WILLEMSTAD – The Pyrmont Curaçao Beach Resort has appointed two experienced hospitality executives to lead the new 305-room property ahead of its planned November 2026 opening in Pietermaai. Rob de Bekker will serve as General Manager, while Curaçao-born hospitality executive Anjali Bakmeijer has been promoted to Multi-Property Director of Sales & Marketing.
The adults-only, all-inclusive resort will operate under Marriott’s Autograph Collection brand and is currently under development in the Penstraat area. The project incorporates the restoration of two 19th-century landmark residences within Willemstad’s UNESCO World Heritage area.
De Bekker
De Bekker returns to Curaçao with more than 30 years of experience in the Caribbean hospitality industry. His career has included senior positions in Curaçao, Aruba, Jamaica and Bermuda.
Most recently, he served as General Manager of Grotto Bay Beach Resort & Spa in Bermuda. He previously headed the Santa Barbara Beach & Golf Resort in Curaçao, becoming a general manager at the age of 35. Earlier in his career, he was Director of Food & Beverage at Hilton Rose Hall in Jamaica.
A graduate of Hotelschool Maastricht, De Bekker has lived in Curaçao on two previous occasions and speaks five languages, including Papiamento. According to the resort, he and his family also speak Papiamento at home.
As General Manager, De Bekker will oversee preparations for the November opening and subsequently lead a workforce expected to number approximately 350 to 400 employees.
Bakmeijer
Bakmeijer, meanwhile, brings more than two decades of hospitality experience to her expanded position. Born and raised in Curaçao, she has worked across sales, marketing, revenue management, reservations, events and catering.
For the past six years, Bakmeijer served as Director of Sales & Marketing at Curaçao Marriott Beach Resort. Her promotion to Multi-Property Director of Sales & Marketing expands her responsibilities to include The Pyrmont while continuing her involvement with Curaçao Marriott Beach Resort.
Before joining Marriott, she held sales and wedding-services positions at several Curaçao resorts, including Hyatt and Santa Barbara Beach & Golf Resort.
Bakmeijer will play a central role in positioning the new hotel internationally while incorporating Curaçao’s identity into its commercial and guest-experience strategy. According to the resort, the intention is to involve local artists, artisans, farmers and other creatives and create what Bakmeijer describes as “pockets of experiences” centered on Curaçao’s art, cuisine, design and culture.
The Pyrmont is scheduled to feature seven restaurants and bars, a waterfront boardwalk and an adults-only all-inclusive concept.
Its planned November debut will add 305 rooms to Curaçao's rapidly expanding accommodation inventory and comes amid a broader public debate over large-scale tourism and real-estate development on the island.
The Pyrmont itself has been at the center of that discussion. The development, previously known as Pen Resort, has faced legal proceedings involving its building permit and objections from nearby residents. More recently, demonstrators gathered in the Penstraat area as part of protests over the impact of large construction projects on Curaçao’s communities, housing and physical development.
Despite that controversy, construction has continued and the resort is now moving into the operational phase of its development, with the appointment of its senior leadership team and preparations underway to recruit and manage the hundreds of employees expected to work at the property.