Occidental Grand Aruba Resort Opens in May

Aruba's first luxury all- inclusive, the Occidental Grand Aruba Resort, will open on May 1, 2006, on Palm Beach, the island's most spectacular white sand beach. Occidental Hotels and Resorts has pulled out all the stops – spending nearly $24 million dollars on renovations and upgrades -- to transform the former Allegro-branded resort into an Occidental Grand, the hotel company's upscale brand offering more personalized service and gourmet food. The elegant retreat now features 391 deluxe rooms and suites -- reduced from 402 -- a choice of seven restaurants ranging from casual to fine dining, a spa and a bevy of luxury services that Occidental's savvy customers have come to expect.

Sophisticated Contemporary Design
The new décor blends tastefully with the resort's breezy tropical surroundings and dramatic archways greet guests with a "Grand" sense of arrival. Upgrades to the Occidental Grand Aruba's exterior include a new color palette of yellow and beige set in lush landscaping within the surrounding gardens.

The expansive main lobby features elegant marble floors, with rounded skylights accenting high ceilings and arched pathways leading to a floor-to-ceiling window overlooking a dramatic ocean view. Adjacent to the lobby is a casino, as well as a lobby bar, plush seating areas, and guest services such as a car rental desk and a luxury shopping arcade with apparel, perfume and specialty stores.

The spaciously appointed guest rooms and suites have been designed with modern, sophisticated details. Hardwood furnishings and marble baths create a stylish, soothing ambiance. Each guest room is enhanced with a mini bar; hair dryer; satellite TV; personal safes; and other amenities. Every room has a private, furnished outdoor patio.

Royal Club at the Occidental Grand Aruba Resort
An even more exclusive component of Occidental Grand Aruba resort is the "Royal Club," a more upscale boutique-style hotel within the resort. Royal Club guests receive VIP services in each of 50 rooms, including:

• Exclusive check-in area
• Private a la carte restaurant and lounge, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner
• 600-thread count Egyptian cotton linens
• Monogrammed terry cloth bath robes
• Hydro-massage bathtubs
• DVD player
• Complimentary high-speed Internet access
• Godiva chocolates at turn-down
• Bulgari bath amenities
• 24-hour room service
• Business Center, including a meeting room and Internet stations
• Private concierge service dedicated to meet guests' needs
• Preferred restaurant seating in all restaurants throughout the resort

Kids Club at the Occidental Grand Aruba Resort
An authentic family-friendly experience awaits, with a supervised oceanfront Kids Club for children four to twelve years of age. The Club provides a safe, secure and fun environment managed by experienced, certified Occidental Grand Aruba staff. The Kids Club features an outdoor playground, beach Olympics, sand castle- building competitions, relay races and additional pool side activities. Organized indoor activities such as crafts, video games, board games, and painting classes are also available. Spacious Junior Suites make the ideal accommodations for families featuring a separate bedroom and living area with a pull out sofa bed.

Recreational Offerings
A new and improved selection of recreational activities has been designed to please guests – the sports-minded, leisure travelers, conference attendees and families with children. Occidental Grand Aruba offers complimentary non-motorized water sports such as wind surfing, kayaking and snorkeling. Additional offerings include tours to nearby island attractions, horseback riding and use of new sports equipment for on-site water skiing, parasailing, jet skiing and SCUBA diving. The resort has also refurbished its two tennis courts and will offer private tennis lessons. Golfers can play at a nearby 18-hole course, available to resort guests. In addition, fitness classes such as yoga and water-aerobics are also offered.

Wining, Dining and Entertainment
When it comes to dining options, guests will never get bored. There are six new restaurants, most of them offering an upscale experience with à la carte dining. The choice of cuisine ranges from Asian, American, and Italian to Mexican, Caribbean and international fare.

All six restaurants are completely new additions to the resort and their décor reflects the cuisine of origin. The resort also offers full open bars with premium brands for all guests and nightly entertainment, including an on-site casino. The restaurants and bars include:

• The Palm offers international dining stations for breakfast, lunch and dinner in a fully air-conditioned dining room. There is also a terrace for al fresco dining.
• L'Olio, Northern Italian Cuisine - Serving dinner à la carte in a dramatic setting with breathtaking views
• El Olvido, Authentic Mexican Cuisine - Serving dinner à la carte and specialty cocktails in a lively and colorful atmosphere
• Zen, Asian Fusion Cuisine – Serving dinner à la carte, a sushi bar and tatami room in a tranquil Zen garden setting
• The Beach Club- By day, this casual poolside grill serves items à la carte and a lunch buffet. In the evening, the restaurant's top floor is magically transformed through the use of hammocks, from where guests can relax and take in the beautiful ocean view. The restaurant serves "Caribbean progressive" cuisine.
• Royal Club Restaurant – Offering à la carte dinner for Royal Club guests only
• Cocktail – Lobby Bar
• Splash – Swimming Pool Bar
• Bikini – Beach Bar
• Sound – Lounge bar and dance club

The Club Royal theatre offers nightly entertainment including Las Vegas-style shows, Broadway reviews and an acclaimed Cuban acrobat troupe.

Relax, Rejuvenate and Reawaken at the Spa
The Grand Aruba Spa has been expanded and redesigned to fit the needs of today's aspirational spa lover. It will offer both indoor and outdoor indulgences with spa treatments ranging from stress- relieving massages to rejuvenating body wraps, revitalizing scrubs, nourishing facials and more. Spa services and treatments are available for a supplemental fee. The spa will open in the fall of 2006.

The Spa facilities include:

• Eight treatment rooms
• Redken Beauty salon offering manicures, pedicures and hair styling
• State-of-the-art fitness center
• Jacuzzi
• Steam

Free Weddings
Occidental Grand Aruba and other Grand properties offer the Grand Wedding Experience package absolutely free year-round. To enjoy this complimentary wedding fete, they must book a certain number of room nights in the "Royal Club" section of the resort. The package includes: preparation of documents, certified marriage license, legal fees, Justice of the Peace, witnesses, decorated wedding site, wedding coordinator, Champagne and à la carte wedding reception for up to 20 people, live music, bridal bouquet and groom's boutonniere, wedding cake, photos, candlelight dinner for bride & groom and continental breakfast in bed the morning after the wedding.

Location
Set amidst a 500 foot waterline of breathtaking oceanfront property and overlooking the pristine blue Caribbean Sea, the newly transformed Occidental Grand Aruba is located on the white sands of Palm Beach, just twenty minutes from the airport. With great vacation weather year-round, Aruba is the perfect island destination for couples and families. It boasts an international flavor with English, Spanish, Dutch and the native Papiamento all spoken on the island. Aruba is easily accessible from a multitude of gateways. All major airlines, including American Airlines, US Airways, Continental, United Airlines and Delta offer direct flights to Aruba. From the U.S. charter flights are available from Boston, and Pittsburgh.

For further information and reservations, please call the Occidental Grand Aruba Resort at (800) 858.2258 or visit www.occidentalhotels.com

SOURCE Occidental Hotels & Resorts