since then the resort has worked to replace carbon offsets by finding innovative ways to reduce the hotels operation emissions.
Since 2016, the resort has 618 solar panels, combined with local wind and solar sources that’s producing 40% of the hotels energy.
The rooms at Bucuti have a smart in room management system.
“The environmental journey at Bucuti & Tara just started, and we will continue working towards a better world.” said the owner of the resort, Ewald Biemans.
He also mentioned that the system is easy to replicate, with proven actions.
“Our goal is to encourage other resorts around the world to do the same, there is no excuse for hotels not to work towards carbon neutrality in this day and age.” emphasized Ewald Biemans.
Bucuti is also one of the perfect resort for couples on a romantic vacation to Aruba.
The resort is adult only and has several amenities, activities and restaurant to celebrate love in paradise.
Aruba in Tripadvisor Top 10 Destinations Travelers Choice 2019
TripAdvisor recently announced Aruba as the top 3 destination in the Caribbean.
Aruba was described by one of their writers as the following:
“Visit Aruba once and you’ll instantly start planning your next visit. The island wins you over with gorgeous weather, serene beaches, exciting land and sea activities (ATVs in the outback, anyone?), and terrific nightlife, from restaurants to casinos and nightclubs. Don’t miss the live music scene, featuring Aruba’s own Tumba music.”
Can you imagine yourself here?
Visit once and you’ll fall in love with Aruba, is for sure!
The island has one of the highest rates of return visitor in the Caribbean.
As for the weather, you can bet it’s going to be sunny when you’re here. The island enjoys one of the most sunny days, compared to other islands in the region.
Beaches?
Aruba has plenty ranking in the top spot according to TripAdvisor, Eagle Beach being the most popular one.
The culinary cuisine on the island is one of a kind. Over 200 fine dining and casual restaurants on the island.
Read more about Aruba’s restaurants in one of my recent culinary journeys.
Also ranked on the top spots in the Caribbean by TripAdvisor were Barbados, Punta Cana Republica Dominicana, Grand Cayman Cayman Islands, St. Lucia, Providenciales Turks & Caicos, Guadeloupe and New Providence Island Bahamas.
Did you book Aruba already?
Possible Zipline Attraction At California Lighthouse
Word around the island is that an American company is interested in creating a new zipline activity.
The zipline will be placed at the top of the 30 meter high California Lighthouse.
The new zipline adventure tour, named “Family Flyer Zipline” is perfect for families with smaller children.
When the zipline tour will be available was not yet disclosed.
The name of the company that will invest in the zipline is currently not yet known.
The “Family Flyer Zipline” brand has several zipline tours around the world, and this will be the first one in the Caribbean region.
Soon you’ll be zipping from the California Lighthouse!
Soul Beach Music Festival
This year is going to be the 19th edition of Soul Beach Music Festival in Aruba.
Do you have any plans for memorial day weekend?
John Legend and Ella Mai will be headlining the festival.
John Legend will be signing all of his hits – All of Me, Ordinary People, Green Light,
Glory and Used to Love me. And everyone’s ready to sing the words to Ella Mai’s popular hits like Boo’d Up and Ready.
Besides a music festival, there’s going to be different beach parties, pool parties and other events around the island.
Soul Beach attracted over 5.500 visitors to Aruba in 2018. And also the thousands of locals who like soul music.
Here’s a list of all the artist that will be on the island for soul beach during memorial day weekend:
- John Legend
- Charlie Wilson
- Ella Mai
- H.E.R.
- Deon Cole (Comedian)
- DJ Jazzy Jeff
Soul Beach Music festival will take place May 22 – 27, 2019.
Sargassum on the way to Aruba
Several islands in the Caribbean region including Aruba were affected by sargassum last year.
According to the department of disaster management, sight of sargassum were noticed in the first week of March at the coastline of Bonaire, which is one of Aruba’s neighboring island.
Sargassum is a brown algae that makes up the floating seaweed mats known as the Sargasso Sea in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. These floating seaweed mats float in the open ocean, and provide a habitat for over 250 species of fish and invertebrates.
Last year near the shores at Alto Vista, the amount of seaweed reached 1,5 meters high.
Here’s a view of the wariruri bay on the north coast of the island in 2018.
Washed up seaweed near Wariruri.
As last week, a small amount of sargassum that was circulating in the Caribbean region washed up on the north coastlines of the island.
Compared to last year, the amount of sargassum is not a lot.
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