La Cabana in Aruba

We recently vacationed in Aruba and stayed at the Aruban. We had stayed there on previous vacations when it was the La Cabana. We had a wonderful experience staying here again! We brought our young children and had fun every day going to the beach and using the swimming pools. We would definitely stay here again!

The Aruban is not your average resort, it's better. I own a timeshare in week 39. I've never been treated rude. Always with respect from my 1st encounter to my last. My suite has not been renovated yet but that's O.K. How much time do you spend in the room anyway. I've owned there 3 years and have always been completely satisfied, in fact, it gets better each year. I own a better timeshare at the Divi Golf and find I have more fun at the Aruban than the Divi Golf. The people are friendly and cannot do enough for their owners. The renovations will be great but again, how much time do you spend in your suite? From the reviews I've read, it seems some people hate it where others love it. Because I am an owner, I can trade to anywhere in the world but I love Aruba and will always stay where I own. My last trip was my 13th to the island and I can't wait for my next trip. If you want a great vacation with a reasonable price, you can't go wrong with the Aruban.

This was an amazing trip! My gf and I went for a week at $800/person (flight included!) and I was pleasantly surprised for what we got for our money. Even though the suites are a little outdated, its very clean and there is everything you need! I loved having a living room and kitchen, as well as a balcony overlooking the pool. The first day there we went to one of the many supermarkets and got groceries for breakfast/lunch for $150 for the whole trip. Dont bother wasting money on all-inclusives, because at these rates you can afford to go out on the town. I suggest going to the more "Aruban" restaurants like Los Conucous (cheap and delicious) and The Flying Fishbone (pricey but well worth it - its on the beach!).

The beach across from the hotel (Eagle Beach) is the best one in Aruba! We went all over the Island, including Baby Beach, and there was nothing better! Also cant beat the 2-4pm Happy Hour on the beach. I wish I could stay longer and will deffinitely come back in years to come.

We stayed here June 20th to July 4th. We exchanged a 5 star 2 bedroom 2 bath. What we got was a 1bedroom 1 bath. I had been reading reviews on this site so we were prepared for the worst. It took 4 different rooms before I eventually agreed to accept the final room. It was still not a comparable exchange but I decided I could make it home for 2 weeks. By the end of our stay I was truly glad we had chosen this resort. The staff here were all so friendly. From the actviities, reception, cocierge, bellman and staff at the pool bar. (Happy hour is 3-7pm and they definatly are not stingy with the alchol ). The resort is under new management, under going huge renovations. They plan on spending 150 million. Which they predict will take 2 years (my guess is 3 years) . We went on there tour and liked what improvements they were planning and decided the price they were selling for was to good to turn down. The resort is a very short walking distance to Eagle beach. The bellman are happy to give you a ride in there little golf type cart to the bus or beach which are at the same location. The beach has wonderful white sand, not a rock or stone to be found in either ocean or beach. We had no problems with the La Cabana staff at the beach. We had our own towels from home so nobody bothered us. Usually we rent a car, this time we decided to wait and check the place out first. We were very glad we did as the bus worked great. It ran approx every 10 -15mins in either direction at about $2. 30 return. Everywhere we went took american dollars even on the bus. One day we went on a jeep tour so we got to see the other side of the island. This was a good decision as what we saved on renting we were able to spend on food, resturants, tours etc which we found to be quite expensive. ( Talking with the locals many commented that most of them have 2 jobs). Aruba is wonderful ,always warm somtimes to windy for my liking. I gave up fixing my hair. . A great place to just take it slow and relax in the sun and enjoy life. Be sure to take lots of lotions and somthing to keep your hair out of your eyes. We will be returning to the Aruban Resort and Casino in about 3 years and Henery the bellman promised he would still be there. He gave me a kiss and a hug goodbye.

We stayed at the Aruban from May 4-11 and had a fantastic time. I also read all the negative postings and did get a little worried about the Aruban. Two years ago we stayed at La Cabana and had no issues. This year I found a great price and stayed at the Aruban. As it turned it, it was in the same building that we stayed in two years ago. We had one issue at check in and within a half hour it was corrected. The staff at the Aruban was fantastic and went out of their way to help us. Our room was clean and we never had an issue with bugs or mildew or any kinds of smells. We had no issues with beach towels. We managed to get up early every morning and we were out on the beach by 8 and always got a hut. There were some issues like people getting up early and putting bags in huts and not coming down until 10 or 11-that should have been addressed and wasn't it. But other than that, we had an excellent time and would recommend the Aruban. We are going back again next year. Don't believe everything that you read---

The Aruban is a great place at a great price. I mostly stay at smaller hotels and was skeptical but, I found The Aruban to be a great fit

The rooms are clean, comfortable and have a fridge, micro and stove (I like to cook if I want to). The pools are super with swim up bars and an on site Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin Robins ice cream shop, there are also grills for your use.

The beach, which is just across the street and was why we went in the first place.

We will come back to the Aruban and will recommend it to friends.

See you there!

Don

staff very helpful about knowledge of restaurants , beach, and best places to shop in aruba. elaine the welcome host made our trip exceptional . renting a car for 150$ made the trip better for us, she told us where to go snorkeling at baby beach and the ship wreck, that is where the boats were dropping people off anyway so we saved on that. rooms were big, and pictures on the net are exactly like the rooms were, big shower and tub with jacuzzi , maid service excellent, and made us comfortable, the view was directly over the pool and bar, maintained every day, with large slide, hotel will be upgraded to beutiful rooms, and largest casino on island. only negative i can say is i ordered to get internet on the web it was 29.99 for the week b,c the arubian has towers, but didnt work got fair signal do not purchase!! use in lobby... other than that we will revisit.. very affordable, across the street from the beach, can go thru la cabana hotel right next door and access it that way, a 5 min walk,. oh and smoking allowed only on balcony or a charge of 200 will be charged just request an ashtray..

