85.73 °F
I am proud to announce that Bucuti was named the Caribbean’s best hotel in TripAdvisor’s 2015 Traveler’s Choice Awards. We are extremely grateful for our past guests who helped us achieve this top ranking by sharing their experiences with positive reviews and insider tips. Of course, none of this would be possible without our amazing, dedicated staff, who put forth so much effort to ensure that guests feel like VIPs throughout their stay.
In looking for inspiration for today’s blog post, I ran across an article titled “Top 10 Things Not to Do at a Hotel.” I found it worthwhile to share its points and expand upon them in an effort to help set the right expectations.
1. Asking for free upgrades. Bucuti runs at a 90-plus-percent occupancy rate year round, meaning we really don’t have a “slow season”. Many of our rooms are booked months in advance with our suites usually filling up first. For this reason, upgrades are usually not available. The good news is that all Bucuti rooms offer value and have pleasant views. Our guests seem to agree in their comments on TripAdvisor:
“There are NO BAD rooms!” (Brenda14Riverside)
“Even the garden view rooms had some element of a sea view, plus you were so close to it its fine.” (867kiranv)
“Both garden view and beach view are fantastic and you WILL NOT be disappointed with either!” (395paiger)
“Every room is wonderful! Tara rooms are oceanfront, Bucuti are ocean view or garden view, but with the perfect weather in Aruba, we were only in our rooms to sleep and change, so no room will disappoint!” (denises954)
“I don’t think you could choose a bad room at this resort.” (tennismomof2)
2. Reserving beach chairs. Unlike many other Caribbean resorts, there is no need to set your alarm clock to run and snag umbrellas or beach chairs; we have more than enough available, with plenty of space between each for privacy and relaxation. Our umbrellas are first come, first serve, and we ask our guests to not place items on chairs to just hold a space without using it. Every morning at 7 a.m., our security removes items from chairs that are unattended. Our guests support our system:
“We appreciate not having to ‘save’ a chair at the beach or the pool - they have plenty of chairs for all of their guests!” (JGaleaSturtevant)
“The quiet and roomy stretch of beach sets the scene for pure indulgence and unparalleled relaxation. I’ve never been on a beach where you had so much space between you and the next couple on the beach.” (Laurie S)
“There are always plenty of lounge chairs no matter what time you decide to take the sun and surf.” (Arlene G)
“The sunloungers were of great quality, so comfortable, came with a red flag to signal when you would like service from the bar. They were also greatly spaced out and situated to make the best of the amazing view and well away from other guests to ensure privacy.” (Kiran V)
3. Cash or Credit. During your stay at Bucuti, keep in mind that we have a “no cash” policy. We do not accept cash anywhere on the property and recommend either using a credit card or simply charging the items to your room. Our concierges do ask for cash deposits when arranging certain island activities. A room reservation requires a credit card, which will be charged 15 days prior to arrival for all room nights of your stay.
4. Late cancellations. Because we do not have last minute walk-in business, we maintain a strict cancellation policy: Cancellations within 15 days of arrival date are fully NON-REFUNDABLE. Your credit card will be charged 15 days prior to arrival date for all room nights reserved, with no refunds or rescheduling available after that point. We urge our guests to purchase travel insurance, as seen in one of my recent blog posts. Last minute cancellations can occur due to unexpected circumstances, including illness or weather, so please protect your investment with travel insurance.
5. Expecting early check-in/late checkout. As I previously mentioned, Bucuti runs at a 90-plus-percent occupancy rate year round, so early check-ins are not possible. We must provide sufficient time to clean the rooms properly for you. However, should you arrive on island before your check-in time at 3:00 p.m., we are happy to hold your bags while you enjoy a drink at the bar or relax on the beach. Occasionally, we are able to accommodate late checkout; however, this can only be requested on the day of departure. If a late check-out is not available, we offer a hospitality room for a late shower or change of clothing.
