Press Release
April 10, 2001
ORANJESTAD, Aruba -- In its continuing effort to maintain a high-quality "home away from home" vacation
product, La Cabana Beach Resort in Aruba will embark on a $1.2 million room refurbishment project this year for
the Beach & Racquet Club section of the property. And, in keeping with the resort's goals of balancing costs
and quality, La Cabana has contracted with Interval Purchasing Services (IPS), a division of Carlson Hospitality
created in partnership with Interval International, to coordinate the refurbishment.
"The Beach & Racquet section of our resort is now 10 years old, so we felt it was time to freshen-up the
product," said David Page, La Cabana's General Manager. "When you have a large base of timeshare owners
and hotels guests as we do, it is important to remain competitive and upgrade quality, whether it be in service
standards or the physical product," Page added.
The Beach & Racquet Club refurbishment plan will take two years to complete. On the agenda is new furniture
for the bedrooms, living rooms and dining rooms (moving towards a solid wood and rattan look) as well as brand
new soft goods such as bedding and curtains.
In responding to the requests of La Cabana management for a tropical wood furniture style, IPS looked at several
manufacturers for a cost-effective solution and ultimately recommended Bryan Ashley, a hospitality contract furniture
company based in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. According to John McDonald, Executive Director, Interval Purchasing
Services: "By incorporating upholstered rattan seating and two-tone furniture with shutter detailing for
the guest bedrooms, an appropriate tropical environment was created to enhance the guest experience. The furniture
is being custom-made in Asia and will be delivered on a sequential basis to meet the owners' installation schedule."
In 2001, the first and second floors will be done; in 2002, the third and fourth floors will be completed. The
refurbishment will take place during the annual Maintenance Week Program, meaning mid-July to mid-October for 2001
(floors one and two) and mid-May to mid-July for 2002 (floors three and four).
"A refurbishment is a major undertaking, so it was necessary to link with a company, such as IPS that has
an excellent reputation and numerous experience with Caribbean properties," Page said.
Furthermore, La Cabana decided to work with IPS for three main benefits: this company has tremendous expertise
and purchasing power; it can source competitive bids so La Cabana can maximize its investment; and it plays a key
role is organizing and overseeing the transportation of the products so they arrive in Aruba in good condition
and in a timely manner.
IPS is administered by Provisions, a part of Carlson Hospitality Worldwide. In addition to providing project procurement
and management services for resort renovations and new development, IPS offers a single source procurement system
exclusively for the member resorts of Interval International.
Adding to the mix of well-known industry partners involved in this project is Washington, DC-based Kay Mangarasian
Interior Design, a company very familiar with Aruba and the Caribbean in general.
For more information contact La Cabana All Suite Beach Resort, J.E. Irausquin Boulevard 250, Oranjestad, Aruba,
Dutch Caribbean; telephone (011) 297-8-79000, fax (011) 297-8-70834.
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Contact:
Hilari Graff/Richard S. Kahn Tel: (516) 594-4100 E-mail: Hilari@Kahn-Travel.com #495