This is a discussion that has been ongoing for several years, but two beach police officers clarified it this week. For many years, hotels have operated under the impression that if they construct the palapas on the beach in front of their property, it automatically means they are for their exclusive use.
While they have always understood that the beach is public, tourists from other hotels or locals have been prevented from sitting under their palapas and using their beach chairs. Well, in 2024, this is finally going to change.
Police intervention
A tourist couple, who have been visiting Aruba for many years, decided to sit under a palapa in front of the Costa Linda Beach Resort on Eagle Beach. Two security personnel approached them, arguing that while the beach is public, the palapa and chairs are not.
The man, claiming to be familiar with the matter, drove to the Beach Police and met Chief of Service, Raquel Ras, there. The police sub-inspector immediately sent two officers to the site to address the two security members on this matter.
Security Guards corrected
These two officers explained to the Costa Linda Beach Resort staff that they are not acting correctly. They pointed out that the hotel’s construction of the palapas does not make them the owner of the land, nor the palapas on the beach. They are taking a risk by investing in palapas because the land will never become theirs. Consequently, the management’s approach is that “first come, first serve.”
Renting chairs is possible, but claiming ownership is not
Hotels can rent the chairs under the palapa, but if a person, whether local or tourist, arrives with their own chair, they can sit comfortably without any issues. What tourists or locals cannot do is arrive and claim the chair that someone else is already using.
Custom has become law
The tourist couple was very pleased with the treatment received by the Beach Police and the police officers who accompanied them to the hotel. They don’t want any trouble with the hotel but feel that there needs to be clarity regarding the notion that the palapas belong to the hotels. They even posted the work cards of both law defenders with their phone numbers, with a suggestion to other tourists that if they encounter security issues at a hotel, they should call these two officers immediately to settle the matter.