I just have to say that my cousin and I read the reviews on this resort and went to Aruba with an open mind. We expected the worse but was pleasantly surprised by what we found. There was 6 in our party and stayed at the Aruban using our friend's bonus week. The hotel's 1 & 2 bedroom condos were booked so we stayed in a 3 bedroom Condo that was newly renavated. The kitchen was fully stocked and had granite countertops, stainless steel appliances and a compact washer and dryer. The bathrooms did not have a tub but had a huge shower head that felt like rain and a detachable compact shower head. The best beach on the Island was right across the parking lot-you actually have to walk through or around La Cabana resort but was very easy to get to. The aruban has 2 pools and a fun waterslide. 2 definite MUST restraunts- Madame Jeannette-Delicious, The Old Man and the Sea-ROMANTIC and delish. There is 2 restraunts on the beach that were romantic but the food and service was only so-so. Only downside was that they are still waiting for drapes and bedding-bed was hard!!! No spa but La Cabana does and is easily accessable. My husband and I and my cousin and her hubby bought a time-share- that is how excited and happy we are with plans that they have with the resort. Our 1 bedroom should be done within the next 2 years. Our friends 1 bedroom has not been renovated but was not in bad shape just outdated. I think that people should go there with an open mind and if you want 5 star book at the High rise area- Marriott, Riu, Westin. We rarely stay in our room since we are there on vacation and just want a nice bed and clean facility, which is what the Aruban delivers except for the bed- I am a princess and LOVE soft squishy beds. We want to see sites and dive alot- not lay in bed or sit around around watching t.v. In all the places that we have visited I felt very safe walking around and taking the bus at all hours, however, BE CAREFUL with your drinks, if you go with just the girls- I accidentally mixed my drink with 2 young girls that I was dancing with and when we left the bar I had NO MEMORY of the rest of the night!!! Luckily my hubby and friends were with me but I dont know what happened to the girls- were there with their mother. So, my only complaint is the bed and be watchful of your drinks! Grocery stores and shopping are a short bus ride from your hotel to make your own breakfast and lunch. Dinner out is usually $100-125. Columbian emeralds are beautiful and inexpensive compared to the US. Have fun and rekindle your romance!

We had read the reviews before leaving and were apprehensive about this place. Once we arrived, all fears were put to rest. The hotel rooms are clean and very spacious. Every room overlooks the courtyard and ours was overlooking the waterfall. The staff are very friendly and the housekeeping was excellent. It's not a five star but it's certainly not the dive that others made it out to be. The beach is a very short walk away and definitely worth the walk. We always managed to find chairs and never found it to be overcrowded.

If you want to be in the center of everything, this is not the place for you, but we enjoyed that it was quieter than the high rise area, yet close enough to walk.

I would stay here again in a heartbeat!

If you've never been to Aruba, I recommend you go. My wife and I just returned from our first trip to Aruba and,as I'm sure you've heard, it is a beautuful island. They were having a bit of unseasonable weather during our stay. It rained nearly every day but for only 5 miuntes at time a couple times a day. Still nothing that kept us from our planned activities of sitting on the beach drinking Pina Coladas. We stayed at the Aruban which I would rate a 2 1/2 to 3 star. The folks there were very nice. Check in was no problem but takes a while. The room was dated, but clean and spacious and no problems like I read about here on the TA. The balcony overlooked the pool, as most rooms do. No ocean view here as you are behind the La Cabana Resort with a 5 minute+ walk to the beach. You'll also be solicited with timeshare offers, here and all over Aruba, but a simple "no thank you" usually sends the marketers on their way or you can do a TS tour and get some pretty good perks. The first thing you want to do while you're waiting for your room is head downtown to the first supermarket and buy some basic items..like beer. It will cost you a small fortune at the Aruban or La Cabana convenience store. Wait for happy hours to drink at the pool bar (3:00 - 7:00 ) or beach bar (2:00 - 4:00 ). Don't use your credit card to call the states. ($21 first 5 minutes..I learned the hard way). The public bus is the cheapest way to travel, but plan on waiting 15-30 minutes. ($2.30 R/T). You don't need a car for the whole week, but I suggest getting one for one or two days. You can rent at the Aruban, but reserve it the first day you get there because they run out. You'll need to get down to the beach by 6:00 AM to get a hut and you do want a hut, the sun is very strong. There are a lot of nice resraurants and fun excursions that the Aruban Guest Services can help you with. They were very accomondating and helpful. If you're traveling on a budget I would recommend the Aruban. If you can afford to upgrade, I definently would. Have a happy time.

We recently stayed at the Aruban with some friends. The rooms are a little dated but very clean. There are two pools one with a water slide and one with a waterfall. It seems you could choose if you wanted fun in the sun on one side or relaxing on the other side. There always seemed to be enough chairs. To get to the beach you must pass through another hotel and around their pool area and across the street. It isn't so bad just remember to bring everything you need with you. For the beach you must get there early if you are looking for a hut, they go fast but they are patrolled so you just can't leave your things there all day incase you might want to go to the beach. If you want to rent sea doos, tubing, or any water sport the area is right in front. There are several restaurants to eat at that were cheaper than us going to get groceries. There was a buffet breakfast, Sbarro's, dunkin donuts, and a Cinnabon! There is a casino on site if you like to gamble. The pool bar had 2 for 1 everyday from 4-7pm. The elevators were a little old and scary but we used the stairs after bringing our luggage up. The only downfall was the constant and persistant effort to push timeshare ownership or to just take the 90 minute tour.

We stayed at The Aruban the week of January 12, 2009 and enjoyed our stay very much. The room was large, pleasant, clean and most important to us - quiet. Unlike other hotels we have stayed at where you hear your neighbors talking, closing drawers and slamming doors we did not hear a peep from other guests our entire visit.

Beautiful Eagle Beach is one block away and there are 2 pools at the hotel, one with a slide where all the kids go and another with a waterfall which is more quiet and mainly for adults.

Le Petit Cafe, Mangos, Le Dome, Screaming Eagle and the Swiss Chalet are all good restaurants and within walking distance.

We had fun at the casino which had a few blackjack tables, a Texas Hold Em table (my favorite) and your standard other games in addition to the slot machines. There was also a GREAT Dutch band playing 2 of the nights we went.

We would definitely stay at the Aruban our next visit.

My husband and I stayed a full week at this resort and would definitely go back to it...in fact, we are already planning a return trip for our fifth anniversary.

We stayed at the resort because a friend offered us their timeshare here and we couldn't turn that down. But now that we've been there, we'd definitely go again. While there are plenty of timeshare folks there, it is also a hotel and rooms can be rented by non-timeshare people for days or weeks. I am unsure of the nightly costs as our friend just gave us the week.

We loved the location of the resort, right off of Eagle Beach...we were able to easily walk over to the beach day or night. It was also just a short bus ride and fairly inexpensive cab ride to both downtown Oranjestad and up to the high rise area. The bus picks up not too far from the hotel, and there is a cab stand between the Aruban and the neighboring resort, so transportation is easily accessible. There was also ample parking for guests who chose to rent vehicles.

There is one resort (La Cabana) between the Aruban and the beach, so a small walk is required. The resort does have a few golf carts which the bellmen use to bring you to the beach if you don't want to walk (a tip for this service is appreciated).

Also, the resort is under some renovations, which includes adding a nicely landscaped path from the resort to the beach (not yet underway when we visited), but currently there isn't any one designated way to get to the beach.

Our route towards the end of the week was cutting through the La Cabana property because of their restaurants & bar (open to the public) and the souvenir shopping their property offered.

