Time flies by fast when you’re having fun, and this is especially true for the resort which sold its first unit to Robert & Shirley DeLong on December 17th, 1990, even before it was established, which came later, on November 1st, 1991.
Robert and Shirley took a leap of faith at a construction site, some walls were up, the pool was a hole in the ground, but the couple of dreamers were gratified at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, on May 16th, 1992, when their decision to invest in Aruba was recognized and appreciated by the island’s Prime Minister, the resort developers, and more than 300 island dignitaries and guests, at the Grand Opening.
I was there, I remember it was a well-attended event which started in the parking lot in front of the lobby; it was a moment of glory for Raymond Maduro and his team. Raymond took the opportunity to announce his next step, saying, and I am quoting: “There’s a great deal of satisfaction in a BIG job well done…but I also have to admit “looking ahead,” and that’s just as exciting, and a great deal scarier… we’re going to break ground for Tierra del Sol, Aruba’s first master-planned golf community…we feel it will add a new dimension in tourism.”
It did, and it still does. Costa Linda Beach Resort is still BIG after twenty-five years, you never hear a peeps from them, that’s how I know they’re doing well, and Tierra del Sol is still relevant, currently developing a new neighborhood, Paseo de Playa, a land sale project offering various lot sizes, from 400m2 to 900m2, with home site prices starting at $140.000
Back to Costa Linda: The resort is situated on Punta Brabo, the brave point, at the beginning of famed Eagle Beach, and it occupies approximately 6.5 acres of great ocean views from the terraces and balconies of almost all units.
General Manager Luigi Heredia, at the helm for 8 years, reports that a lot has happened in the past 25 years, and it has all been exciting, positive growth. Having endured a members’ coups d’état, a putsch, or an overthrow of the old management, the resort continues to be owned and governed by the Costa Linda Beach Resort Cooperative Association which is made up of all its timeshare owners.
Since February 2008, it has been under a management agreement with the Royal Resorts Group of Cancun, Mexico. It was one of the timeshare owners who owns at a Mexican Royal run resort who referred the board to that group, and it has been an excellent match since then, resulting in multiple TripAdvisor Certificates of Excellence for consecutive years, and countless Interval and RCI commemorative plaques. And don’t you think it’s an easy feast to run a resort with thousands of owners, who each has an opinion. It’s like having a board of directors times infinity!
Three years ago, extensive renovations were undertaken, including the complete u-shaped five story pyramid building with its 155 units, 139 two bedroom and 16 three bedroom suites. The renovations introduced energy saving smart systems, and other efficient strategies, streamlining the operation and paving the way for the upcoming BIG NEWS, the Frangipani Suites, five additional units on the ground floor, featuring 3 bedroom/3 bathroom and 2 bedroom/2 bathroom luxury accommodations. Get yours this week, before they run out.
Heredia is proud to state that while maintenance and upgrades are a way of life at the resort –when they set up the sales office, they allowed one week a year for maintenance, which makes a big difference in the life of an aging property — the one asset which remains constant and untouched is the much-loved beach, measuring over 700 feet, delivering a 250 feet long sand box, for the members to play in, year round.
The success of the property has been mostly due to its dedicated people, Heredia adds. It is with great pride that Costa Linda Beach Resort acknowledges and values the fourteen staff members, at the helm at the resort since the November 1st, 1991, soft opening.
