Stay & Play
Curaçao Marriott Beach Resort
by Steve Gillick
Stirred, not shaken! This is not the James Bond way to make a Martini!
Shenty Fernandez tends the bar at the Zala Gastro Lounge at the Curaçao Marriott Beach Resort. When I ordered a Dirty Martini, he prepared it with unusual precision and care. I watched as he filled the Martini Glass with ice and let it sit, while he measured and poured the Martini ingredients into a tumbler. Then he stirred the mixture, spilled the ice out of the Martini Glass, poured the mixture through a strainer, into the glass, and added three olives. This was a perfect Martini.
When I asked Shenty why he stirred the Martini, rather than shake it à la James Bond, he explained that shaking dilutes the mixture with the ice-and-water in the tumbler. Stirring blends the mixture and coaxes it to bond together, taste upon taste. And with his training as a Mechanical Engineer, you could easily see how Shenty took pride in the cocktails he created.
This turned out to be a microcosm of the attitude of the Curaçao Marriott Beach Resort itself. When I asked General Manager Mark Nooren why all the staff were friendly and smiling he explained, “We make sure our associates are happy because by doing that, we know they will gladly share that happiness with our guests, and be at their service with a smile on their face”. And the same attitude was taken when Mark initiated a $40 million renovation of the old Marriott Curaçao, which re-opened in November 2019 as the 336 room 4-Star plus, Marriott Beach Resort.
Located on Piscadero Bay, about a 15 minute drive from Hato International Airport and an even shorter drive to Willemstad, the 6-acre property sits on an idyllic sandy beach graced with views of turquoise waters. My King room was comfy and spacious. The soothing sound of waves was only a few feet away, complemented by a balcony that overlooked the beach and the blue-on-blue ocean.
In the early morning I enjoyed the chef-prepared omelettes and fresh baked croissants at the breakfast buffet, before an early morning walk along the nearby oceanfront path. I even walked to the historic Otrobanda and Punda districts of Willemstad on a few occasions. It’s a good 50 minute walk (or a 15 minute taxi ride).
And for those who prefer to stay put, there is an adults-only swimming pool, a large family pool, a kids club, a gym, wellness activities, snorkelling, diving, local art exhibits, and more. Meals can be enjoyed at ÇSpice, the Salty Iguana Ocean Grill, and the Izakaya Sushi Bar.
All in all this is a pretty impressive property and a great complement to a holiday in Curaçao.
