Three GM’s Now Leading The Aruba Marriott Properties

On Tuesday August 5th the Aruba Marriott properties welcomed Scott Derrickson, new General Manager of Marriott’s Aruba Surf Club, to the team. With the addition of Scott to the Marriott family, the Aruba Marriott properties are now lead by three general managers, all overseeing one specific property.

Scott Derrickson will be in charge of all operations departments that support the three buildings of Marriott’s Aruba Surf Club, as well as maintaining the relationship with owners and board members. Surf Club is a Marriott Vacation Club property, consisting of 450 two- and three bedroom villas.

Scott brings with him a wealth of experience in the lodging industry. Most recently he was Director of Operations at the Radisson Aruba Resort. Scott began his hospitality career in 1987 in the Wyndham organization, in Scottsdale, Arizona. He has worked and lived in Aruba on and off since 1998, working for both the Wyndham and Radisson organizations in various roles.  He has also owned and managed several successful private ventures over his working career, and will bring us the benefit of his varied professional experience.

In his new role Scott Derrickson will be reporting to Rick Zeolla, overall general manager and responsible for all three Marriott properties. Rick Zeolla is based at the Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino (hotel) that is in the final stages of a $40 million renovation project. In July 2008 Corey Guest was appointed general manager of Surf Club’s sister Marriott Vacation Club property, Marriott’s Aruba Ocean Club.

The Cabaret Royale in the Westin Aruba Resort welcomes noted New York thespian Anna Berger to their stage on Thursday, August 14 for a single performance of her one-woman show titled “Absolutely Anna.” The proceeds of this very special event will go entirely to benefit local Aruban Foundation Ateliers ’89, which imports noted artists and instructors from Holland to conduct free art workshops for Aruban youth, and assists their students in obtaining higher education at well regarded Dutch art academies. After only a year, they have facilitated the placement of eleven Aruban students, most at the Reitfeld Art Academy in Amsterdam.

Anna Berger may not be a name that rings a bell in most minds, because she is one of those superb, chameleon-like actresses that so become the part they play, audiences only remember the characters they bring to life. Anna has spent over fifty years as a successful working actress on stage, screen and television. She is now every directors’ favorite Jewish, Italian, Polish, you-name-it ethnic mama, aunt or grandmother, immortalizing such characters as Aunt May in Woody Allen’s “Crimes and Misdemeanors.” Most recently TV audiences know her as “Cookie” in The Sopranos, and she was the first to play one of the most famous Jewish mothers of all, “Golde” in “Tevye and his Daughters” when it was first staged in New York, before being transformed into “Fiddler on the Roof.” She is now appearing with Adam Sandler in his latest film “You don’t mess with the Zohan!” Anna is the recipient of a “Lifetime Achievement Award” from her peers of the Coleman and Smith Artistic Company (COLSAC- www.colsac.org.)

Anna was encouraged by her colleagues at The Actors’ Studio to collect and present her memories of the years during which Broadway, Hollywood and television were established, which she has done in the form of a one-woman monologue titled “Absolutely Anna.” It is a humorous, emotional and enlightening journey through time.

Anna lived through The Depression, World War II, The McCarthy era, and was a witness and participant in many of the milestones that made acting history. Her first important acting job was touring in “Diamond Lil” with Mae West, with whom she became intimate friends, and through her life worked with and was close to some of the most famous luminaries of theater, film and television, before and after they got their star on Hollywood Boulevard. These intimate “behind the scenes” memories are presented in a delightful and enthralling monologue full of wit, humor and touching recollections.

Anna has performed her show “Absolutely Anna” at several venues, and after more than twenty years of vacationing annually in Aruba with her husband Bob, has graciously agreed to the staging of a special benefit for Ateliers ’89, “to give something back to the young artists of the island, which has given us so many wonderful moments over the years.”

There will be a single performance of “Absolutely Anna,” including an art auction afterwards featuring the works of noted island artists Elvis Lopez, Gilbert Senchi, Nelson Gonzalez, Glenda Heyliger and Jesse Wolfe. Showtime is 8:00 PM, sharp, with doors opening at 7:15; drinks available from the bar.       Tickets cost $40 p.p. and seating is very limited; entrance includes door prizes for weekend stays, activities, Sunday brunch at the Hyatt and more! All proceeds will benefit the Foundation Atelier ’89, a non-profit foundation for the continuance of culture in Aruba, through the next generation of potential artists. Reservations can be made and tickets will be available at the concierge desk of the Westin Aruba Resort, (297-586-4466 ext 59) Aruba Beach Club executive offices, and by calling Ateliers ’89 at 565-4613.

Foundation Atelier ’89 wishes in particular to thank the Westin Aruba Resort, Aruba Industrial Services, Aruba Adventures, De Palm Tours, Hyatt Regency Resort and Holiday Inn Aruba Sunspree Resort for their generous sponsorship of the event and the kind assistance of Maria Silva and Vibrations. This very unique evening is a must for those that appreciate the great days of classic film and theater, come and relive them with Anna, as she takes you for a journey that will fascinate and delight!

