Ocean Z: Your Home Away from Home
Eva Zissu opened her dream home in picturesque Noord to travelers—literally. The concept for Ocean Z Boutique Hotel, as it stands today, started as construction plans designed by Venezuelan architect, Óscar Enrique Bracho Malpica, for Zissu’s home across from the Malmok Boardwalk.
— By Kylee Ross
— Photography Kenneth Theysen
“I’ve always wanted a house in front of the ocean. Since I was very young, that was my vision,” Zissu says. “As we were building the house, people started asking why we were not doing a boutique hotel instead.”
The two-story building is a unique fixture along a residential strip of private and rental homes on the West Coast (minutes away from Arashi Beach and the California Lighthouse). It’s sleek, minimalistic, and offers luxury accommodation unlike anything else on the island: suites with an infinity pool overlooking the ocean, private open-air showers, a serene lounge area by a courtyard pool, a fine dining restaurant and bar, and a team that will go above and beyond for your comfort and ease. To an onlooker, the building could easily be mistaken for an exclusive day spa. To the guests, it is a private oasis complete with personalized hospitality and an ocean view.
“The architect wanted to build it so that you could see the ocean from any part of the hotel,” Zissu says. “Everybody who comes in and goes to the backyard immediately feels an energy of serenity.” Whether you’re looking directly out at the ocean from your room or catching a glimpse through the floor-to-ceiling windows from the interior courtyard, the ocean is never far away. “We raised the building by a meter and a half so that we could be higher than the whole line of houses,” Zissu says.
At every turn there is a little bit of Zissu in the fine details. All the amenities in the rooms are Bulgari at Zissu’s personal request and everything from the ceramic to the furniture is imported from Italy and Spain. “I’m a very modern person, so I like minimalistic design,” Zissu says. “For colors, I’ve always liked a very elegant style—white, gray, black. Neutral colors that can give you peace. When you walk in, you feel relaxed.”
Eva Zissu and Zulay Rada
Co-owners
The name “Ocean Z” represents the first letter of Zissu’s last name and the first letter in her business partner’s name—Zulay Rada. It’s also a play on the words “ocean sea.” “I needed a name for the house,” Zissu says. “Normally in Venezuela, the houses have names, they don’t have numbers. I wasn’t thinking about a hotel name, I was thinking of a name for my house.”
While the final design for Ocean Z Boutique Hotel adopted more characteristics of a hotel than the original plans for a single home, the friendly staff and complimentary comforts ensure that you feel entirely at home with everything you need for a relaxing getaway. The moment you check in, you’re greeted with a glass of champagne. Waiting in your room is a fully stocked minibar and a thoughtfully designed beach bag graced with the Ocean Z logo. “That’s why when people come here, they feel like they’re at home,” Zissu says. “I give them a key to be able to come in and out whenever they want. They don’t even need to go through a lobby.”
On site you’ll find the Ocean Z Restaurant specialized in international cuisine with Aruban and Caribbean influences—awarded Best Fine Dining in the Caribbean by TripAdvisor—as well as a clothing boutique with fashions curated by Zissu herself. “I was a model for many years. I used to do a lot of television commercials, a lot of fashion shows,” Zissu says. She is also a well-known fashion designer and has owned several successful shoe, clothing, and Murano glass boutiques in Venezuela and Aruba. “My other hobby was hosting events. That’s why I think it all comes together with the hotel, because for me every night is an event,” Zissu says. “When people come here, they leave with new friends. They become friends with their next-door table guests.”
Every evening Zissu and general manager Leoncita Rivera check in with each table dining in the restaurant offering personalized service and warm company. “Everything I do is very personalized,” Zissu says. “Besides just giving, I like to make sure there’s a personal touch to everything we offer.” This aspect of Zissu’s personality runs through the unique experience of each guest. Rivera is available on site or through WhatsApp to assist as guests’ “concierge, tour guide, or anything else they need,” Rivera tells guests when they check in.
“There’s nothing like this in Aruba,” Zissu says. “Staff-wise, owner-wise, general manager-wise, architecture-wise, experience-wise, it’s more than different.” And that’s Zissu’s personal slogan: more than different. “I don’t want anybody to leave here feeling like they just went out to eat. I want everybody from the hotel and the restaurant to leave with a memorable experience.”
