Only Aruba restaurant to garner gastronomic win, resort highest rated on island
EAGLE BEACH –Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort, Aruba, and its fine dining restaurant, Elements, have just been named by USA TODAY as top Caribbean vacation and culinary experiences. On Jan. 12, 2024, at 12 p.m. EST, the American multi-platform news and information media company revealed that Bucuti & Tara received a USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Award 2024 as a Best Caribbean Resort. Elements received a USA TODAY 10 Best Readers’ Choice Award 2024 as a Best Restaurant in the Caribbean.
“We thank USA TODAY 10Best editors and the voting public for honoring Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort and Elements as best of the best vacation and dining experiences, and I thank our dedicated staff who share their enthusiasm for our Aruba home and a passion for turning our guests’ dreams into reality,” shares Ewald Biemans, Owner/CEO of Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort, Aruba.
Winning since 2017
Returning again in 2024 on the pinnacle list, Bucuti & Tara has reigned as an annual winner in the USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Award for Best Caribbean Resort since 2017. The resort earned the highest votes in Aruba. As competition flourishes, voters continue to show their appreciation for the adults-only enclave’s steadfast commitment to providing an unrivaled vacation experience dedicated to romance, wellness and sustainability. The resort’s intense attention to detail and service-first approach provides an effortless vacation for guests who often become loyal visitors, so much so that USA TODAY indicated that experiencing Bucuti & Tara is “love at first stay.”
Only Aruba restaurant honored
Elements is the only Aruba restaurant to be named a winner in the 2024 USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice travel award contest for Best Restaurant in the Caribbean. Helmed by Executive Chef Alexander Powell, who hails from Michelin-starred restaurants, Elements is beloved for its full menus for world cuisine, vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and its popular Authentic Aruba & Caribbean offerings created from recipes handed down over generations within staff members’ families. The venue’s romantic allure, dazzling oceanfront setting and attentive service amongst its sophisticated setting
Other list makers include a restaurant led by a James Beard award-winning chef, a hidden gem treasured by Anthony Bourdain and other flavor-forward, must-taste experiences in the Caribbean. Joining the timeless attribute of superior guest service and a memorable meal, each winner shares a sense of place with an increased focus on sourcing sustainably and celebrating local ingredients.
Behind the honors
Both USA TODAY 10Best Awards began as nominations result from editorial boards of highly seasoned travel journalists including Melanie Reffes, Jillian Dara, Brian Cicioni, Allison Tibaldi and Sharon Nolan. From there, the public was invited to vote over the course of one month.
About Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort
Declared the first CarbonNeutral® hotel in the Caribbean in August 2018, Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort the No. 1 Hotel in the Caribbean and No. 18 Hotel in the World according to Tripadvisor. Aruba’s premier adults-only boutique resort is led by celebrated hotelier and environmentalist, Ewald Biemans, named by Caribbean Journal as the 2017 Caribbean Hotelier of the Year. The resort is nestled on the powdery white sands of Eagle Beach, home to protected sea turtles and named one of the “Dream Beaches of the World.”
Home to the Caribbean’s Safest, Healthiest Vacation Experience and Aruba’s Health & Happiness Code seal, Bucuti has 104 well-appointed guestrooms, suites and penthouses. It offers sunbeds and shade for every guest; freshwater infinity pool; spa; WiFi; and complimentary iPad for use during stay. Award-winning healthy dining is enjoyed at oceanfront Elements, Tara Lounge and private beach dining. Reserved exclusively for guests and their friends, the open-air SandBar offers top-shelf cocktails and live music daily along with the Caribbean’s first Healthy Hour. The resort is IGLTA and TAG Approved® as an LGBTQ-friendly hotel. Bucuti & Tara, a worldwide sustainable tourism leader, holds eco-certifications of CarbonNeutral®, LEED Gold, Green Globe Platinum and Travelife Gold and was named the World’s Most Sustainable Hotel/Resort in 2016 by Green Globe. New in 2023, the resort is the newest member of Regenerative Travel.
