Hilton Aruba Completes Renovation
March 17, 2017
Hilton Aruba Caribbean Resort & Casino, the 357-room beachfront oasis situated on Aruba’s world-famous Palm Beach coastline, announced the completion of a sweeping multimillion-dollar renovation that impacts all aspects of the resort including redesigned guest rooms and suites, refreshing landscapes, re-conceptualized menus and décor at the property’s five eateries, and a new open-air lobby.
Nestled on 15 acres of white sand and lush tropical gardens, the newly refurbished resort interweaves its rich 59-year-old history with a modern beach aesthetic for today’s discerning traveler. The overhaul respectfully nods to the resort’s original architect, Morris Lapidus, who shaped much of what is now iconic hospitality design. His work brought far-reaching gestures to traditional architecture and audacious opulence to the world of resort design; the concept of the renovation was to therefore tastefully blend his mid-century style with a contemporary and elegant beachfront flair.
The resort’s newly completed renovation impacts all 357 guest rooms, the property’s five eateries, porte cochere, lobby, pools, and beach grounds.
Each of the resort’s 357 guest rooms and suites have been refreshed to feature neutral and earth tone colors reflecting Aruba’s natural beauty complete with new curtains, window treatments, carpeting, wood bed and plush new bedding, lounge or patio chairs and a 50-inch HDTV. Original works of local art inspired by historical images adorn each room and offer guests a lens into the storied past.
The lively yet relaxed pool decks now feature cabanas with new trellises, day beds, lounge seating, side tables, hammocks and umbrellas. Plush oversized cabanas include a hospitality desk, TV, living and lounging areas, sofa, and daybeds. A new professional beach tennis court has been installed on the property’s lush, refreshed landscape allowing guests to experience Aruba’s favorite pastime.
The very essence of the Aruban beach — with its vast sands, turquoise waters and signature breeze — now extends through every aspect of the open-air lobby and its furniture, materials and textures. Registration pods have been installed to remind guests of simple, handcrafted boats that have washed ashore. Smaller, intimate lobby seating areas now feature historic images of the island. The furniture encapsulates a weathered beach feel while succulents, cacti, and ferns native to the island bring the outdoors in and make each space feel as though it were truly an extension of the one-of-a-kind Aruban landscape. A new lounge at the lobby garden entrance offers guests additional seating, lounge chairs and cocktail tables.
On the culinary front, Sunset Grille, the resort’s signature restaurant, has received a new wood terrace bridge with dining tables and chairs, a communal dining table and picturesque cantilever umbrellas. The new centerpiece of the Mira Solo outdoor bar is a sculptural tree crafted of branches that span the ceiling. This serves as a reference to the iconic Aruban Divi-divi tree, which symbolizes tenacity and resilience in adversity, shaped by the unrelenting wind over the years. At night, the outdoor bar illuminates creating a firefly effect. The surrounding seating areas include a firepit resembling a beachfront bonfire where guests can mingle and enjoy Aruban-inspired culinary treats. Next door, the Laguna breakfast buffet boasts a spacious bar redesign with stone bar top and bar stools, all in muted blue and green hues, as a backdrop for the lush landscaping.
With double the beachside real estate of any other hotel on the eternally sunny Palm Beach and prime proximity to the island’s hottest restaurants and tourist attractions, Hilton Aruba’s redesign serves to further complement an already cherished legacy of being the place to play in Aruba. Pairing world-class island hospitality in a resort experience that can only bear the proud and distinctive Hilton name, it’s no wonder 60 percent of guests end up becoming repeat visitors.