If you don't feel comfortable cutting through a property you're not staying at, we did take the service road over to the beach. It's not pretty at all, but we felt safe, even at night & it served our purposes of getting from point A to point B.

The Aruban does have staff over on Eagle Beach who can help you secure beach chairs, etc. It is a public beach, so anyone can go there. We didn't feel any pressure to stay in certain parts of the beach, however, we had been told that each section of the beach is tended to by different resorts, and they identify you by the beach towel you're carrying (each resort has a different one). Even when we were carrying our own personal beach towels(and therefore there was no way they could identify us) we were never treated poorly or discouraged from staying on a certain part of the beach. The chairs were not locked up, but the loungers were, so you had to find resort personnel to unlock them for you.

Anyway, back to the resort. There were two pools. The adult pool had a rock/waterfall formation. The family pool had the swim-up bar and waterslide. Everyone could use the waterslide (not just the kids) and everyone could use either pool, they just encourage families with kids to stay over on the waterslide one. They did have a couple of hot tubs, too, which were nice but not always hot enough for our tastes.

The pool bar had happy hour two-for-ones every afternoon.

The resort also has a casino/restaurant on the property which is going to be torn down to make room for a bigger & better casino. We are not big gamblers so we didn't go to the casino. We did eat at the restaurant one morning and it was okay...nothing I would go out of my way for, but affordable and close by if you're not wanting to think about going to a lot of effort to eat. Kind of reminded me of a Denny's.

Within the courtyard of the resort was a Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin Robbins which were open all day and well into the evening. Convenient and affordable, but arguably too American for some travellers' tastes.

The resort did offer free beach towel service, so no need to waste suitcase space with beach towels.

Our unit was a one bedroom/one bathroom unit. It had two full-size beds and a full working kitchen that was well-stocked with pans, cooking utensils, and dinnerware for people who want to buy groceries and eat in. It also had a full-size fridge with freezer and a larger toaster oven and microwave.

The units were average...they were clean and functional but not luxurious by any means. The decor was pretty dated and the living room furniture was comfortable for the short times we actually used it, but certainly wouldn't be a place to camp out and watch movies (although, why would you do that in Aruba anyway)? We were told every room has a jacuzzi...ours did but we didn't use it.

The beds didn't look like they'd be comfortable but they weren't actually too bad. Of course, it wasn't like sleeping at home, but we still woke up refreshed everyday. I have a bad back and I didn't have problems after sleeping on the beds.

We did take a tour of the new rooms (by 2010, all rooms will look like the tour rooms we saw) and they will be very nice and comfortable the...a definite improvement in style, quality and comfort.

There was wi-fi available for a charge, there were also a few public computers with internet access available for a nominal charge.

The room did have a hair dryer, so don't worry about packing your own. It also had large pumps of shampoo and body soap in the showers, but we didn't like how it smelled and the containers were so large it didn't appear to get refreshed very often and the top of the soap and shampoo had a funky film on it. If that grosses you out, you might be wise to pack your own toiletries.

There was a concierge available to help book dinner reservations, etc. There was a DePalm tours representative there during most of the day everyday (DePalm is one of the biggest tour/activities operators on the island) to help you book activities, and there was also a rental car desk available to guests. There was a nice convenience store on the property with small souvenir type items, and common things people need like sunscreen, disposable cameras, snacks, bottled water, soft drinks, etc. I will caution you that the prices here, and everywhere else, on touristy things (like sunscreen & underwater cameras) was 3 to 4 times what you'd pay in the states, so buy and pack what you think you need, but rest assured, they do have it if you need it and run out or foget it.

Also, this was a family-friendly resort, so if you don't want to have kids around, this may not be the place for you either. But it would be great for families,

I'm not sure if this is common practice on the island, but this resort did charge you by the minute to make local calls from the room and we weren't advised of that. It wasn't horribly expensive, but we were disappointed to not have been warned. So my tip would be to have the concierge or DePalm tours person make any reservations for dinner or activities, or place calls to inquire about store hours, directions, etc. that you might want to do so that you don't have to pay the phone bill at the end of your stay.

Our favorite things about this resort included the friendliness/helpfulness of the staff, the location (close to the beach and between the high rise and downtown areas) and the pool with the waterslide and swim up bar. Also, the resort felt very safe and was clean. These are the things that will make us come back.

Our least favorite thing about this resort was being asked to take the timeshare tours at least once, if not several times, per day...even after we took the tour. I could be wrong, but I'm guessing you'll run into that everywhere.

I should add that my husband and I are pretty easy-going travellers. We don't like to spend a lot of time in our room so luxury is not important to us as long as the facilities are clean & functional and safe. So if you're someone who likes luxuries like valet service, room service, a gourmet restaurant on premises, huge fluffy beds, and high end architectural finishes, this may not be the place to stay.

I gave this an above average rating because of the convenient location and the friendliness of the staff and its overall user-friendliness. I would also guess that it is a good value for the money...while I don't know exact prices, I know where my guide book put it in relative expense to other resorts in the area and I feel the value is probably pretty good. And we would definitely return to this resort.

I am hesitant to give it an excellent rating only because of some maintenance issues (one of the flights of metal stairs was in need of repair) which I assume will be addressed by the current renovations. Also, the room did smell a little mildewy, but that may be common (or unavoidable) on the island & may also be fixed by the renovations. And finally, I feel that guests who stay for a week, should be recognizable (maybe not by name, but at least by appearance) to the timeshare staff & therefore not asked repeatedly to participate in a presentation in which they had already participated. The resort is big, but not that big...and it was the same person we had to tell "no, we already did that" everyday.

I agree with many other reviews that a lot of The Aruban is a bit worn and needs replacing, but is satisfactory as is. The room was large and clean, and the bed was comfortable. They ask that you keep the AC on low (meaning colder) to prevent mold and condensation, and that made the living room a bit too cold. No one would have said anything if you turned it higher or off for a while, but we complied and that made it too chilly at times. The internet was very spotty, but that was probably because Aruba has trouble with wireless if there's heavy rain. The two large pools are great, and while not strictly enforced, one of them is set aside for adults which is nice. The staff is very nice. They had a barbecue with delicious free food and drinks. I was a bit annoyed that none of the drinks they offered were non-alcoholic. Twenty minutes later a manager came by and made sure I got a free diet coke anyway. There is also a convenient De Palm tour desk so you can just go to the lobby to reserve a sightseeing bus tour, an ATV tour, Atlantis submarine, and practically everything. There is one restaurant at The Aruban (The Blue Marlin) and about seven within walking distance (Folioli's, The Tulip, Chalet Suisse, Passions, Mango's, The Islander Grill, Le Petit Grille). They are mostly not low-budget restaurants, having few, if any, dinner options for $15 or less. The food is good though. Overall, recommended, particularly for families with small children.

