Out of all the Caribbean islands, President’s Elite Members Tom and Lee Evangelista from Massachusetts say Aruba is by far their favorite. The couple discovered the island 12 years ago, and once they got a taste of the near-perfect weather, the ambiance, the beaches, and the friendly locals, they decided to make the island their second home. We sat down with the Evangelistas to find out more about their decision to become part of the Divi Vacation Club.
In 2014, having made the decision that Aruba would become their yearly vacation spot, the Evangelistas began to research their choices and came across the Divi Vacation Club.
“We really hit it off with our sales representative who toured us and explained the program,” said Tom, “It was a big step to commit to joining the Club, but I’ve been very pleased with how it’s all worked out. Everything they explained, from how the Club works to the flexibility and quality of the product, has turned out to be true.”
The couple quickly fell in love with their vacation choice and decided to upgrade to a President’s Elite Membership for added travel flexibility and additional space.
“We wanted to have our vacation the same time every year so we could plan our flights, and we have a large family, so we wanted to make sure they could all come down and stay with us too,” Lee explained. “At this Membership level, we can achieve that goal and know that our entire family can make precious memories together every year.”
“We just love the whole package” added Tom. “The Loyalty Benefits Program discounts save us money on food and drinks, activities and the extra touches, and the program really works and does what it advertises. Best of all, my children, who have been coming down to Aruba for over 10 years now, love it too. So, it’s really a family getaway for us and we mark our calendars and look forward to it all year.”
Their love for Aruba runs deep, whether it be the miles of white sand beaches for walking, the top-notch on-site restaurants, or the endless amounts of smiling faces they see each time they arrive at the resort.
“We couldn’t have asked for a better staff,” Tom said. “Our whole family agrees, everybody here is so wonderful from the managers to housekeeping, concierge, the bellmen, everybody is just so happy and smiling. The staff have become like family to us and when we stay here, we feel so welcome, and that’s not a feeling we’ve gotten from a lot of other places.”
“This year, we came on a Sunday, which wasn’t even a day our favorite employees were supposed to be working, and they were there to greet us! We were so taken away with that,” added Lee.
Plus, they say the warm weather and endless beaches are just a few of the reasons this is their all-time favorite island.
“My wife and I are walkers, and here, we get to walk between three to ten miles a day on these beaches. Plus, there are so many restaurant choices, that we’re still finding new options,” said Tom. “On the resort, pureocean and purebeach are great dining options. We eat there all the time because we love the ambiance, the food and the service.”
The two also enjoy planning all sorts of special occasions on Aruba, including their vow renewal, Easter, birthdays, family reunions and more.
“My favorite Divi memory was Easter Sunday two years ago when we had 28 family members here, and we had drinks at sunset and dinner in the sand at pureocean,” said Tom. “It was the best time!”