6. Guestrooms do not have a minibar. None of our guest rooms have minibars. We offer our guests a grocery service for their convince. We also have a gift shop (SeráFina Resort Boutique) located in our lobby where you can purchase anything from snacks and drinks to clothing and body care products as well. Coffee and tea are complimentary in the room and you receive complimentary water canteens to refill at the various water stations around the resort. Don’t forget daily breakfast is complimentary too, and you can enjoy it at Elements or in the Tara Lounge.
“A nice touch was the resort giving stainless steel bottles to all guests. We always had water and didn’t have to purchase bottled water.” (Smsu)
“First off, they provide a wonderful breakfast for guests. It has a large selection and the food is very good.”(AdventureMythsJon)
7. For the taking. You can leave your travel-size toiletries and Ziploc baggies at home.
Bucuti provides unlimited shampoo/conditioner, shower gel and body lotion. The Aruba Aloe amenities are produced locally from the finest aloe available, offering countless benefits to your skin. Guests can enjoy the use of comfortable robes and large beach towels during their stay. During check in, Bucuti offers guests an iPad equipped with Skype as well as free WiFi throughout the property. Should guests decide to take advantage of this complimentary service during their stay, we ask that the iPad is returned to the concierge upon checkout to avoid an automatic penalty charge.
“There is shampoo & body wash in the bathrooms both made in Aruba. No worries to bring those items with you as they are great & do not leave you dry.” (Kim O)
8. Don’t blame a hotel for issues out of their control. Although Aruba is located outside of the hurricane belt and has more sunny days than any other Caribbean island, we still experience inclement weather from time to time. Unfortunately, these circumstances are beyond our control, but we are still committed to making our guests’ stays as unforgettable as possible. Should inclement weather get in the way of your original plans, a member of our concierge team would be happy to recommend and organize a weather-friendly activity or reserve a meal for you at an indoor restaurant.
9. No threats needed. Our staff is committed to making your stay the best it can possibly be, and this is evident in our TripAdvisor reviews. If you need something addressed, simply ask for a manager immediately. Our restaurant and hotel staff is committed to our guests’ happiness, and it saddens us if a guest makes no mention of a concern during their stay but then mentions it after departure on a website, without giving us the opportunity to resolve it during their vacation. Please ask for a manager on duty or our resort manager, Deborah, who is always ready and available to address any concerns immediately. I am also regularly on property or can be reached via email. Guests interact with management daily during breakfast, as we walk around to see how everyone is doing. Just let our most recent reviews speak for themselves:
“This place defines the words ’customer service’. The people who work there cannot do enough for you. Everyone who works there is looking out for you making sure that you enjoy your trip.” (Del H)
“It’s amazing how this resort never lets you down! Debra, the resort Manager does a fantastic job, you can see how everyone that works for her shows respect by doing ‘their’ jobs to a ‘T’!!” (Brenda14Riverside)
“All the staff at Bucuti and Tara go the extra mile to ensure your holiday beats all expectations!” (LinnetLegs50)
“Your staff is so well trained and they treat every guest as if they are special. This goes for the housekeeping staff, the cleaning people, the landscapers, the concierges, the beach and restaurant staff and for the resort manager. Every need and request is taken care of immediately.” (jckri)
“The staff is fantastic. From the maid service to the wait staff, everyone is so friendly and get to know your names by the end of the week.” (TheTremblas)
10. Don’t assume gratuity is included. We made the decision to do away with automatically included gratuity, as we now leave it up to guests to leave an amount they feel is deserved. Most restaurants on the island add an automatic service charge to the check, and we do not. We understand that tipping customs vary from guest to guest and country to country, and only wish to offer you guidelines for satisfactory service: customary tipping in a restaurant is between 15 and 20 percent, and for housekeeping staff, it is between $2 and $5 per day. We are proud of our hard working staff and certainly hope they earn their tips.
You can find more reviews and “room tips” at this link here: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g147249-d301462-Reviews-Bucuti_T....