We went to Aruba on a value-priced package deal. I read the reviews of the Aruban before we went and saw some photos of the rooms that haven't been updated yet. Although the rooms are reminicscent of a Golden Girls episode and are long overdue for an update, everything was very clean. At most any time of day I could go swim in the "adult" pool and be the only one in the water. This is in sharp contrast to some of the high rise resorts that are literally packed with people.

The beach is a very short distance from the Aruban. The beaches are phenomenal! The hotel staff was very friendly, and the free bands, drinks and dinners a couple nights a week are super fun.

We have our trip booked for the same week next year, and I can't wait to go back!

Got a great deal for this hotel. Not very familiar with the island so had to trust my travel agent on this one.

Read some of the reviews so a little concerned about the total experience.

The kids Loved it. They spend most of the day on the slide at the slide pool and the security lady Omaira was wonderful. Mom and Dad got to spend some time relaxing and the more grownn up water fall pool. Rooms are a little outdated but we hope to see much nicer rooms next year because we will definitly return next year to this Resort. We all enjoyed our vacation both parents and kids and that is what we call a vacation.

This was probably the most reasonable... okay the CHEAPEST vacation that I've ever had. I had 5 day and 4 nights at the Aruban for $499 per person (flight included). I was scared as hell looking at the reviews, but overall this was a very nice hotel. But after looking at the model room, I know I will never get that deal again at the Aruban. The staff was excellent, they have a casino (small)but the tables 4 maybe 5 reminded me of that National Lampoons Vegas trip when Clark and Eddie lost all of Eddies money... The menu was okay and reasonably priced.

The room was fine outdated but cleaned very well, I had no complaints. This is a family resort, and there was lots of kids on the property. If you like the beach be prepared to walk through La Cabanna (a hotel that the Aruban was connected with). Or the staff is alway willing to drive you on one of the golf carts.

Now if you are use to 5 star service, this is not the hotel for you. This hotel is clean, a little out dated with furniture but well worth the money.

Enjoted Aruba..windy all the time, but loved it! The hotel itself was very good, large room, rather more like apartment with full kitchen! Staff was very nice, pool was nice! close to Eagle Beach. only down fall the timeshare pushers couldnt seem to take no for an answer! all in all would stay again! Dunkin Dounts on property nice for quick snack!

We stayed at the Aruban the week of May 10th and had a 2 BR 2 BA suite. The decor was outdated but the rooms were clean. Who really cares about the room when there are great beaches and pools. Casino was small but comfy. Exchanged our Orlando timeshare and well worth. A+ for families, B- for singles....

this was our first trip to aruba we stayed at the resort &casino had a wonderful time could not ask for any nicer people and we are to return July 3rd 2009 can not WAIT

Last year we purchaced a one room time share at The Aruban. We did so under false pretenses. In the 14 months in between visits we had VERY poor communication with The Aruban. When we arrived June 5th we were SO dissapointed. My husband and I complained and were given a remodeled room. This room though was wired poorly, none of the outlets worked for the hair dryer but we didn't complain. The newer kitchen is lovely and when the plumbing is done correctly I'm sure the shower will be great also. Even the remodeled rooms still have small TV's and old bedding/living room furniture.

In 90 days we should all here if the remodel is going to take place, and if it does what the time table is. (fall 2009 for an update).

My husband and I may still have purchased at The Aruban if we were told that within the next 5 years upgrades will slowing happen..or something more truthful, not lies. I have a hard time beliving them even though they have new sales people. I refused to go to the time share sales pitch..even for a cash insentive. Trying to sell me anything would be an insult.

The resort seemed SO empty. They had great bar specials...there is a swim up bar. There was NEVER anyone there, it was so sad. The pools are beautiful. The hot tubs are kind of icky..the one was warm but the jets weren't working..the other one had jets but cold water.

Las Cabana next door has a rocking pool area and live music..I felt like a kid not invited to a party..it looked so fun.

I must admit after being at the Marriott Surf Club with my in-laws the quietness of The Aruban was a bit relaxing...but it's advertised as a fun family resort..and it's dead. I must admit I am concered for it's future.

The front desk staff are good...time share people pushy and the cleaning staff does a nice job.

We will be back in 2011, I really hope I am not dissapointed again.

If you stay here and don't have high expectations then you won't have any problems. The island is beautiful...

While in Aruba last year, we toured The Aruban Resort and Casino. After they could't convince us to purchase, we settled for a trial membership week for a minimal amount. We stayed there this year for the trial week before going to our home resort, CPV. We thought we were going to be given one of the newly renovated rooms but instead we were given a much oler room . It was okay but not what we expected. The room needed maintenance attention badly. This wasn't a very smart thing to do to perspective buyers, This was our first and last visit to this resort.

My wife, two young children and I spent a week at the Aruban Resort & Casino. When we arrived at the room, we found the sheets on the pull out sofa bed were dirty and the refrigerator had mildew on the door. However, the housekeeping staff quickly replaced the sheets and I cleaned off the refrigerator, and the staff kept the room clean the rest of the week. The pool area was quite nice and we had no trouble getting lounge chairs every day. The exercise room was new. The children got quite a kick out of the native iguanas that would mingle with the guests. Eagle Beach was located a quick walk through hotel next door and was beautiful with white sand and clear water. The weather was always very nice, though sometimes the winds were a little strong when trying to enjoy the pool, beach or outdoor seating at a restaurant. I would recommend renting a car if you want to get around Aruba. Our children especially enjoyed the Ostrich Farm and the Atlantis Submarine. Our favorite restaurant during our visit was Texas de Brazil -the food was great! All in all, we had a wonderful time in Aruba.

My husband, daughter and myself just returned from our first trip to Aruba; the island is beautiful and for the most part, the people are friendly. We arrived at the hotel a little early but our room was ready for us. It did smell mildewy, but was roomy. The sofa was stained and the tub wasn't the greatest, but it was ok for the most part. The "swimup" bar was not what I expected and the pool water was COLD, but the pool was clean. The one thing that bothered us was the fact that they asked for a $250 deposit when we first arrived! We were rather annoyed about this because even though we don't travel a lot during the year, when we do, we have never been asked to leave a deposit and not for such a great amount. The other thing that was annoying were the people perched outside when you walk across to the beach, asking if we were interested in a timeshare. We spent most of our time at the LaCabana which is a hotel right in front of the Aruban and which you have to walk through to get to the beach, which gets very crowded! They had a great bar and entertainment. If we go back, we will probably stay there.