Renaissance Aruba Resort & Casino scored 89 percent in FreemanGroup’s comprehensive on-site review – three percentage points higher than its record 2006 evaluation and the highest of any resort on the island.

FreemanGroup, a well-respected international consultancy specializing in hospitality/travel industry service standards, bases its yearly report on a detailed two-night inspection of the resort’s entire property, including rooms, housekeeping, food and beverage and leisure activities. The resort’s consistency in all 1,200 standards that FreemanGroup examines led to the island’s highest ranking.

“While the results show that we remain focused on improving the experiences of our guests, our work is never done,” said Paul Gielen, general manager of Renaissance Aruba. “We are always working to improve the resort for our guests. In fact, we have already been receiving positive feedback about our most recent upgrades.”

In recent months, Renaissance Aruba has made significant changes to improve the overall guest experience, including revamping the Renaissance Marina Hotel’s lobby to make it a more open and inviting area for guests to meet and socialize. The resort has also renovated the fitness and business centers at the Renaissance Marina Hotel, and the resort’s spa is currently undergoing a total transformation.

For more information about Renaissance Aruba Resort and Casino, visit www.renaissancecaribbeanmediacenter.com

It’s hard to miss the exciting progression as you drive down the Sasakiweg Boulevard on what will soon be the island’s largest casino project. The Aruban Resort & Casino is full-on into several phases of expansion and reinvention, anchored by the ambitious casino facility.

Formerly the Royal Cabana Casino, gone are the signature tinted, mirrored walls that once adorned the building. Current construction will ultimately unveil a modern casino complex marvel unlike anything the island has seen. State-of-the-art gaming and amenities will be on-trend with what’s hot in Las Vegas.

In addition to offering guests the largest casino on Aruba, the facility will also boast a dynamic, American-style sports bar, Vegas-worthy entertainment acts in a deluxe theatre setting, and an interactive “chef’s table” dining concept spearheaded by one of the U.S.’s most prestigious restaurant concept companies.

Completion of the casino is slated for December of this year.

The Aruban Resort & Casino also began a complete renovation of the guest villas, utilizing the talents of U.S. design firm Gil Studios to create a serene, contemporary, Caribbean ambiance to embody a sense of place by employing Aruba’s elements of sun, sand, water, and wind into the décor. New flooring, bathrooms, furniture, fabrics, and modern kitchens and granite countertops are some of the amenities villa owners will have to look forward to. The resort will also be adding an entirely new food court within the resort courtyard, with construction beginning last week.

Current construction will ultimately unveil a modern casino complex marvel unlike anything the island has seen.

The Aruban Resort & Casino is currently undergoing a complete renovation project of the guest villas.

The change in name from Human Resources to Talent Resources comes as no surprise for anyone familiar with the Westin brand, as the chain spends equal amounts of creative energy on satisfying its guests and satisfying its associates.

Here on the island the Westin Aruba Resort recently announced a new and exciting initiative to help further develop associates for the hotel and for Starwood in general.

The program is based on personal mentoring and guidance, as 12 carefully-selected hotel associates will be sponsored over the next six months, by professional coaches, namely their own department heads.

Greta de Cuba and Monique Zaandam in charge of the Associates Development Program report that Westin is dedicated to help its associates reach their full potential. The company is also interested in growing the pool of talent for future open positions and aims at providing associates with more career opportunities. The personal mentoring and guidance will deliver the necessary training to enhance performance and help the resort keep the brand promises.

The involvement in the Associate Development Program covers a cross section of the resort as General Manager Matt Balcik will also be sponsoring Rosa Provence, who is the public area coordinator for the housekeeping department.

The program had forty-one applicants, the first time out, and it will be offered on an ongoing basis. Pictured here the program’s first public announcement.

Eezee Lizzy debuted Monday morning at the Westin Aruba Resort. The green visitor took his first stroll into the Bon Bini Restaurant, shook hands and left an indelible impression on little ones who rushed to meet and greet the lizard as it sauntered in.

The new mascot, true to Westin’s vision, created an engaging and memorable moment as children insisted on introducing their parents, also enquiring what the lizard’s name was. The young visitors will never forget meeting Eezee Lizzy over breakfast, helping make the family’s experience on vacation special and compelling.

Eezee Lizzy will be at the Bon Bini restaurant every Monday with his escort and companion by his side, Marielle Smeets, the resort’s Director of Fun.

Viva Las Vegas, CirCaribe, Grease, Best of Broadway and Latin Explosion are five full scale theater productions unfolding at the Occidental Grand Aruba in the great ballroom, every night at 9 p.m.

The Occidental Grand Aruba features top notch entertainment nightly for just $20 per person, and tickets are available at the Occidental Grand Casino from 12 noon every day.

