On March 1, the Blue Residences Condo Resort will open the first of three 7-story buildings, with another opening May 1.
“This is the first luxury resort to open on Eagle Beach in the past 20 years,” says Herber Valkenberg, president of Icon Hotel Marketing. Blue Residences also fills a need for more upmarket, non-timeshare apartment-style lodgings in Aruba.
Units range from 1- to 5-bedroom apartments, but for this introductory period (the third tower, which will bring the total number of rooms to 124, opens in January 2015), travelers can also book single bedrooms without kitchen facilities. All apartments have unobstructed views of the sea, and most of the west-facing walls are floor-to-ceiling windows. In addition, each has a fully loaded kitchen, Internet, contemporary furniture, a private terrace and cable TV. The terraces for the ground-floor suites have jacuzzis.
Onsite amenities include an infinity pool with poolside butler service, a spa and fitness center, a grocery store, concierge service, and a private beach across the street (the road to Oranjestad, four miles away, generally runs between Eagle Beach’s hotels and the beach itself). The two restaurants include casual Frangipani and the 18-seat Kitchen Table by White Modern Cuisine, which opens July 1 under the direction of award-winning chef Urvin Croes. Guests will also enjoy golf privileges at two courses, including one designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr.
Not surprisingly, Blue Residences’ larger units are likely to appeal to multigenerational families. “Between the comfort level and varying sizes of our luxury accommodations, the beauty of Eagle Beach, and our excellent concierge services, we expect to host a lot of weddings and honeymoons,” says Valkenberg.
Much like conventional hotels, Blue Residences is offering 10 percent commission to travel agents. Room-only units range from $150 (summer) to $300 (Christmas season). One-bedroom suites cost between $225 and $400, and 5-bedroom penthouse apartments run from $800 to $1,300.
For more information, call (800) 728-4910 or visit bluearuba.com. For more on Blue Residences and Aruba, see Caribbean Trends from the December 2013 issue.