We spent a week at the Aruban and found the resort to be extremely quiet and basically "dead". Good for older couples or families with children who want the resort to themselves. The rooms smelled of mildew and the furnature/bedding is definitely dated. The pictures shown on the web differ greatly from what you actually get. We spend most of our time at the LaCabana which is the hotel in front of the Aruban. There, they had entertainment, but only up until 8:00 PM. Although the staff at the front desk were helpful and friendly, we found the time share/vacation club vendors standing between the two hotels to be overbearing and non-stop no matter how many times you passed them. Baby Beach was the highlight of our visit - make a point of getting there, it is well worth the drive. Also, we had a terrible experience with American Car Rental - our Jeep had a cracked windshield, the rag top was ripped, it has 96,000 miles on it and the passenger seat belt just popped open at any given time. We returned it the next day.

As far as the Aruban, if you're on a budget, you get what you pay for - if you can afford a bit more, do so.

We (my husband and I) stayed at the Aruban from Jan. 24-31, 2009. I had read alot of reviews on this hotel before our trip and was apprehensive about our stay. We had no problems. The room, on the 5th floor, was clean when we arrived and had plenty of towels, pillows, etc. The maid did a great job each day of taking out and replenishing towels and toiletries. The staff was friendly. We used the bellhops several times; Henry and Alvin who were great on directions and answering any questions. The room was outdated and had a slight odor as I read about, but nothing so strong we couldn't stand it. The pools and grounds were kept cleaned and maintained. To get to the beach we walked through La Cabana, which was never a problem. Our first trip to the beach the bellhop took us in a golf cart, but we walked from then on out. We did rent a jeep for a few days and explored a few other beaches, shopping in Oranjestad, and the high-rise area. Bus service is available. We did the ABC all day jeep tour (thumbs up -Rocky, our great tour guide!), Horse backing riding at La Ponderosa (thumbs up -Patrick our tour guide).

If you want to explore local restaurants, try the Palm Beach Refreshment on J.E. Irausquin Blvd. On the same road as Amazonia, Aqua Grill, & McDonalds. Go away from beach past the light with Wendy's. Just past Wendy's on the right. When we were there there was no sign outside. The sitting area is a glass enclosed screen porch. The menu is handwritten on a note pad for the day. I feel bad that I cannot remember the guy that greeted us and explained everything on the menu and chatted with us while we waited on our food. Reasonable prices ($10) for alot of food. The other thing we were concerned about was exchanging currency, which I could never find any information before leaving. It isn't necessary to exchange. We never had a problem. The grocery stores list US prices and accept our currency. Same with all the other stores and restaurants.

There are some great, fantastic price deals to vacation at The Aruban, and you will be happy as long as you go in prepared that you are going on a budget vacation. The resort is right across the street from a beautiful stretch of Eagle Beach, the staff is very friendly and helpful, the rooms are clean, but with super outdated furniture that is pretty worn out. You also have to leave the AC on all of the time, so bring a sweater and some socks for sure.

The kitchens are equipped with all of the things you need to cook your meals, which you will want to do if you are going on a budget vacation because it is very expensive to eat out in Aruba. The buses are very easy to use, and you can catch them on the beach road right outside of the hotel. You can quickly take the bus to the Super Food grocery store to stock up on supplies, including food and alcohol. We got a small styroam cooler at the grocery store, too, so we could take a little cooler down to the beach rather than constantly visiting the beach bar.

The restaurants at The Aruban/La Cabana are not great, but if you want to splurge on a night out, the Chalet Suisse is a short walk and is really delicious. It's also easy to ride the bus downtown or to the high rise resort area to check out more restaurant options. We also tried Gianni's (expensive and just ok) and Casa Tua (gross) in the high rise resort area. Overall, we were pretty disappointed with the food selections available in Aruba, there are lots of chain restaurants that you could get at home, and not many options to try any local cuisine or truly fresh seafood.

For exploring, you can ride the bus to the end of the high rise resort area and take a short walk to Malmok Beach/Boca Catalina Beach/Arashi Beach which are all very close to each other and have some nice snorkeling. These beaches are more rustic and not crowded, it's pretty cool for something different than the typical resort beach.

We also sat through a timeshare presentation so we could get a free Jeep rental for two days to explore more of the island. The timeshare presentation wasn't too bad, we got free breakfast and they keep it to two hours as promised. Driving around Aruba can be challenging, because there are very few street signs, but if you are adventurous, go for it! You can drive to all the sites that the Jeep excursions take you on. You can also drive through the Arikok area and to Baby Beach for the snorkeling. Baby Beach is a little weird because there is this nice beach with decent snorkeling, all in full view of an oil refinery, but it's worth one visit down there.

If you like to gamble, there are lots of casino options, but the one right there at The Aruban is tiny right now, the larger one is still under construction. You can go to the Radisson in the high rise area for a larger casino that has Texas Hold 'Em, the Hyatt also has a nice casino, and Crystal Casino downtown is pretty big. Again, easy bus rides to get to the casinos, or the cabs to and from the high rise areas are only $7-$8.

Our main feeling leaving Aruba is that the best thing to do when coming here is to plan mainly to just relax on the beach, maybe do one excursion if you want to, and be prepared to pay a lot for food that is not that great. If you are more of an action traveler that likes to explore and find cool local places and delicious food and be more off the beaten path, this is probably not the island for you (it wasn't for us, but we made the best of it.)

I thought this hotel (timeshare) was fairly decent for the price I paid. The room was clean and the service was great. I didn't feel that the timeshare sales reps were at all pushy as some of the other reviews mentioned. The hotel is still going through renovations, but I wasn't bothered by any of it. I think once the hotel is fully renovated, it's going to be an awesome place to stay. The hotel is building a brand new casino (Vegas-style) next door which is going to bring a lot of business. If you're interested in buying a timeshare in Aruba, this would be the place to buy!

I wanted a nice reasonable vacation spot, so we chose the Aruban. I really liked the room, it was like a small apartment. Refrigerator, stove, stocked with dishes and silverware. Dining area with tv, one in the bedroom also. Nice full balcony where u could view the whole pool area. When going to Aruba and u choose to stay here, on your first day go to the grocery store. This is not an all-inclusive hotel. You will save yourself some money, u don't have to get alot of food, because some nights u will want to visit the restaurants. Dale and Mary-Rose are very nice staff members and personnel to share the island info with u. I did'nt care too much for having to go to the next door neighbors hotel to go to the beach, but they were nice about it.. But overall the people there are friendly, I would visit again. There the hotels are within walking distance. Hotel hop like we did. It was fun. Visit downtown, can walk if u choose to. Taxi's are rather expensive. Sometimes they may cheat u abit. So get your exercise and have fun.

Wasn't a great place, wasn't a horrible place, just not a place I would go back to. Location a short walk to Eagle Beach is nice.

