Hi,
The following is the latest contact information I received from RIU/Aruba Grand on 08/14/06. The email below is from Richard but he said that Debbie is the new contact at the office in Aruba. (There is a Fax and email but no phone number).

Good afternoon Mr. Harles.
You can send the fax to 001-297-5861941 attention Debbie debby@arubagrand.com. For your information, nothing will change with the Royal Palm Club members as well as Silvermoon at this time, and all membership agreements will be honored by Riu. If you need any more information, please contact Debbie at the e-mail address above, and she will be glad to help you.
Kindest regards,
Richard

Thanks for this information. I have emailed Debbie with several questions which I hope she can answer.

By the way, there are 2 posts on the aruba-bb.com board under Aruba Tradewinds Times about the Riu.

Linda

Hope she answers your questions and you keep us posted.
Also on the aruba-bb an article about an explosion at the Grand today.

rd- did you get a reply to your questions?

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LynnS

Hi Lynn,
Nope, no reply from Debbie yet.
I'm going to try again tonight.
R.D.

Lynn,

Can't find article about explosion - can you give me more information regardng location of article.

Thanks,
Cindy

Cindy,
Try this site---Http://www.diarioaruba.com
Aug.21 edition
The article is not in english but you can see some pictures.
On the aruba-bb in the Q&A section under Riu Aruba Grand accident- today someone posted that the company is saying it was not an explosion.

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LynnS

There's also an article in the Wednesday edition of Aruba Today on page 6:

http://www.arubatoday.com/week/wednesday/

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Debby has answered all my questions. We will have the same arrangements as before. Our weeks will remain fixed, always be available and still be Friday to Friday. We will still have the option to accelerate.
She said the units will remain the same which I took as meaning they will not be updated.

She said we will have the option to purchase the all inclusive but did not know the cost but will let me know when she does.

Linda

Thanks Linda- I also got a reply to my email. Did not think to ask about AI- hope by her saying we will have the option means they will not make it mandatory- hope this does not change- She said that she had not been told anything about the units being redone- the 4th floor will be done to match 6,7 and 8. The 5th floor really needs new furniture- it is the oldest of the units. I think by Riu not doing anything just verifies that they really DO NOT want the timeshares.

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LynnS

Just to add to the pot, this was the response I received from Debbie (mostly the same as others posted):

Yes, I did receive your fax about banking the 2 construction weeks and have forwarded it to Monique, the lady in charge of time share inventory.

No changes will be made on the balconies, the 4th floor will be remodeled to look the same as the 6,7 & 8 floors.

I did not hear of any changes for the time share units.

No one knows as yet if the yearly Maintenance rates are going up.

Hoping to have informed accordingly

Regards

Debbie

As owner of multiple beach front units in week 51 & 52, I am quite disheartened to hear that they most likely will not be refurbishing the time share units. Unit #103 is in dire need of refurbishment. It is musty, stinky, the bed and sofa are in terrible shape, the floors are cracking, the carpet is filthy and the place needs to be completely re-painted. These units have actually needed refurb work for a few years now. The A/c unit and air vents definitely have mold in them. Unit 205 & 206 are not much better either. Why Riu would want their new palatial resort connected to run-down timeshare units does not make sense. The cost for them to refurb the timeshare units is a minimal addition to the overall construction costs.

gusbuf- if you think the oceanfront units(which are the newest)need redone imagine how we feel being on the 5th floor. These were the first timeshare units. A few months before we received info that the resort had been sold we received a letter saying that members had asked to have the 5th floor redone at OUR cost. We would pay a set fee depending on the unit-they needed a % of people to vote for it to pass. We never heard what happened with the vote- just that they had sold to Riu-
I truly believe(hope I am wrong) that Riu hopes the owners will walk away- they do not want the timeshare units- they want to turn them into expensive suites and rent them.If they do anything we will get an assestment fee. JMHO

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LynnS

Lynn, it sounds like we are truly getting shafted. I understand Riu's position on the timeshares, but it is very disheartening. I am hopeful thay will come to their senses and fix up these units. I recall that the Aruba Grande would rent out the timeshare units as rooms when they were not occupied. If Riu has any interest in doing that, they would be wise to fix up the timeshare units on all floors.

Forgot to mention in my last post that John did a report when he returned and said the workers and families were living in the timeshare units. Can't imagine what they will be like after a 1 1/2 of use-

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LynnS

At the Aruba Beach Club, all members had to pay a special assessment fee.

It was for 3 years, the first two years were the same it amounted to an additional maintenance payment, and the 3rd year was lower.

This is how we financed the major restoration work that is nearly completed.

ie We stripped down to the walls, pulled out plumbing, etc. Huge job.

But it was not as hard on our wallets as we had 3 years to pay. Maybe your resort can do something like that.

K

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Need some ideas

Charles,
Just tried to email Debby@Arubagrand.com and mail was returned. Do you know if there may be another email or how else I can get in touch with them. Has anyone received any information regarding maintenance fees ir anything in general regarding the timeshare units?
Thanks,
Tom

Tom,

The last contact I had with Debby was end of August. At that time she said everything would remain the same for us. We would not be required to purchase the all-inclusive but we would have the option if we wanted to. She didn't know what the cost would be. I didn't ask about the maintenance fees.

We will be in Aruba from Nov 14 to 23. I plan to get in touch with Debby to see if they have a office where we can drop in, say hello and check on the progress.

As far as the email address not working, maybe try all lowercase.

Linda

try lower case "a" on Aruba- that should work.
Last email I received said NO renovations on the timeshares, maintenance fee would go up around $50.( I'll wait and see on that) and if you chose to "freeze" your weeks you would not pay this year. We all know how these things can change.

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LynnS

There is one issue that I believe is not being considered. We do NOT own timeshare. We have membership in the Royal Palm Club which has pre-leased specific rooms for a 35 years/times. We do not have voting rights or any say in what happens at all.

DAVEM

Tom,
Wondering if you ever got a hold of Debby?
If you didn't, you can try this email for Richard: richardv@arubagrand.com
...but I know Richard is trying to hand everything over so I'm not sure if he
is still available. He was a couple months ago.
R.D.

Just out of curiosity(o.K. boredom) I went on the Riu site- they have an email address so I tried it again(did this awhile ago) and it was returned as "invalid" Just don't understand that.

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LynnS

Hey Lynn,
You got my curiosity going now. Yesterday I went to the RIU site and decided to try the email. I asked them a bunch of questions about the opening in July, what towers would be available at that time, etc...
It's been almost 24 hours now and the email hasn't bounced back yet.
Hopefully it gets to them and they answer some questions. In no way do
I believe that place will done by July. Not a chance. I hope they respond.
I can't wait to see what they say. I'll post the results if I get any.

R.D.

R.D.- hope you get a reply. My email bounced back right after I sent it.

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LynnS