Renovations, Additions And Amenities Get Divi Ready For 2009

Divi Resorts Offers Summer Fun at a Discount

Chapel Hill, NC (March 13, 2009) - Divi Resorts (www.diviresorts.com) rings in the New Year with expanded and upgraded facilities and amenities following through on an aggressive revitalization plan to transform nine Divi resorts on six Caribbean islands. This past year alone saw an impressive $175 million earmarked for additional nips, tucks and augmentation, including over 200 newly built rooms in Aruba. "The majority of the expansion projects are now complete," stated E.J. Schanfarber, President and CEO of Divi Hotels Marketing, Inc. "Guests will be delighted with the level of facilities and amenities created." As for the damage done by hurricanes this past year, "We're proud and relieved to say that all has been repaired in time for the upcoming travel season," said Schanfarber.

"Divi is truly better than ever," claims Schanfarber. "Divi Resorts set a course to meet the needs and preferences of our guests from around the world," said Schanfarber. The most recent changes help position the Divi collection of resorts as a high quality Caribbean vacation experience.

Here is what travelers to some of the Divi properties can expect to see:

Aruba
• The newly constructed towers at Divi Aruba Phoenix Beach had a soft launch on December 27, 2008, opening one of the four towers for holiday guests. The remaining three towers are expected to open in early 2009. The towers project at Divi Aruba Phoenix Beach, which creates a new skyline for the property and the Palm Beach area, more than doubles the capacity of the resort. In addition to adding 140 new suites, the expansion includes a new restaurant, new pools and grounds.

• A new dining establishment, Pure Beach, located at the foot of the Divi Aruba Phoenix Beach towers gives more than a visual "taste" of the level of sophistication achieved at the revamped property. Pure Beach, encircled by the freeform swimming pool that's facing the beach, is a casual cafe that will serve up international cuisine and decadent cocktails in early 2009.
• Divi cut the ribbon on the final phase of its golf villa project at Divi Village Golf & Beach Resort, also on December 27, 2008, opening 16 of the final 52 planned. Once the remaining units are open in early 2009, there will be 240 golf villas on the property surrounding the Links at Divi Aruba, a 9-hole professional course. "The golf villas have proved to be a very popular attraction for Divi in Aruba, so we are ecstatic to be adding to our offering. With the beautiful new Phoenix Beach development, plus the expansion of our golf villas, we believe that Divi has raised the bar for Aruba travel in 2009," said Schanfarber.
• Divi Resorts also added "wedding planner" to its list of amenities in Aruba. Aruba Weddings For You, a destination wedding planning service, is now located on site to help guests of the five Divi-branded properties in Aruba plan their big day. The service orchestrates nearly every detail of a wedding from start to finish - from flowers, food, decor and attire to the nitty-gritty details of marrying in a foreign country. For more information on Aruba Weddings For please visit www.arubaweddingsforyou.com.

St. Maarten
• Divi has spent $9 million on ongoing renovations at Divi Little Bay Beach Resort with Kyle Dudley, the new general manager, heading-up the renovation process. The existing hillside units were converted into nine luxury one-bedroom suites, and one 1,900 square-foot, three-bedroom premium suite - the "Presidential Casita." Additionally, as of February 2008, 36 beachfront rooms were transformed into 12 one-bedroom and four two-bedroom oceanfront suites that now feature LCD flat screen TVs, iPod docking stations, granite countertops, hot tubs and more. Hurricane damage has slowed down the construction on the 210 deluxe oceanfront suites, but all will be fully redesigned by April 2009 (to date, 150 are complete) with granite countertops, rich dark-wood furniture, tile flooring, new kitchen cabinets, top-of-the-line appliances and plush duvet bedding.

Barbados
• The Divi Southwinds Beach Resort was certified in 2008 as a Green Hotel -- the first property in Barbados to receive the designation. Green Hotel Certification is the independent review process for the hospitality industry based on internationally known environmental, energy and corporate social responsibility guidelines.

Bonaire
• Divi Flamingo Beach Resort has renovated all guestrooms with new furniture, drapery, and bedding. The resort has also gone wireless, with free Internet access now available throughout the property. In 2008, studio suite renovations included new kitchen appliances, granite countertops, new bathroom fixtures, furnishings, and bedding.

St Croix
• Divi Carina Bay Beach Resort & Casino enhanced its property by launching an open air pizza restaurant in 2008. Equipped with a wood stone pizza oven, East End Pizza Kitchen boasts the finest wood fired pizza on the entire island and a fun family dining experience. The restaurant offers a variety of panini sandwiches, calzones and a "build your own" pizza menu.

Hurricane Omar Update
• All hurricane damage has been repaired at Divi Flamingo Beach Resort & Casino in Bonaire, Divi Little Bay Beach Resort in St. Maarten and Divi Carina Bay Beach Resort in St. Croix and gave Divi management a chance to make the resorts better than ever.