Hotel is undergoing a renovation that should improve the overall vibe of the resort.

My husband, 13 year old daughter and I went to the Aruban and found the hotel to be acceptable based on the price we paid for the week. Yes, the hotel and rooms are in need of updating but our family vacations are not dependent on having the latest and greatest in home fashions. The rooms are very spacious with a kitchenette, dining room table, pull out couch, bathroom with a whirlpool bath tub and a pretty good size bedroom. We went to a local store and purchased coffee, cereal, snacks. etc...to have on hand, and found having the refrig and kitchen a plus. Since the hotel is not directly on the beach, the hotel staff was more than willing to drive us back and forth via the hotel golf cart. We never had a hard time getting chairs on the beach and enjoyed renting the rafts for $3 to just float around all day. The hamburgers we purchased for lunch at the pool and the sandwiches we purchased at the casino were reasonably priced and good, but the dinner we had at the casino was a disappointment. We took a cab into town every evening to have dinner and paid $10 each way. In retrospect, I think we would have done better to have rented a car. The two pools are not very big, but it was never too crowded too swim or find chairs. Having the waterslide was great for my daughter, but it would have been better if there had been more activities or games available. We found the hotel staff to be exceptionally friendly, and we did not experience any of the harassment I read about from those selling time shares.

The Aruban workers at the hotel were polite, helpful, and friendly. Considering that the hotel is old and in need of many updates, the service made the hotel tolerable. However, the two managers from Las Vegas (I believe one guys name is Bob) were rude and had their noses in the air. They reprimanded their employees in front of guests and were nasty if you did not buy a time share.

The rooms are in major need of repair which is supposed to be happening soon. The maids did a wonderful job cleaning each day, but that does not make up for the hard sheets and uncomfortable coach. If you are looking for a cheap place near the most beautiful beach (Eagle Beach) it is worth the stay. Who stays in their room on vacation anyway!

OK folks, listen up because I am about to give you the straight dope on The Aruban. I just returned from Aruba where I traded in my timeshare in Hawaii to stay at "The Aruban Resort & Casino" in Aruba. I read all the reviews and heard all the horror stories and still decided to give The Aruban a chance. From what I had heard The Aruban and La Cabana, which is the resort property located in front of the The Aruban, were one in the same. However, when I got there and was ambushed by a timeshare salesman for La Cabana I was told differently. When they told me they were no longer affiliated I was quite suprised because the whirlpool tub in my bathroom and several other items in my room showed the name La Cabana. I know that they are preparing to do a major renovation of La Cabana, but did not hear about renovations scheduled for The Aruban. I was on the 5th floor in a 2 bedroom unit and did not find it as bad as several of the other reviews I have read. Yes, the rooms are dated and in need of some renovations, but who goes to Aruba to stay in their room? I had everything I needed in the unit. I did not smell mildew or see any bugs like some other reviewers, but did notice that there were parts of the room that needed updating. Furniture, Beds, and parts of the Kitchen area were worn as could be expected since these are the major areas being used by all the guests. Everything in my unit was in good working order and if I had a problem maintenance was there promptly to assist. I never smelled any oder in the room or near the beach. The walk to the beach is not for at all and has been very exaggerated by other reviewers. Also, I never had a problem getting towels for my room or the pool areas. The pools and hotel grounds were beautiful and the service was very friendly. Be sure to try a burger from the swim up bar and if you go down the waterslide hang on to your butt because if is a wild ride. Kids loved it and so did the adults. The pools were never crowded when I was there and there was plenty of room at the beach. Here's what it boils down to friends, I am a 32 year old male from Michigan making $50,000 a year. I felt like the luckiest guy in the world just to be in Aruba. For those of you that make 6 figures or will not settle for less that the 5 star best stay somewhere else so you will be happy. If you are like me and are in Aruba for the beauty of the Island and not the room then the Aruban is a fine place to stay.

I cannot recommend this hotel at all. They tried duping us into buying a timeshare. We had trouble with our credit card company, as the resort billed us monthly payments for a timeshare we never purchased. It just got resolved now, favorably on our side.

People who were not staying at the hotel used the faciltiies. They would arrive at the end of the day, coolers in hand, start cooking on the grills, and swimming in the pool. Security never stopped them. We were paying to use the facilities and they allowed non-guests the privilege of using them for free.

They ran out of food at the grill, and never replaced the items during our entire stay. You mean to say that they couldn't go to the grocery store and stock up on hot dogs for their guests? They had, I believe, 3 choices at the poolside grill: hamburgers, hot dogs and fries. They ran out of 2 of the 3 items and never replaced them. We wanted a frozen drink with bananas it. Guess what? They ran out of bananas and we could never order the drink we wanted. Same thing: they couldn't have sent staff to the store to get bananas?

On the positive side, the slide at the pool was great. That is why we chose this hotel, in part. My kids went up and down all day long. They also had shuffleboard, which my kids enjoyed. That was a surprise to me, but they really had fun with it. The Dunkin Donuts on site was also a nice feature. We're from New England and love our DD coffee in the morning.

We had to cross the street to use the beach, which was fine because we knew this beforehand. The beach area was clean and beautiful, no complaints there. There were also plenty of chairs that staff brought to us.

We purchased a trial week last year when we went to a time share presentation at The Aruban. We were promised renovated rooms for the trial week. When we arrived for our trial week, 05/14/09-05/21/09, we were told by the desk clerk that there were no renovated rooms. We were put in a room on the 4th floor and the furthest from the elevator. The room was very old, the bathroom had mold on the soap dish in the shower and on the curtains in the living area. The king size bed was big, but very old and worn out. The kitchen was nice. We had a newer microwave, toaster oven, and 2 burner stove. The refrigerator was ok. There were plenty of dishes, cookware and utensils. The resort was empty, we only saw 1 other couple on the 4th floor. I am not sure why they put us in a room so far away from everything. We may have seen 30 people the entire week. We did have a safe in the closet with a lock and key (if you lose it they charge you $100.00), they also require a 250.00 credit card deposit that will be credited when you leave.

