Time and again, we hear stories of visitors who travel from around the world to Aruba and fall so deeply in love with the island that they inspire their family and friends to visit too. One of those stories belongs to the Grosser family, who have been coming to Aruba for more than three decades. Every year, they return with a large group of relatives and friends. They say Aruba has played a major role in their love story.
The Grossers explained that it all began back in 1991, when Rick asked his wife, Dede, where she wanted to go on vacation, and she exclaimed, “I want to go to Aruba!” They fell in love with the island immediately, and after that first year, other family members began to join them. “Since then, it’s been our children, our grandchildren, our nieces and nephews,” Rick said. In 2019, they even launched a Facebook page to show what they love about the resort where they stay and to share it with others interested in traveling to Aruba.
Aruba will always hold a special place for the Grosser family
Since that first visit, they have stayed at the same hotel for 34 years. Originally known as The Americana, then Alegro, later The Occidental, and now Barceló, the hotel has changed names but kept its warm and welcoming staff. That consistency has made it feel like home.
Rick fondly remembers their very first night on the island, when they dined at the Buccaneer restaurant. Curious about what else there was to do, they ended up going bowling with a group of local taxi drivers. “The next morning, we woke up and said, ‘I love this place,’” Rick recalled.
Over the years, the Grosser family’s Aruba group has grown and evolved. Just a few years ago, they rented over 40 rooms to celebrate a wedding on the island. These days, the group is not quite as big, but they still cherish coming together in their favorite place. Rick and Dede have embraced Aruban culture and the warmth and friendliness of its people, qualities they say are harder to find back home.
When asked about the secret to their lasting love, they smile and say it’s simple: you have to like each other. Dede adds that Aruba has been a huge part of that love story, because all she needs to be happy is to come here four times a year. The Grossers say they feel truly blessed to be able to return to their second home — their home away from home — and to share it with the people they love most.