The resort’s talented Fun Club crew puts on a different show every night, starred by an amazingly-talented cadre of performers from Venezuela, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba and Aruba. The shows are emceed by Omar Chaves the fun club director who does a fabulous job bringing it all together, with dance Captain Eduardo Parraga as the lead dancer and Prima Ballerina Violeta Petrova, from Bulgaria, who is the Choreographer.

The dizzying costumes, the lights and the jazzy remixes of the world’s most popular songs allows the dancers, mimes, acrobats, stilt walkers, fire eaters and aerial artists to wow audiences every evening on the Occidental Grand Aruba’s big stage.

After the show you are invited to stay at the casino with live entertainment, loose slot machines, great table action and free flowing cocktails.

The Aruba resort and Casino at the Eagle Beach recently announced its affiliation with Interval International, a leading provider of vacation services. “We are delighted to partner with Interval International because of its outstanding programs and services that are renown in the industry. The ability to exchange into Interval’s high quality worldwide network of resorts significantly enhances our owners’ vacation flexibility as well as their ownership value propositions” said Farzin Ferdosi, managing director of the Aruban Resort & Casino. For more information please call: (297) 587-9000 or visit www.thearuban.com.

Brickell Bay Beach Club has recently completed the remodeling of their lobby area, the Bistro and the reception area to improve the guests’ check-in experience. Brickell Bay is also renovating 16 guestrooms which are scheduled to be completed late July 2008. Brickell Bay will also include an Intermezzo Spa which is scheduled to be completed in June 2008. Total cost of renovation is close to $750.000. For more information please call Brickell Bay Beach Club at (297) 586-0900 or visit www.brickellbayaruba.com.

Both the Divi & Tamarijn Aruba All Inclusive resorts are offering three new packages to suite vacationers with their ideas of their perfect island vacations. Vacationers have now the ability to choose from Golf getaways, honeymoon packages and family packages. For more information on the specific packages and what they include please call: (297) 582-4150 or visit www.diviaruba.com or www.tamarijnaruba.com.

The Aruba Marriott Resort started phase 2 of their renovations. The remaining North Tower rooms will be renovated and completed in addition to the expansion and redesigning of the La Vista Restaurant.  The renovations will have little effect on the guest’s experience. La Vista restaurant is closed for a complete transformation, adding additional seating capacity and e new look and feel inline with the remainder of the resort. The North Tower enhancements will include turning the 8th floor of the resort in to Trade winds Club. This hotel within a hotel initiative, set to open September 2008, introduces a boutique hotel in a resort setting that provides for personalized service and exclusive amenities. The Marriott Resort has now become 100% smoke-free with the exception of the Casino. Guests will only be permitted to smoke in the open air restaurant, lounges, balconies and Casino. For more information please contact Marriott at (297) 586-9000 or visit www.arubaplayground.com.
Marriott now also offers Salsa Night every Saturday at the Lobby bar. Enjoy free salsa workshop with Pachanga, Aruba’s Champion salsa performers, starting at 9.00pm till 10.00pm.

Del Rey Apartments complex, consisting of 12 spacious one and two fully equipped and furnished bedroom apartments, opened its doors at Kamay 19-A, located conveniently close to Aruba’s great beaches. Del Rey has partnered with Moomba Beach Bar & Restaurant, providing Del Rey guests with beach lounges and discounts. For more information please call (297) 586-3309 or (297) 593-4501 or visit www.delreyaruba.com.

Renaissance Aruba Resort & Casino is making some changes to its property that will improve the overall guest experience, including a new business center, a revamped lobby and a new fitness center, all located in the resort’s adult-exclusive Renaissance Marina Hotel.

Renaissance Marina Hotel Lobby
The resort has updated the Renaissance Marina Hotel lobby into an open inviting area for guests to meet and socialize. The new concept allows guests to smoothly transition and mix work, relaxation, socializing and play throughout the day. Music, lights and décor will all play an important role to create a unique ambiance.
The new design knocks down architectural barriers by creating adaptive zones in which guests can more easily meet in small groups, take a private time out or casually dine in more open spaces with easy access to the latest technologies.

Fitness Center
Renaissance Aruba’s upgraded fitness facilities are located in the Renaissance Marina Hotel and significantly expand upon the existing facilities.

Key features of the upgraded fitness facilities are:
•    Its location is in an adult-exclusive portion of the resort;
•    It is accessible 24 hours per day and seven days per week;
•    It includes approximately 3,000 square feet;
•    Its interior design, music and state of the art equipment following the latest trends contribute to this one of a kind wellness center in Aruba; and
•    Technogym equipment includes a wellness TV and personal entertainment is fully integrated on the equipment.

Business Center
Overlooking the fitness center, Renaissance Aruba’s new fully-equipped business center offers business travelers the opportunity to stay connected while in paradise. Accessible from the Renaissance Marina Hotel lobby 24 hours per day and seven days per week, travelers can either use their own laptop or one of the business center’s computers.

For more information about Renaissance Aruba Resort and Casino, visit: www.RenaissanceCaribbeanMediaCenter.com