When I asked Elena, the lady from the timeshare about the renovated rooms, she told me the renovated rooms were all booked but if we purchased a timeshare we would be guaranteed to stay in a renovated room next year. We asked to see one of the renovated rooms; she told us that we could not because there were people staying in them. We looked in the windows and saw vacant unfinished rooms. We chose to not purchase the timeshare. The Aruban shares a beach with La Cabana. La Cabana takes care of their property, The Aruban does not. We got a ride in a golf cart to the beach the first day; we were never able to get a ride to or from the beach anytime after that. We walked from The Aruban through La Cabanas property to get to the beach. It was a nice walk, but the people trying to get you to look at timeshares bombard you everyday, every time you walk past them. I was asked 5 times in 1 day by the same lady at the Aruban. They have a timeshare desk outside the lobby. I even told her the first 4 times that we had an appointment, the 5th time I reminded her that she had already asked me 4 times. The timeshare people were so bad that we chose to take the spiral stairs from the 4th floor to avoid them. The Aruban has 2 beautiful pools. There is one with a waterfall and a Jacuzzi, which is supposed to be adults only but the rule is not enforced, the other has a nice waterslide. The concierges are excellent and very helpful. There are grills available, however you do need to make a reservation and call the operator when you are ready to have it turned on. There are plenty of grocery stores, I personally like Ling & Sons, it is clean and they have almost anything that you could possibly want, many American brands. At the grodery store there are kids that carry your groceries to the car for you, they do not get paid, so we did tip $2.00. I found it cheaper to book a rental car ahead of time than to pay for a cab upon arrival at the airport. I paid $86.00 after taxes for a rental car for the week through Avis. If you do not have a car there is a Dunkin Donuts/Baskin Robbins and a restaurant on the resort, a Cinnebon and 2 restaurants at La Cabana, the food at both resorts is ok, not great.There is a La Petit Cafe that has a buffet, all you can eat breakfast for $9.95, within walking distance of the Aruban. We drove to Paseo Herencia Mall and the high rise hotel area for dinners, they were much better than the Aruban and La Cabana restaurants. The casino at the Aruban seems to be a rip off; we had a better experience at other casinos (Radisson, Riu, Holiday Inn, and Westin). Aruba is a beautiful Island but I would not stay at the Aruban Resort again due to the pushy timeshare people that are dishonest and the desperate need for room renovations.

Thank the heavens Aruba is such a lovely island that even a bad hotel can't make the trip bad. The Aruban is so outdated and old that it is almost highway robbery to look at the hotels website www.thearuban.com and think you are going to stay in a lovely room. The rooms are old and still have the old resort name on everything. It was so dissapointing to have grout in the tiles darker than potting soil and rooms that had beds that squeek and a musty odor! If you are paying less than 100 dollars USD a night than stay, but at 100 USD or more RUN AWAY!

Again, thank the heavens for the excellent Bell Captains who knew EVERYTHING on the island, resturants, car rental and all at half or less than other outfits were charging! Make sure you use their knowledge.. and take their suggestions, they were terrific - Thank you Henry and Pablo!

We stayed at The Aruban for 10 days from Jan 12 - Jan 21, 2009. Having stayed here 5 times before, I was very familiar with the resort. I knew the rooms were outdated and the resort does not have on-site dining. These issues did not bother me in the past. But this resort has really gone to the dumps. The staff is rude and not very interested in serving the customers. The laundry facilities are not adequate for the size of the resort, but didn't work anyway. They are in the process of renovations, but we did not see any construction while there. The construction on the new casino has been stopped, and when we inquired why, they would not answer. Instead of pushing timeshare sales, they should cut the marketing costs and start the renovations again. Although the value is good, we will not be staying here ever again. The only good thing I can say about this resort is the presence of the water slide, which the kids used every day. Spend a little extra money and stay somewhere else. One other note, we did visit the new water park which the kids loved. Admission is expensive , but you can leave and come back so my husband and I took turns going with the kids.

this hotel is 2 blocks from eagle beach which is a great beach. The property is trying to move to timeshares and the timeshare staff are anoying ,stay away from bob the big closer at the tour office. I hope they replace the painters i saw on the property and decide to repaint the complete facility which needs a good scrubbing down and paint. Rooms are dated and need upgrading ( you get two 19 " tv's in your room. Th staff was very friendly and informative. Service desk was great on restaurant bookings and suggestions for day trips. Hope they put some money into the maintenance and upgrades that there promising the time share tour visitors . I think another vist will be out untill i hear that they are moving forward with plans.Did not like food at casino next to the resort ( the 3 couples that we travel with ages 46 to 60 all agree) . Great towel service,and clean pool and ground maintenance,They should offer some shuttle service since there is nothing around walking distance except the great beach area

I have time share at La Cabana & decided to use a getaway & stay at the Arubian. Now that they have split from La Cabana the whole place has gone downhill. The rooms need major renovations which I hear is going to be happening soon. The room we had had little ants & after 2 nights of complaining to the front desk & demanding a new room they finally moved us. They didn't seem to care that we had a bug problem in our room. The pool area is nice but now that you cannot use La Cabana's pool it only seems dead around the Pool area. The Casino is small. we did stop in to play but left after about 30 minutes. They do have a free shuttle to & from the casino. The beach is a pretty far walk from the main lobby with no shuttle transportation. Overall considering how much I love Aruba I would not suggest this hotel to others. Look at La Cabana first or hotels on the strip!

We have mixed feelings about this resort. The rooms are not great to say the least. Very outdated and while we were there it rained for 2 days straight and water came in the walls and out from under the dresser in the bedroom. (i noticed when we checked in that the bottom of the dresser looked water damaged...i guess i know why now!) We spent a lot of time during those days sopping up water off the floor, ringing out towels, and replacing them up against the wall to catch more water. To be fair, i should say that Hurricane Omar was brewing off the coast and had caused a tropical depression to hit Aruba. But i still didn't expect water pockets to form on the walls that would leak water onto the floor.

However, withstanding the rooms...the outdoor spaces were great. The pools were awesome, the kids loved the waterslide, the pool bar was good. Make sure if you charge things at the hotel bar though that you keep a copy of ALL receipts. We did not charge one drink there (always paid cash)...but upon check out $25 of someone else's drinks had been put onto our rooms charges. Since we hadn't charged one thing there....it was pretty easy to prove by signatures on the slip....but beware of that.

They do a Taco Night and a Caribbean night....we thought they were great. Free snacks (a very light dinner if you aren't too hungry or appetizers before heading out to dinner). The parties were from 5-7pm. Free alcohol and free food. Plus entertainment...one night a dj....and one night a 5 piece band.

I can not say enough good things about the entertainment director. She was a HOOT! We loved talking to her. And Pauline at the activities desk was the ABSOLUTE BEST! She helped us cancel our excursions and get our money back when the weather closed all the activities down. She helped us so much during our whole stay.

Anyway, would we stay there again? Not sure. I might try them again in 10 years or so....by then they should have their renovations completed... but wouldn't stay there before that. I think it will take them that long to change the rooms enough for me to want to stay there again.

Melissa

I went with my parents and sister. At first i thought the resort wasn't really that bad. The pool area was nice, short walk to the beach, and most of the workers were kind and helpful.

