Fort Zoutman

The Hotel Colombia building is a building consisting of two floors. It lies at the junction of the Zoutmanstraat and Oranjestraat. It was built in 1918 and was owned by Nadie Henriquez and was at the time one of the most beautiful buildings in Oranjestad with it’s balconies and pillars. In 1919 began Nadie Henriquez an outdoor cinema. In December 1920 Henriquez exchanged the cinema with Eduard de Veer. Yet in 1922 was in the garden adjoining the outdoor cinema (music theater of Edward de Veer and the building itself was used as the Pension Aruba.
In 1925 was this building purchased by Dr. Eloy Arends. Later the building was known as ’Hotel Colombia’, the first commercially Operated hotel in Aruba.
Jesus Maria Eloy Arends, son of Dr. Eloy Arends sold the property in 1986 to the government of Aruba, with the condition that they would restore the building. The condition of the building worsened over the years, and after a fire where parts of the building were irreparably damaged, remained only ruins. In 1997 the restoration began. The building was united with the former residence of Dr. Eloy Arends, and they became the new City Hall of Oranjestad.
Hotel Colombia currently houses the Population Registry and City Hall.Read more