Contact: Jacqueline Burton
Burton Luch & Co.
Phone: 201.888.3352
email: jburton@burtonluch.com
Divi Flamingo Beach Resort in Bonaire To Undergo Multi-million Dollar Refresh
Divi Resorts upgrades to ensure number one position on Bonaire, part of continual investment in the Caribbean
Chapel Hill, NC and Kralendijk, Bonaire, August 6, 2014— Divi Resorts announced that it would undertake a top-to-bottom refresh of its Bonaire property, Divi Flamingo Beach Resort. Renovations on the 129-room resort begin in September, with completion scheduled for June 2015. The upgrade covers rooms, grounds, lobby, pools, beach, restaurants and bars, back of house, exterior décor, dive facilities and retail. It is the largest hospitality capital investment on Bonaire in recent years. According to Marco Galaverna, president and chief operating officer of Divi Resorts, the renovation will make Divi the undisputed leader in guest services and amenities and the freshest, most stylish product on the island. The modernization of Divi Dive, the in-house dive operation, along with the hotel’s makeover will be a boon to the resort’s robust dive business; but also is expected to create a new mecca for Caribbean-bound vacationers from around the world.
Among the project highlights are:
- The total renovation of hotel room bathrooms featuring step-in shower, floor-to-ceiling tile, solid wood vanity with quartz counter surface, LED make-up mirror and lighting, new window and ceiling. Guest rooms also will get a facelift with new lamps; artwork, full-length mirror, patio furniture, closet doors and iPod radio alarm clock.
- The creation of a 3300+ square foot sun deck and cabana lounge with concierge and beverage service. Elevated and secluded – and exclusive to resort guests – the sundeck offers loungers unobstructed views of sunsets over the Caribbean plus a close-up on sea life in the Calabas Reef below.
- A 4700 square foot beach area, the largest of any hotel property on Bonaire, will be constructed. The company will convert an existing grass lawn into a beach area, installing tons of white sand atop a raised platform with steps leading into the Caribbean. The spacious beach will have canopied daybeds and chaise lounges and will be an attraction for day pass visitors from the nearby cruise port.
- A new dive boat. Divi Dive, a PADI Five Star Dive Center, will expand its fleet with the acquisition of another customized dive boat. The retail shop, dive classrooms and lockers also will be completely redone. The expansion and modernization of the facilities will be on par with the island’s stature as one of the top three dive sites in the world.
- The opening of a Pure Ocean restaurant. Divi’s proprietary brand, Pure, developed for the Divi Phoenix Beach Resort in Aruba and subsequently installed at Divi Southwinds in Barbados, will occupy the former Calabas restaurant space. Like its sister locations, the next installment of Pure Ocean sits at the water’s edge with pure ocean views, and features stylish, contemporary Caribbean décor. The transformation also incorporates a revised menu that emphasizes farm- and ocean-to-table offerings. Other current dining and lounge options, the Chibi Chibi and Flamingo Bar, will be overhauled with new furnishings, lighting, sound system and menu.
- Redesigned pools and pool areas. The resort’s two pools will have rock water features, travertine decking, cabanas, daybeds and new lounge chairs.
Other alterations include a new lobby and furnishings, guest laundry, renovated lobby restrooms and an updated color scheme for the painted exterior. The resort’s main kitchen will be retrofitted with new equipment, including the addition of a walk-in freezer to increase storage for US shipments.
The resort will remain fully operational during the nine months of construction and renovation. This latest Divi expenditure in Bonaire follows a refresh of the onsite Divi Flamingo casino earlier this year.
“Divi is intent on elevating the vacation experience,” noted Galaverna. “It is especially critical as today’s travelers seek more amenities.” Strategies like adding the sun deck and new beach will improve the on-site customer experience by creating additional activity and relaxation areas within the resort. Though the dive market has been a mainstay in Bonaire, company officials see the visitor profile expanding. According to Galaverna, it is the European market that is driving changes there. The ultimate goal of the upgrade is to entice the Caribbean-bound vacationer to Bonaire and ensure repeat business.
Every year, the Divi Resorts group focuses on new and exciting ways to please its customers. Galaverna added, “We are confident the changes will set Divi Flamingo Beach Resort apart from the competition and give our guests a fantastic vacation experience.”
Divi is currently enhancing other properties across the Caribbean. Projects include:
In St. Maarten — This fall, Divi will unveil a redesigned and expanded lobby for Divi Little Bay Resort. The Seabreeze restaurant has been outfitted with new furniture and new roof. A gazebo now graces the infinity pool, and offers more privacy, shading and visual interest to this popular area of the resort.
In Aruba – At Divi Village Golf & Beach Resort, the full renovation of the interiors and exteriors of the 30 golf villas is expected to be finished in November. A new guest amenity there includes five barbeque patios replete with built-in grill, sink and trellis. At Divi Phoenix Beach Resort, BBQ patios were installed recently to great guest response, and a refresh is underway on the 101 tower suites and villas, including a kitchen makeover, new furnishings, lighting and window treatments.
In Barbados – Divi Southwinds Resort is putting the finishing touches on their new beachfront Pure Ocean restaurant and added LCD TVs and iPod docking stations in guest rooms.
About Divi Resorts
Divi Resorts is the vacation expert of the Caribbean with a collection of ten premium resorts on five stunning Caribbean islands. With vacation stays as well as full and fractional ownership, the resorts provide myriad vacation pleasures from relaxing on white sand beaches, indulging in spa services, embarking on scuba diving adventures to perfecting one’s golf swing. For more information on Divi Resorts call 1.800.367.3484, or visit www.diviresorts.com. The Divi Resorts logo is the Service Mark of Divi Hotels, Inc.; its use represents the group of resort companies owned by the registrant or operating under the registrant’s Divi Resorts brand.
The following Dive Industry Association Members are exhibiting at the DEMA Show on November 19-22, 2014 at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV. Make it a point to visit our DIA Members FIRST.
Dive Industry Association, Inc. 