The not so good part was that the rooms were not exactly clean when the maid finished cleaning it and then i think the bed made my skin itch. There was also this thing called "Taco Night." I read it off a poster in the lobby and it said all ages welcome and the taco was free. Not only was the taco served later than it was stated on the poster... children weren't allowed to even eat the tacos. They only offered children a plate of chips and the adults were allowed to get a plate of chips and one shell of taco. The lady that was in charge of the whole taco night was exceptionally rude and mean too. She practically didn't allow people who didn't dance to get any tacos.

Overall, the resort and casino was an okay in my opinion.

Well, most of the reviews written about this place are true....but the place does sort of grow on you. I traded a five-star, Gold Crown Resort for this place, so we were greatly disappointed when we read the TA reviews. The rooms were dated, the furniture was old, and the kitchen cabinets were peeling. However, the room was clean and the maid came everyday. The room was musty smelling but we fixed that by opening up the front and the back door and letting that beautiful Aruba breeze air the place out.

The walk to the beach was easy enough, and there were usually plenty of chaises and huts. The hardest time to get the huts was around 8:30AM. The chairs/chaises are locked up but there are attendants to unlock them and move them to whatever location you want. The service is free,but I tipped the guy a dollar.

We had fun learning how to play blackjack with Rocky everyday, and we enjoyed the small casino. We aren't big gamblers but it was something to do and we found it cheaper than eating out everyday! If you're nice to the time-share people, they will give you coupons for free drinks and match play.

We rented a car and explored the island. Food shopping is an adventure, and is about a 6minute drive away. (Bring food, it's okay--stuff is expensive--but make sure you get some real Gouda cheese.)

Even though we were not thrilled with our room, the people tried their best to meet our needs. The entire place is being renovated (including the casino). Like I said, once we got over the initial disappointment--it really was as bad as the reviews said--we just got over it and looked for the positives.

The Aruban was horrible! The room was disgusting! The toilet was dirty, there was a dirty toothpick on the floor and a blood stain on the comforter. The bedding was so old that the pillows were as flat as pancakes and we could hardly move in the morning because our backs hurt from the horrible mattress. The Aruban isn't convieniently located near the beach at all, you have to walk across the parking lot, through another hotels lobby and pool area and then across the street. Usually hotels have some toiletries in the rooms and coffee for you to make in the morning... but there were none of those things. The only nice things about the Aruban was that the pool was pretty nice. Also the woman at the activities desk was great.

My family was supposed to stay here for nine days. When we arrived there we looked at over ten rooms. The rooms are all outdated and the ones we looked at were all dirty and they smelled like MOLD and MILDEW. The mattresses were all black and god knows what were growing on them. The picture that is on there website is a BIG FAT LIE. We ended up leaving and going to another hotel. The beach is across four lanes of traffic. DO NOT GO THERE IF YOU HAVE YOUNG CHILDREN. There is no shops or restaurants around this establishment.

We were disappointed that the Hotel did not meet our expectations. The pictures do not match the real thing, nor do ANY of the ads you see while in Aruba. This was to be our honeymoon. The curtain had food on it. The refrigerator door was broken. The cabinets and all furnishings were decades old. The place smelled like mildew. It was gross. We had to leave!

We booked this as a time share for our honeymoon. The service was horrible and the staff was extremely rude! The rooms were old and dirty, and the beds were hard. The lights from the walkway shine through your bedroom windows and there is no way to hide it, making it hard to sleep. Before check out a member of the staff came to our our room and got into an argument with us (because she claimed check out was at 11am, even though all paper work said noon). There is a creepy "casino" bar thing on the property which we also recommend you don't visit. The only nice things about the entire hotel was the pool with its man made waterfall, water slide, and swim up bar.

Don't believe the photos that you see online. The place is a dump! They spent too much money on advertising (FALSE advertising), and not enough money keeping the rooms in good condition. Also, the beach is not "across the street from the hotel". It's across the street from the resort IN FRONT of the Aruban. You have to go around or through the other resort to get to the beach. There's extremely loud music playing outside. We checked in at night, went up to the room and went back down to ask for another room. The first 2 rooms we went to had such a musty and mildew smell that we couldn't stay in them. The 3rd room was just as bad of a room, but at least the smell wasn't quite as strong. No bellman to help with our bags. No towels in the room. They finally brought bath towels to us 2.5 hours after we requested them. The AC barely works. The shower barely trickles. The bathroom fixtures are the most hideous shade of green! Everyhing is worn and tired-looking. If they ever renovate the place to match the advertising photos all over the island, it might be nice. But for now, stay away!

Where do I start? Ah, my first impression. As we arrived at the Aruban, the exterior slowly raised the tiny hairs on the back of my neck. The resort appeared dated and in need of a fresh coat of paint. My opinion grew more negative as we walked through the breezeway past the front desk to an elevator which was too small and interior lined with wood paneling seeminlgy straight from the sides of an old woody station wagon. The walk to the room did not get better as we strolled past one weather-beaten door after another.

Once we opened the door the stench of old bleach welcomed us into our one bedroom suite. The kitchen area was half heartily cleaned (see attached photographs). The curtains were fiithy and stained. There were stains on the microwave and some type of "goo" left on the stove knob. A good deal of mold covered the bottom portion of the dresser in the bedroom. The lampshades bore rust around the top.

Other than the lack of good housekeeping, the room was musty and dated. So much so I spent the first hour of our stay on the phone with my travel agent looking for an out. Unfortunately there were not many rooms available and the ones that were would have cost me another $1,000.00. So rather than going deeper into my piggie bank, we accepted another suite.

The two bedroom upgrade was free of the aroma of old bleach however the decor was in the same dated shape and no more inviting than the first.

Bottom line: you couldn't pay me to stay at the Aruban again.

The hotel was very dirty. The hotel staff was very rude. The room were so dirty that you could not walk bare foot after you took a shower in your room. We were only given two bath towels for a family of five. And when I requested additional towels I was first told that they could not give me any and then when they finally did we were charged $125.00 ($5 per towel). My husband and I slept without sheets on night on the sofa bed because they did not replace our sheets from the day before.

Every morning the maid came and knocked on the door about 8am. And then proceded to knock every 15 mins to see if she could clean our room. I thought we would be able to sleep in! It was our vacation.

I would never recommend this hotel to anyone!

I thought the resort would be a lot more better than I expected. First, the lobby was not air conditioned. They used the passage way for lobby. While, there were plenty of people waiting in line to check in or out. Its hot there. The pool and whirlpool had rocks. I think they need to do some renovation on the rooms. Its outdated.

I would go back again but not stay at the same resort or recommend to others.

Other than that, the island was wonderful.. Its small little walk to the beach. My family and I spent most of our time at the beach.

I rented a car drive around the island. The island is very beautiful.