Resorts- Playa Linda Beach Resort Aruba now not only is Green Globe Certified, but also ISO 14001 compliant, meaning a higher environmental standard has been met not only at the resort, but also at all the resort?s concessions. This is the result of using ecologically-friendly products and procedures garnering the resort as Green Globe Certified and more importantly improving the overall quality of the resort?s environment for owners and guests as well as employees, setting an example on how alternative methods can yield better, sustainable solutions. For more information please go to www.playalinda.com.
- "New Martinis" with a twist, only at the Radisson Aruba Resort & Casino. The two new cocktails, PaTia and Uncle Ben, were concocted by Radisson's Restaurant Manager Ruben Boekhoudt and refined by Beverage Manager Albert Tromp. PaTia (meaning watermelon in Papiamento) is a fruity medley of crushed watermelon, watermelon schnapps, pineapple juice and Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio, delicious and full of flavor. Uncle Ben has a refreshing taste, light and smooth, mixed with Hypnotic, pineapple juice, Blue Curacao and the Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio. Both cocktails are made with wine instead of the traditional vodka or gin, making them suitable for any time of the day. For more information please call: (297) 586-6555.
- Cunucu Villas Aruba recently opened its doors welcoming locals and tourists alike. Cunucu Villas is centrally located in Santa Cruz, only 10 minutes from the beach, Oranjestad or San Nicolas. It consists of 12 apartments, each fully furnished with tropical bamboo furniture and kitchenette. Wifi is available around the pool area. For more information & reservations, please call: (297) 585-1616 or (297) 592-3665 or visit www.cunucuvillasaruba.com.
- Alhambra Casino inaugurated its brand new Texas Hold'Em Poker Room. This variant of poker is the most popular version played in casinos in the United States. It is considered a community card poker game, meaning that some of the cards are available to be used by all players (in contrast to games like stud or draw poker). It is played with 2 to 10 players. It has gained popularity in the 2000's due to exposure on television, in shows such as World Series of Poker (WSOP) and the World Poker Tour (WPT) and internet and in popular literature. For more information please contact Alhambra Casino at (297)583-5000.
- The Holiday Inn SunSpree Resort Aruba has re-launched its "Risk-Free SunSpree" hurricane guarantee program for the second consecutive year, this valuable program safeguards consumer purchases of hotel stays during the entire north Atlantic hurricane season June 1, 2007 to November 30, 2007. For more information & details, please contact Holiday Inn at (297) 586-3600 or visit www.aruba.sunspreeresorts.com. The Holiday Inn SunSpree Resort Aruba also introduced a new GoldenSpree program offering exclusive privileges, amenities and discounts for seniors. Available free of charge to guests age 60 and over, the GoldenSpree program makes it easy for travel agents to target seniors. Guests who take part in the GoldenSpree program can select from a range of fun and enriching activities, including dance classes, arts & crafts, cooking classes, cocktail parties, karaoke, trivia Games and more. In addition to the activities and attentive service, GoldenSpree guests also receive complimentary T-shirts, shopping tours and discounts of 10-20% off purchases made at select shops, restaurants and attractions. For more information please contact Holiday Inn at (297) 586-3600 or visit www.aruba.sunspreeresorts.com.
Airport, Airlines, & Cruiseships- Conviasa Airlines out of Venezuela will start with daily flights on June 2nd, except on Saturdays out of Punto Fijo to Aruba and from June 15th from Caracas to Aruba. Future plans include the addition of flights out of Valencia and Maracaibo. The planes used will have 46 seats, but the airline will have 70 seater and 120 seater planes available if the demand is right. Conviasa will also have charters available if needed and has already started flying to Aruba on such basis. For more information please call: (297) 588-1717.
- The German Charter company Condor owned and operated by the Thomas Cook tour operator company will start a weekly flight to Aruba from Frankfurt, Germany in November to accommodate the Aida Aura and Aida Vita cruiseship passengers departing from Aruba. Condor plans on using a BOEING 767 with 269 seats For more information please call: (297) 524-2424 or visit www.condor.com.
- First Choice has added an additional flight to the already existing itinerary to Aruba out of London Gatwick. They started flying out of Manchester, England every Wednesday on a biweekly basis, and will continue to do so until October 23rd. They will fly with a BOEING 767 with a capacity of 158 seats. For more information please call (297) 524-2424 or visit: www.firstchoice.co.uk/aruba.
Arts & Culture- A new addition to the Aruban art family is the Toyota Art Galley 168. This new gallery is located at the old Toyota parts building on L.G. Smith BLVD. # 14. It is the brain child of Michiko Takatsu and husband Eduardo Valbuena in cooperation with Hans Schnog, who has always been a patron of the Arts.
The opening exhibition features 21 of Aruba's artists in a variety of collections, consiting of a total of 60 pieces and will be on display until June 6th. Many other exhibitions are scheduled to be featured throughout the rest of the year. The gallery is open six days a week, Tuesdays through Sundays from 13:30 hrs to 18:30 hrs. Appointments to get a tour can be made by calling Michi at (297) 561-5389 or contact her via email at michitakatsu@yahoo.com.
- Aruba now has a new tourist attraction of historical and cultural value. The Commandeurs graves located at Hato, across from the Aruba Aloe Museum & Factory, have been completely renovated. The location has a total of 23 graves and is believed to be from the period between 1750-1850. It is believed that Commandeur Jan van der Biest is buried here alongside with a few members of the Quant family, including Pieter Quant, the son of Commandeur Bruyn Goverts Quant. For more information please contact Monumenten Bureau Aruba at (297) 583-5938 or (297) 583-2735.
Restaurants & Hangout Places- Screaming Eagle Restaurant Bar & Lounge, formerly Crustaceans & Steaks Restaurant, will officially open on Friday June 1, 2007. Located on next to Le Dome Restaurant & La Quinta Beach Resort on J.E. Irausquin 228, Screaming Eagle features French Fusion Cuisine. Open from Monday to Saturday from 5 pm, the restaurants also features a trendy lounge area where you can dance the night away on weekends. For more information please call (297) 587 8021 or go to www.screaming-eagle.net.
General- Aruba has its own Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber as of December 2006. This is great news for all divers. In previous years, patients in need of pressurized oxygen treatment had to be flown to Curacao. Divers with decompression sickness can be treated on island with 100% oxygen while enclosed in a pressurized system greater than one atmosphere, namely that of sea level. The hyperbaric chamber is operated at the H.O.P.E. Clinic/E.M.M.A. Foundation at Punta Brabo # 3. For more information please call: (297) 562-2574 or (297) 583-6793 or visit www.hopearuba.com.
- The Columbus replica ship "Santa Clara II" aka Niña has docked in Aruba to safely wait out the 2007 hurricane season. The Niña, an almost exact replica was built in Brazil for the Columbus Foundation Inc. in BVI, is docked at the Renaissance Marina. Although the exterior of the ship is historically accurate, her interior is designed more for the comfort of passengers with a 40 foot air conditioned main salon finished in marble and stone. The Niña will be offering free daily guided tours of the ship at 17:00 hrs beginning Monday, May 28th. For more information please the Renaissance Marina at 583-0260 or visit www.thenina.com.
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